Kevin McCarthy Referred To The 'Electric Cord Of Liberty,' And People Are Confused
President Joe Biden hoped to electrify Americans with remarks on Thursday condemning election-denying “MAGA Republicans,” but it’s the comments by Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) that Twitter users found shocking.
That’s because, in his “prebuttal” to Biden’s remarks, McCarthy made a reference to the “electric cord of liberty,” which many people found confusing, bizarre or just silly.
“The American experiment and the good people who believe in it have not said their last word. The electric cord of liberty still sparks in our hearts. The spirit of the Pilgrims, the Patriots and the Pioneers still inspire our souls. Our best days are ahead of us, not behind us. Our nation can flourish again and under a new historic Republican majority,” the House minority leader intoned.
McCarthy: The electric cord of liberty still sparks in our hearts pic.twitter.com/3kCGR9nJ9Q
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 1, 2022
The electric cord reference seemingly harks back to an 1858 Abraham Lincoln speech in which Lincoln said the Declaration of Independence “links the hearts of patriotic and liberty-loving men together” like an electric cord through the generations.
However, McCarthy didn’t mention Lincoln, leaving many people confused. In the apt words of Mediaite, McCarthy’s “electric cord of liberty” sounded “like a frightening class project at DeVry Technical Institute and Amateur Medical School.”
Not surprisingly, many people missed the patriotic reference.
Uhh... I'm no electrician, but I don't think electric cords are supposed to spark. https://t.co/QGBgBJzYa4pic.twitter.com/YCeBgfTGXW
— Dr. Mike P. Moffatt 🇨🇦🏅🏅 (@MikePMoffatt) September 2, 2022
If your electric cord is sparking you need to slap some insulation on it, that's a fire hazard dude. https://t.co/Sm989Y8ZKB
— Adam Jentleson (@AJentleson) September 1, 2022
“The electric cord of liberty still sparks in our hearts.”
- @GOPLeader
Wow.
Either he’s talking about people with pacemakers or he really is the ninnyhammer everyone says he is.
pic.twitter.com/0SFcd9e71J— Ken Olin (@kenolin1) September 1, 2022
Others decided to join McCarthy with their own convoluted metaphors.
“The toaster of patriotism browns the bread of freedom.” https://t.co/fFUkeiMGQz
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) September 1, 2022
the AA battery of justice, which has been in the remote control of freedom since we bought the TV that is This Great Land... https://t.co/oA9jaWBdhG
— Erin electric cord of liberty Ryan (@morninggloria) September 1, 2022
The ice machine of democracy produces digestible pellets of good ice that cools our souls. https://t.co/aEqBzhZ7To
— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) September 1, 2022
“The leather hood of freedom.”
“The cat o’ nine tails of justice.”
“The nipple clamps of prosperity.” https://t.co/N6mSLVRvyw— Scott Bixby (@scottbix) September 1, 2022
"It powers the lightbulb of love that glows in our loins..." https://t.co/qFCIA10K9n
— Gary Legum (@GaryLegum) September 1, 2022
The NOUN of freedom still VERBS in our BODY PART https://t.co/wDXGxWVXMx
— Ben Wexler (@mrbenwexler) September 1, 2022
"We choose to go to the Moon not because it is easy, but because the Moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie." https://t.co/7vGyRZfKF8
— Max Kennerly (@MaxKennerly) September 1, 2022
The empty suit of freedom still dulls in our brains https://t.co/UE8HZLqP5h
— Schooley (@Rschooley) September 1, 2022
the toaster of liberation still sizzles in the hot tub https://t.co/85NOyUtVBN
— nikki mccann ramírez (@NikkiMcR) September 2, 2022
Some people, seemingly unaware of the possible Lincoln reference, had theories about what McCarthy was trying to say.
Perhaps the dude has been spending too much time hanging around with Herschel Walker. https://t.co/q2Mi8iKvyT
— Joshua Holland (@JoshuaHol) September 1, 2022
Did an AI bot write this speech? https://t.co/4Ffao4CzNB
— Matt Ortega (@MattOrtega) September 1, 2022
Sep 1, 2022 6:06:33 PM ET— the exact moment Kevin realized that his speechwriter quiet quit https://t.co/fkxVnzmXfr
— Dr. Jorge Caballero stands with 🇺🇦 (@DataDrivenMD) September 2, 2022
But one person just had a simple request.
I beg you people to stop using words https://t.co/AfesKytj0l
— Jason (@longwall26) September 1, 2022
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
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