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Even though Scott Walker dropped out of the Republican presidential race months ago, the Wisconsin governor still managed to get some social media buzz and make headlines on this hotly contested Super Tuesday.
However, a good portion of the buzz was likely not positioned exactly the way he intended.
Early Tuesday night, Gov. Walker tweeted this:
What my hand feels like after signing 58 bills into law today: pic.twitter.com/NcAE5Ng9oR — Governor Walker (@GovWalker) March 1, 2016
The remark provoked more than a little head-scratching, serving as one of those unfortunate political metaphors that made you wonder, "What was he thinking?" For Walker, it's a familiar situation. Remember when he ran that 2014 campaign ad that featured him speaking to the camera while standing in a dirt hole?
Even weirder, Walker also tweeted a picture of his actual hand. Maybe he’s been listening to Marco Rubio too much lately.
Photo of my hand before signing 58 bills into law today: pic.twitter.com/crM19dwjNi — Governor Walker (@GovWalker) March 1, 2016
This is not a joke (I mean, I guess he meant it as a joke, but it really did not land). That's a real tweet of Walker’s real hand.
He must have been exhausted, having signed all those bills on things like ATV size and grouse feathers. This came after the 46 other bills Walker signed Monday, including one to make sure Democrat Mark Harris can’t run for the Legislature.
Here are the 14 best responses and metaphors raised Tuesday night by #walkerhand.
1. It's the UW system
Cut to the bone and stripped of its flesh. But that’s another column.
(PHOTO: Bobby Tanzilo)
2. It’s the average age of the Democratic presidential candidates
(PHOTO: Maggie Polsean)
3. Good question
4. It’s Walker, after Trump and the presidential campaign got done with him
This guy kind of had the same idea:
@GovWalker About as healthy and lively as your political career. — Namir Yedid (@NamirYedid) March 1, 2016
Or, following the same unfortunate metaphorical theme, it’s Walker politically as governor, with a less than 40 percent approval rating.
5. Unlike Trump, at least he’s got long fingers
@GovWalker X-ray too big to be @realDonaldTrump — Joshua Luiz Trindade (@jluiztri) March 1, 2016
6. Uh oh, GOP...
@GovWalker For a minute I thought that was a picture of what the GOP will be if Trump wins — NYC Infidel (@NYC_Infidel) March 1, 2016
7. A different type of bills
@GovWalker What my hand feels like after signing 58 bills into law today: pic.twitter.com/yBrR59WIwA — Its probably nothing (@kopprz) March 1, 2016
8. Ah, the civility in politics today
@GovWalker pic.twitter.com/Z5xEMRKHju — Professor O'Werewolf (@Prof_Werewolf) March 1, 2016
9. Sorry, governor, but these jokes were pretty predictable
What were you thinking?
@GovWalker That's appropriate, since most of those laws are boning your constituents. — Joel Zawada (@JoelZawada) March 1, 2016
10. Guns
.@GovWalker This is appropriate given that Milwaukee had had a dramatic rise is gun homicides. @scottwalker ignored this & loosened gun laws — Not Backing Down (@Pie_SocialMedia) March 2, 2016
Some people will use anything to make the same political point on guns.
11. High score!
@GovWalker like that friends episode where Chandler gets a claw from playing Pacman too much — Billy Richards (@Richards11Billy) March 1, 2016
12. Says it all
@GovWalker @BrianMoczynski wtf — Alyssa Mozejewski (@dunremb) March 1, 2016
13. Another response to his bone-headed tweet
@jessmcbridemilw @GovWalker It's the hand of every prisoner in Wisconsin waiting for a pardon that's not coming. Don't want 2 undermine CJS! — Rich Donovan (@yankfan2010) March 1, 2016
14. Or maybe Walker's actually a trendsetter
@GovWalker pic.twitter.com/bn3Zn8QaKq — space jam dustin (@sexualdustin) March 1, 2016
Jessica McBride spent a decade as an investigative, crime, and general assignment reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and is a former City Hall reporter/current columnist for the Waukesha Freeman.
She is the recipient of national and state journalism awards in topics that include short feature writing, investigative journalism, spot news reporting, magazine writing, blogging, web journalism, column writing, and background/interpretive reporting. McBride, a senior journalism lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, has taught journalism courses since 2000.
Her journalistic and opinion work has also appeared in broadcast, newspaper, magazine, and online formats, including Patch.com, Milwaukee Magazine, Wisconsin Public Radio, El Conquistador Latino newspaper, Investigation Discovery Channel, History Channel, WMCS 1290 AM, WTMJ 620 AM, and Wispolitics.com. She is the recipient of the 2008 UWM Alumni Foundation teaching excellence award for academic staff for her work in media diversity and innovative media formats and is the co-founder of Media Milwaukee.com, the UWM journalism department's award-winning online news site. McBride comes from a long-time Milwaukee journalism family. Her grandparents, Raymond and Marian McBride, were reporters for the Milwaukee Journal and Milwaukee Sentinel.
Her opinions reflect her own not the institution where she works.