House Speaker Paul Ryan: “Welcome to the dawn of a new, unified Republican government.” https://t.co/lo3Igp17Wz https://t.co/XiNsMk0SuP
— CNN (@CNN) November 15, 2016
Despite demands by politicos and pundits alike unhappy with his prior performance, it seems House Speaker Paul Ryan will stay in the job for the time being. Maybe that’s why the occasional critic and supporter of President-elect Donald Trump congratulated the Republican Party’s nominee so quickly. That, and why he couldn’t contain his glee during a Tuesday morning press conference almost a week later, when he welcomed attendees by calling it “the dawn of a new, unified Republican government.”
“Feels really good to say that,” he said, adding: “This will be a government focused on turning President-elect Trump’s victory into real progress for the American people. Our team is very excited, and we cannot wait to get to work. At the same time, we recognize that the task ahead of us is enormous. If we are going to put our country back on the right track, we have got to be bold and we have to go big. This country is expecting absolutely no less.”
Flourishes notwithstanding, all anyone in the press and online could focus on was Ryan’s “dawn” comment:
BREAKING: House Speaker Ryan to nation: `Welcome to the dawn of a new unified Republican government'
— The Associated Press (@AP) November 15, 2016
That, and how unbelievably happy the Republican Wisconsin representative was to say it during his press conference. Hence why the Internet erupted with plenty of jokes at Ryan’s (and the “unified” party’s) expense. Star Wars was especially popular:
.@ap wait… that’s no sun pic.twitter.com/GQVlwWPQfx
— Hal Lublin (He/Him) (@hallublin) November 15, 2016
read entire thread
— Hal Lublin (He/Him) (@hallublin) November 15, 2016
https://twitter.com/scottbix/status/798559074908512256
https://twitter.com/JeremySinger/status/798564297299398657
https://twitter.com/TGOSPodcast/status/798555786968526848
.@AP pic.twitter.com/LJKpPM52YQ
— Alexis de Wokeville (@dbfj1218) November 15, 2016
— Richard Cook (@cookywook) November 15, 2016
As were The Hunger Games films:
House Speaker Ryan to nation: `Welcome to the dawn of a new unified Republican government'" pic.twitter.com/B0hHOILtsJ
— Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) November 15, 2016
https://twitter.com/eggology_/status/798554531604865024
The Lion King:
https://twitter.com/KmAc4L/status/798553929608884224
https://twitter.com/KmAc4L/status/798564326374187008
https://twitter.com/jslipchi/status/798554058265006080
And just about everything else:
https://twitter.com/gaywonk/status/798562931013222400
“@AP: BREAKING: House Speaker Ryan to nation: `Welcome to the dawn of a new unified Republican government’“ pic.twitter.com/ntEqWKIkTp
— Nick Chaney (@NickJChaney) November 15, 2016
— Stage Banter Guy Fieri (@TweeterReprise) November 15, 2016
https://twitter.com/anunlikelybrit/status/798556324099489792
.@AP pic.twitter.com/BxQrjamQPq
— becky schultz (@rebeccaschultz) November 15, 2016
— Clint Bundrick (@Atheris) November 15, 2016