New York – Trump’s Sniffles A Social Media Sensation

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    Republican Donald Trump speaks as he debates Democrat Hillary Clinton during the first Presidential Debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, USA, 26 September 2016. EPANew York – Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump stole the social media spotlight during a U.S. presidential debate on Monday night – this time for what Twitter users branded a #Trumpsniffle.

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    The wealthy businessman was seen and heard sniffling repeatedly as he faced off against Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in their first debate, giving rise to the hashtag.

    The Twittersphere was abuzz with playful memes and animations as viewers tried to figure out what was causing Trump’s nose to run. Parody accounts Donald’s Sinuses (@TrumpsSinuses) and Trump sniff (@TrumpSniff) instantly gained a large following.

    The hashtag #sniffle quickly become popular on Twitter, while some compared the audible breathing, or loud sniffing, to Al Gore’s sighing from the 2000 presidential debate. One Hillary Clinton supporter, former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, took it one step further, posting on Twitter: “Notice Trump sniffing all the time. Coke user?”

    A campaign aide said Trump, 70, did not have a cold.

    Several tweeters seized on the sniffling to hit back at Trump over his repeated digs at the health and stamina of Clinton, 68, who had pneumonia earlier this month.

    “I am worried about @realDonaldTrump’s health – are the sniffles symptoms of something more serious? #sniff #debatenight,” tweeted user Scott Charton.

    Twitter said the debate was the most tweeted-about political moment in the social media company’s history. Trump was the focus of 62 percent of the conversation on the social media platform, Twitter said.

    On Facebook, conversations about Trump made up 79 percent of debate chatter, while Clinton’s share of the conversation was 21 percent.

    Even so, sentiment appeared to go Clinton’s way. Social media analytics firm Zoomph said tweets mentioning Clinton ended at a ratio of about 1.5 to 1, which meant that for every negative mention, there were 1.5 positive mentions, Zoomph said.

    Sentiment toward Trump fluctuated, but ended nearly flat at a ratio of one positive mention to every negative one.

    The most tweeted-about topics were the economy, foreign affairs, energy and environment, terrorism and guns.

    A lot of attention has been focused on both candidates’ health going into the debate following Clinton’s pneumonia diagnosis earlier this month. At the debate, the 70-year-old Trump also questioned the 68-year-old Clinton’s endurance for the office, something he frequently does at this campaign rallies and on Twitter.

    “I don’t believe she does have the stamina,” he said.

    Clinton retorted by noting her travels to 112 countries and her more recent 11 hours of testimony before the House Benghazi Committee, suggesting that once Trump does something similar, “he can talk to me about stamina.” Both candidates have since released details about their health history.

    Meanwhile, Trump also claimed after the debate that he was given a “defective” microphone.

    “I wonder: was that on purpose?” he asked.

    Trump’s claim about the microphone is far from the first time he has suggested that outside forces have conspired against him. He has warned his supporters several times that he believed he could lose in November because the general election would be “rigged.”

    Still, Trump was less combative Monday when debate moderator Lester Holt asked the candidates if they will accept the outcome if the other wins the election.

    If Clinton is victorious, Trump said, “I will absolutely support her.”


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    7 Comments
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    ayinglefunadorf
    ayinglefunadorf
    7 years ago

    It’s not a cold, not coke, its his allergy to the Constitution. Let him go back to Germany where his family come from and preach his hatred, racism, walls, deportations etc.

    7 years ago

    This is very crucial to the state of our country and its future. Talk about desperate democrats…

    7 years ago

    So the liberal press are concerned with his sniffles but have no problem with Hilary’s seizures, etc… Makes perfect sense.

    AlbertEinstein
    AlbertEinstein
    7 years ago

    Desperate Democratic times call for desperate, silly, irrelevant measures.

    Bi-Stander
    Bi-Stander
    7 years ago

    These people are soooo ignorant.

    Ask any voice lessons teacher or anyone who ever took voice lessons.

    They teach you to breath in through the nose. Trump obviously took voice lessons, as its evident from the way he shouts. that is why you hear him sniffing.

    But again, if someone drowns he will grab onto anything.