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Obama talks war, but all anyone cares about is his tan suit

Good work, everyone.

 

Eric Geller

Tech

Posted on Aug 28, 2014   Updated on May 30, 2021, 4:48 pm CDT

President Barack Obama took questions from the White House press corps Thursday afternoon on a range of life-and-death issues including Syria, Iraq, Russia’s aggressions against Ukraine, and the ISIS takeover in the Middle East. But the only thing Twitter wanted to talk about was the commander-in-chief’s tan suit.

Here are just some of the many, many comments on the suit, an unusual choice for a president who almost always addresses the nation in a more traditional dark-colored attire.

Praise

This suit is the boldest thing Obama’s done in months.

— Hunter Walker (@hunterw) August 28, 2014

Missing ‘fashion’ right here. pic.twitter.com/S4f4dbiuzZ

— Evan Weiss (@eaweiss) August 28, 2014

Criticism

This suit is a devious distraction from #Benghazi.

— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) August 28, 2014

Meta-criticism

Social media will comment more on the President’s tan sport coat than his words.

— Luke Russert (@LukeRussert) August 28, 2014

if you want people to ignore what you’re saying, change up your suit color

— Matt DeLong (@mattdelong) August 28, 2014

Support

I see no problem with the suit. pic.twitter.com/ZFFt75FedU

— John Dingell (@john_dingell) August 28, 2014

Mockery

WH press staffers to one another 30 minutes ago, “should we say something?”

— Brendan Buck (@BrendanBuck) August 28, 2014

Obama vows to defeat whoever made him wear this suit. pic.twitter.com/zoqj7OVFRe

— Josh Barro (@jbarro) August 28, 2014

Obama looks like he walked into Brooks Brothers looking for a suit and forgot to stop at the tailor on the way out.

— Micah Singleton (@MicahSingleton) August 28, 2014

I’m imagining an adorable West Wing-style anecdote where Michelle spills something on Obama’s jacket and he has to borrow an aide’s instead.

— Tim Carmody (@tcarmody) August 28, 2014

Puns

Guys what’s wrong I think Obama’s doing a suitable job

— Sean O’Kane (@sokane1) August 28, 2014

You know, tan really suits him.

— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) August 28, 2014

YES WE TAN

— Ryan Teague Beckwith (@ryanbeckwith) August 28, 2014

“Russia’s actions in Ukraine are TAN-tamount to war.” — Obama, I wish.

— Eric Geller (@ericgeller) August 28, 2014

The big picture

So finally everyone is talking about what a male politician is wearing.

— Ali N. (@anniesperson) August 28, 2014

This is also probably the only time Obama’s critics have wished there was more black in the White House.

— Ben Dreyfuss (@bendreyfuss) August 28, 2014

Reading the tea leaves

Point:

Tan suit = war

— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) August 28, 2014

Counterpoint:

I’m sorry but you can’t declare war in a suit like that.

— Damian Paletta (@damianpaletta) August 28, 2014

Acrostics

Beige E N G H A Z I Suit

— Andrew Kaczynski (@BuzzFeedAndrew) August 28, 2014

B E TaN Suit G H A Z I

— Sarah Kliff (@sarahkliff) August 28, 2014

TAN SUIT C O R N

— Political Line (@PoliticaILine) August 28, 2014

Aaaand the parody Twitter accounts…

Of course you exist. RT @Obamastansuit: How do I look? #tansuit #potus

— Brian Rie$ (@moneyries) August 28, 2014

Two of which didn’t last

.@Twitter cracking down on parody accounts? @ObamaSuit suspended 15 min after being created: https://t.co/gXavNS4ZrZ pic.twitter.com/ESiSiTJijd

— Neetzan Zimmerman (@neetzan) August 28, 2014

Whoa, now @BarackTanSuit is suspended: https://t.co/FCbH0LSrKu

— Andrew Couts (@AndrewCouts) August 28, 2014

Worst of all: It all might happen again

Message from senior White House official: ‘He loves that suit.’

— Susan Page (@SusanPage) August 28, 2014

Screenshot via White House livestream

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*First Published: Aug 28, 2014, 5:10 pm CDT