Pro-Clinton #HillarySoQualified hashtag backfires
A hashtagmeant to talk up Hillary Clinton's qualifications for the U.S. presidency quickly went sideways, resulting in alate-night Twitter fight between her supporters and those of Bernie Sanders.
#HillarySoQualifiedwas created by backers of Clinton after Sanders responded to a new round of attacks from Clintonat a rally in Philadelphia.
"She has been saying lately that she thinks I am quote-unquote not qualified to be president,"Sanders said.
Clinton had questioned Sanders'qualifications as a bone fide Democrat and for the presidency earlier in the day, but stopped short of saying he was notqualified.
"Let me just say in response to Secretary Clinton, I don't believe that she is qualified if she is through her super PAC taking tens of millions of dollars in special-interest money," Sanders said.
"I don't think you are qualified if you have voted for the disastrous war in Iraq,"he continued, referring to Clinton's 2002 vote as a U.S. senator.
Kim Frederick, a Clinton supporter in Houston, said she was "livid" at the remarks of the Vermont senator.
"Just beyond fiercely angry about this, and I could barely control myself," she said in an interview with the Washington Post.
So, started a hashtag and posted some well-worn memesabout Sanders' accomplishments.
#HillarySoQualified she got 8M children insured while you renamed two post office boxes. #ImWithHer
—@kimfrederi
#HillarySoQualified she could send him cliff notes for his interviews so he doesn't look so unprepared and utterly out of his league
—@kimfrederi
Other Clinton backers picked up on the hashtag, which eventually becamethe top worldwide hashtagWednesday evening.
#HillarySoQualified @BarackObama Chose her to lead America's foreign policy and diplomatic agenda as U.S. SecState! pic.twitter.com/9q8fncwTLz
—@eaedmonf
First Lady. Senator. Secretary of State. She WILL be the 45th president and the FIRST woman president! #HillarySoQualified
—@ScottPoi
#HillarySoQualified the American people seem to think she should be president. pic.twitter.com/e9OcfTiA24
—@EmmyA2
REMINDER: #HillarySoQualified that Bernie voted to confirm her as Secretary of State. #ImWithHer pic.twitter.com/ixA0K0WgWI
—@TheBaxterBean
What able and professional woman hasn't had a mediocre old white dude with fewer credentials question her abilities? #HillarySoQualified
—@scott_brawley
However, Bernie boosters, noted for their social media acumen, then picked up on #HillarySoQualified, usingit ironically and posting well into the wee hours.
By the morning, more than 170,000 tweets had been posted using the hashtag.
#HillarySoQualified @greenpeaceusa put her name on a blimp. Pretty, pretty, good. pic.twitter.com/KeBvKRX8cL
—@People4Bernie
#HillarySoQualified she's a better Republican than a lot of them pic.twitter.com/j050qAWxwl
—@JenD1974
#HillarySoQualified to give lip service to Democratic values, while working to protect the interests of her donors. pic.twitter.com/TOvx4gXa0v
—@funkinatrix
#HillarySoQualified she gets to call others unqualified but is outraged when others do the same to her. pic.twitter.com/BQC26ZnY2x
—@samhwils
#HillarySoQualified that it takes her just a little longer than others to "make the right choice." pic.twitter.com/FxxOyMR1N1
—@Latinos4Bernie
#HillarySoQualified That Colleges Can't Afford to Pay Her to Speak, Only Wall Street Can https://t.co/Wt7QP8qiFO #p2 pic.twitter.com/DKVXdNfSsQ
—@Socialist_Times
It makes you wonder if coming up with hashtags really helps your candidate
#HillarySoQualified that her supporters make hashtags that end up not really helping her.
—@sluggahjells