The RNC Chases Hillary Clinton With a Giant Orange Squirrel
An intern wearing a fuzzy suit showed up at an event, warning “another Clinton in the White House is nuts.”
The donkey may represent the Democratic Party, but if the Republican National Committee has its way, the squirrel will represent Hillary Clinton. A giant, orange, fuzzy squirrel, that is.
At her book event at George Washington University in D.C. on Friday, the RNC dispatched an intern wearing a squirrel suit, because, “Another Clinton in the White House is nuts.”
For a limited time, according to GOP.com, a $5 contribution will get you a bumper sticker with the saying (the “U” in “nuts” is, creatively, an acorn).
“From her out-of-touch comments about being ‘dead broke’ to her squirrely answers on Benghazi, this time Hillary Clinton is climbing up the wrong tree,” the site said.
The RNC rolled out a corresponding Twitter account, @HRCSquirrel, which boasts 96 followers so far.
Raffi Williams, deputy press secretary for the RNC, told The Daily Beast that of all the creatures in the animal kingdom, it was immediately clear that the squirrel was the best way to troll Clinton. “I think it was a good choice for us and I think it’s something that’s distinct and memorable for people.”
The RNC’s plan, Williams said, is to follow Clinton around on her book tour with the squirrel. “We’re going to do it for as long as it works,” he said, assuring that at Clinton’s event at a Costco on Saturday, “the squirrel will be there.”
Williams said that on her tour, Clinton has received “almost $50 million” worth of “free media,” and the squirrel is intended to remind people about her record. Williams expressed frustration that the mainstream media wasn’t allowing any Republicans to “push back” on Clinton.
At Clinton’s Friday event, where the squirrel was stationed beginning at 4:30 pm (with Clinton scheduled for 6:00 pm), Williams said, “people are enjoying [the squirrel]. They’re laughing at it, [giving it] a lot of high fives and taking a lot of selfies with him.”
Williams said the RNC has not decided on a sex or a name for the squirrel other than HRC Squirrel. Inside the squirrel suit, an intern named Justin can be found. “I actually don’t know his last name,” Williams said. “He volunteered to be in the suit.”
Asked if there was competition among the interns to wear the suit, Williams laughed, “he was the most enthusiastic.”