On his birthday, Twitter mocks Mitt Romney for the way he blows out his candles
Sen. Mitt Romney shared video of himself celebrating his 72nd birthday on Tuesday and was rewarded with social media mockery.
Twitter users pounced on two aspects of Romney's post about the surprise cake given to him by staffers: 1) Romney's favorite snack is Twinkies and 2) He has a very unusual method of blowing out birthday candles.
"My team surprised me with a cake made out of my favorite snack – twinkies! Looking forward to all this year has in store," Romney tweeted along with the video. The Utah Republican seemed genuinely thrilled at the surprise, laughing happily as his staff sings "Happy Birthday."
"Look at that! Holy cow!" Romney says as he eyes his cake, constructed with a couple dozen vertically arranged Twinkies that are topped with birthday candles.
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But it all goes awry about 30 seconds into the approximately minute-long clip when the senator proceeds to pluck out the candles and blow them out one-by-one.
"These are all wishes I'm getting," Romney says, as one staffer warns him not to burn himself. "All these wishes."
My team surprised me with a cake made out of my favorite snack—twinkies! Looking forward to all this year has in store. pic.twitter.com/lQfyIrQ9Qe
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) March 12, 2019
While it is possible Romney was motivated by a concern that he might blow the Twinkies over, users on Twitters afforded the senator no such consideration.
"This is the most bizarre technique for blowing out birthday candles that I’ve ever witnessed. Mitt Romney is a deeply weird dude," tweeted journalist Bradford Pearson.
This is the most bizarre technique for blowing out birthday candles that I’ve ever witnessed. Mitt Romney is a deeply weird dude. pic.twitter.com/kLGuJawDpv
— Bradford Pearson (@BradfordPearson) March 12, 2019
"Just think if this had surfaced during the 2012 election," imagined The New York Times' Julie Davis.
Just think if this had surfaced during the 2012 election. "New video of Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney extinguishing birthday candles by removing them 1 by 1 from his cake and blowing on them individually has raised new questions..." https://t.co/8wcKNMOdpb
— Julie Davis (@juliehdavis) March 12, 2019
"Mitt Romney blows out birthday candles like a serial killer," tweeted the Barstool News Network.
Mitt Romney blows out birthday candles like a serial killer pic.twitter.com/Ous6V7n34S
— Barstool News Network (@BarstoolNewsN) March 12, 2019
Some users speculated Romney's method was about hygiene concerns and applauded him for it.
"Mitt Romney and I once bonded over our OCD about food. We both have a number of them," tweeted Reuters correspondent Ginger Gibson. "And now I'm unsure I'll be able to ever not do this with birthday candles. Not all heroes wear capes."
Mitt Romney and I once bonded over our OCD about food. We both have a number of them. And now I'm unsure I'll be able to ever not do this with birthday candles. Not all heroes wear capes. https://t.co/8V68qhNO4i
— Ginger Gibson (@GingerGibson) March 12, 2019
I hate a million things about Mitt Romney but I'm totally into how he blows out candles. Last thing I want is your spitty mouth covering a cake.
— scharpling (@scharpling) March 12, 2019
Hot take: the weird way Mitt Romney blows out candles individually is actually Good because he’s not getting spit on the cake
— Dana Schwartz (@DanaSchwartzzz) March 12, 2019
Here are some other Twitter reactions to Romney's birthday wishes:
I find the way Mitt Romney blows out birthday candles super endearing??? https://t.co/UZn1qSVzoZ
— Kate Nocera (@KateNocera) March 12, 2019
Get you a man who looks at you like mitt romney looks at twinkies pic.twitter.com/bB6GEjzlZv
— deer saint denis, (@bussysaintdenis) March 12, 2019
One year ago Mitt Romney blessed us with the knowledge that his favorite meat is hot dog, and now we learn that his favorite snack is Twinkie, the hot dog of cake products
— Helen Rosner (@hels) March 12, 2019
Today thus far:
- The president is Mad Online about airplane computers
- Mitt Romney blows out birthday candles one at a time
- Aunt Becky from FULL HOUSE got indicted in a elaborate bribery scheme— Scott Wamplerâ„¢ (@ScottWamplerBMD) March 12, 2019
Relatable human Mitt Romney shows how to properly blow out a birthday cake: https://t.co/4huSg5vI4G pic.twitter.com/92xLMwNfJ3
— The Daily Dot (@dailydot) March 12, 2019
I'm clinging to this video of Mitt Romney and his Twinkie birthday cake, trying to remember an earlier, less insane time in politics pic.twitter.com/W0d1mzS6Ui
— Dajo, to save time 🍎 (@davejorgenson) March 12, 2019
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: On his birthday, Twitter mocks Mitt Romney for the way he blows out his candles