“Says who?” Donald Trump aide Michael Cohen questions polls that show the businessman trailing Hillary Clinton https://t.co/Ri6l5akJEC
— CNN (@CNN) August 17, 2016
On Wednesday morning, Donald Trump’s campaign announced its second major overhaul in as many months. Paul Manafort’s fate was viewed by spectators as a virtual demotion after his “secret” Ukraine ledger surfaced, which may or may not have caused the shake-up. The Trump team named a new campaign manager and campaign CEO while Manafort will stick around as campaign chairman. Katrina Pierson insisted this wasn’t a shake-up (but an “expansion”) in one of her spin-filled denials, which was amusing to the guests on that CNN panel.
Hours later, Trump lawyer Michael Cohen also visited CNN. He denied the reported shake-up before issuing a series of childish “Says who?” remarks. This was Cohen’s repeated denial after Brianna Keilar mentioned Trump losing in “all polls” to Hillary Clinton. This is the poll data Keilar cited:
https://twitter.com/tkdcoach/status/766080711115898885
Indeed, Trump’s been lagging behind Clinton — sometimes to double-digit effect — since the Democratic convention ended. But Cohen pretended he had no idea what (or who) his host was talking about. And he later spoke with Yahoo News to hilariously claim he “controlled” the interview: “I think I unraveled her.” Cohen’s believes Keilar’s brief pause was a “stumble” that ended in an answer so “generic it could have applied to anything.” That’s an atypical take for sure, but the internet very much enjoyed Cohen’s petulant playground act, which spawned the #SaysWho hashtag. Some people, including famed Trump fans Diamond and Silk, used the tag to call out Keilar for providing “condescending” campaign coverage.
.@brikeilarcnn @CNNSitRoom being condescending during the interview with @MichaelCohen212 #SaysWho @DiamondandSilk pic.twitter.com/olNwDBXdYM
— Diamond and Silk® (@DiamondandSilk) August 18, 2016
However, Keilar alluded to straight-up poll data and was faced with what many would agree is a condescending guest. And Cohen certainly inspired some spirited Twitter memes and responses:
https://twitter.com/Lib_Librarian/status/766092350254817280
https://twitter.com/PiercedSkull/status/766057667999719425
https://twitter.com/darth/status/766038010626539520
"Mr. Governor,You ate all the doughnuts"
"#SaysWho?!"
"Krispy Kreme"
"WHICH ONE?!"
"All of them" pic.twitter.com/GIF7DaHVac— Pfizer Crane (@GideonSlaygo) August 17, 2016
https://twitter.com/zachbraff/status/766072224470020097
Winter is coming. #SaysWho? pic.twitter.com/pM3CBkDlnc
— Seth Goodtime (@SethGoodtime) August 18, 2016
Says little Cindy Lou Who in Whoville; that's who #SaysWho pic.twitter.com/gE0rMpuSZ1
— Candy Landy (@candyolandy) August 18, 2016
[law school]
PROF: Segregated schools are unconstitutional.
MIKE COHEN: #SaysWho?
P: Supreme Court.
M: Which justices?
P: All of them.
— Cat in the Hat (@NorthCaroliNats) August 17, 2016
https://twitter.com/justinclementsS/status/766091314182098944
https://twitter.com/PaladinCornelia/status/766071546469240832
https://twitter.com/Prof_Retro/status/766071335592296448
https://twitter.com/julesdc/status/766064858097999872
https://twitter.com/jaystebbins/status/766066390444875777
This ended up being one of the more amusing politically-oriented hashtags in some time. Who knew a campaign restructuring could provide the internet with so much joy?