It seems to be contagious.
No, we are not speaking of the deadly coronavirus, but a much more prosaic and hilarious faux pas: saying President Trump incited an “erection” at the U.S. capitol.
On Friday, speaking on the floor of the U.S. Senate, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer intoned, “But make no mistake: there will be a trial and when the trial ends, senators will have to decide if they believe Donald John Trump incited the erection — the insurrection— against the United States.”
Wait for it. pic.twitter.com/fornHVJ8La
— John Aravosis 🇺🇸🇬🇷🏳️🌈 (@aravosis) January 22, 2021
Fox News noted, “Schumer was informing senators about the plans for an impeachment trial of the ex-president. The House last week impeached the president for ‘incitement of insurrection’ for his alleged role in encouraging protesters who went on to storm the Capitol. It was at that point when Schumer made a somewhat phallic flub.”
Bloomberg’s Robert George commented on Schumer’s faux pas on Friday, writing, So, on the Senate floor, Chuck Schumer just said that senators must decide if ‘Donald John Trump incited the erection, uh, insurrection…’ Well, it WAS an uprising!”
So, on the Senate floor, Chuck Schumer just said that senators must decide if "Donald John Trump incited the erection, uh, insurrection…"
Well, it WAS an uprising!
— Robert A George (@RobGeorge) January 22, 2021
On Wednesday, CNN’s Anderson Cooper also seemed to be having linguistic trouble, saying:
You know, in this farewell video that he made he, you know, he said he fought for America. And all it stands for, which is, obviously, you know, something he was going to say, and that’s what, you know, he will continue to repeat throughout the rest of his life.
But just two weeks ago, he did incite an erection on the Capitol, an insurrection on the Capitol, and, you know, to try to overturn the results of a free and fair election. I mean, what do you think? I don’t know if he cares what his legacy is, or if he cares more about like the Trump brand, which doesn’t, you know, both of which seem tarnished to say the least.
Hey @SenSchumer, the good news is that you’re in good company. pic.twitter.com/GP5VOMygzN
— John Aravosis 🇺🇸🇬🇷🏳️🌈 (@aravosis) January 22, 2021
On its website transcription of Cooper’s show, CNN changed the wording in an apparent attempt to obfuscate the fact that Cooper had slipped up, writing that the host said, “But just two weeks ago, he did inside an eruption on the Capitol …” Below is a screenshot of CNN slipping in the verbal substitute of “eruption” for “erection”:
The parallel flubs are reminiscent of a pair of parallel tweets involving Schumer from back in December 2018. On Christmas Eve that year, Schumer tweeted this attack on President Trump: “It’s Christmas Eve and President @realDonaldTrump is plunging the country into chaos. The stock market is tanking and the President is waging a personal war on the Federal Reserve—after he just fired the Secretary of Defense.”
Twenty-three minutes later, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tweeted the exact same words.
It's Christmas Eve and President @realDonaldTrump is plunging the country into chaos. The stock market is tanking and the President is waging a personal war on the Federal Reserve—after he just fired the Secretary of Defense.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) December 24, 2018
It's Christmas Eve and @realDonaldTrump is plunging the country into chaos. The stock market is tanking and the president is waging a personal war on the Federal Reserve — after he just fired the Secretary of Defense. #TrumpShutdown
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) December 24, 2018