Dictionary.com Just Totally Trolled Mike Pence—And People Are Loving It
By Mark PygasUpdated Jan. 7 2019, 10:13 p.m. ET
The Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed President Donald Trump's tax plan earlier this week, President Trump's first major legislative victory after nearly a year in office. And during a bizarre cabinet meeting after the announcement, Mike Pence spent a solid three minutes praising President Trump in a clip that quickly went viral.
This Mike Pence "prayer" of thanks to Trump is excruciatingly, stomach-churningly uncomfortable to watch. The ritual submission and exaltation is nearly pornographic. This is not America. pic.twitter.com/FN6y2X2K73
— Steve Silberman (@stevesilberman) December 20, 2017Some highlights? Pence said Trump had “unleashed American energy,” “signed more bills rolling back federal red tape than any president in American history,” “restored American credibility on the world stage,” and that the president “got Congress to do what they couldn't do for seven years, in repealing the individual mandate in Obamacare.”
According to the Washington Post, there was a compliment every 12 seconds for three minutes straight. That's a total of 14.
Analysis: In Cabinet meeting, Pence praises Trump once every 12 seconds for three minutes straight https://t.co/xbz7cPPTaz
— Washington Post (@washingtonpost) December 20, 2017You can probably imagine what the reaction was like online. And Dictionary.com decided to get involved by tweeting out a link of their page on "sycophant."
There's a word for a person who would praise someone every 12 seconds. https://t.co/FlY8TY3fJa#VP #Pence https://t.co/4KMEkV496m
— Dictionary.com (@Dictionarycom) December 21, 2017Their definition? A noun referring to "a self-seeking, servile flatterer; fawning parasite." Synonyms include "toady, yes man, flunky, fawner, [and] flatterer."
This isn't the first time Dictionary.com has attacked the Trump administration. In November, they jokingly announced that "covfefe" was their word of the year, before announcing that it was actually "complicit."
We're so excited to announce that the Word of the Year is covfefe!
JUST KIDDING! But it is complicit. https://t.co/duT1xbaA5D#Complicit #WordOftheYear #ScaredYouDidntWe pic.twitter.com/P8fIL5LKOk
— Dictionary.com (@Dictionarycom) November 27, 2017Reaction to their latest burn had been mixed. Several users said that dictionaries should stay out of politics, threatening to boycott the website.
You should stay out of politics. I will now be using @MerriamWebster exclusively. Thanks for helping me with that choice.
— Neal Carpenter (@nealdcarpenter) December 21, 2017I previously used your website weekly, no more. Businesses should stay out of politics unless they only want half their customer's business.
— Fiscal Conservative (@DaedalusMW1) December 21, 2017Remind me not to use your website ever...oh, you just did...
— Random Guy (@rmasters78) December 21, 2017Only for users to point out that Merriam-Webster isn't much of a fan of the administration either, so they'd be low on options.
If you're part of a group that's paid to applaud, you're a 'claqueur'. https://t.co/EX96vGLGDz
— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) January 24, 20172017 saw both a sustained rise in 'feminism' lookups and a number of event-driven spikes.
'Feminism' is our #WordOfTheYear. https://t.co/CrEhuZe7HB
— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) December 12, 2017Others applauded the Twitter account.
That's some Grade A trolling
— Joe Himmelberg (@joehawk91) December 21, 2017Synonyms: politician #VP #MikePence pic.twitter.com/4cVWD3bkE6
— Nuha Serrac (@Nuhaserrac) December 21, 2017I KNEW there was a reason you guys were my go to resource for spelling... :D
— Chris Nesbitt (@nebsmail) December 21, 2017Oh dictionary.. I think I love you.
— MadMadderMaddest (@tearock) December 21, 2017Sums Pence up perfectly
— Mom first (@duling_kelly) December 21, 20172017 was the year dictionaries burned politicians. They've just become experts at throwing shade at them. Typos beware, you might be next in line for the dictionary to get!
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pbXSramam6Ses7p6wqikaKyimrultc2gZmtoYWx8cn6Oa2lokmGGn6zF2WibopuknryvrdGyZK2qn6G5prCMpqCknV2lsq%2BvxA%3D%3D