There have been many missteps during Election 2016, especially when it comes to appealing to the youth vote. The Clinton campaign has tried several times to grab at younger voters, most notably when Pokemon Go collided with each campaign. Nothing has been on the level of Michael Dukakis in the tank to this point, but we might have a contender for the creepiest bit of campaign pandering to this point in the election:
This election is not about Republican vs Democrat it's about insider vs outsider. It's time for a change in DC! # pic.twitter.com/0wYBx8DOsp
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) September 2, 2016
Donald Trump Jr. posted the ad you see above and it features a photo that almost instantly became fodder for people on the internet. Most seem confused where this is meant to reach out to millennials and students, given the photograph only shows the Trump children — minus Tiffany, of course — standing around like Autobahn from The Big Lebowski:
Other reactions seemed to agree to varying degrees, with a few glaring tosses back to some other photographs in the Trump toolbox:
Can I get a taco bowl, two meat tacos, a Kay Sa Dill Ah, and 3 Whore Chadas? #millenialsfortrump #studentsfortrump pic.twitter.com/GdvqUupWdL
— Deleted Tweet (@SUREIMCFK) September 3, 2016
First they came for the taco trucks, and I did not speak. #millenialsfortrump pic.twitter.com/uTdZxrFNqJ
— Oakland Exceptionalism (@matthewmeschery) September 3, 2016
This Marry, F#%*, Kill game has gone too far. #millenialsfortrump https://t.co/V21b5zzWka
— Will Hsu 許恩偉 (PanaxQ) (@wphsu) September 3, 2016
A sneak peek at the antagonists for season 2 of Stranger Things. #millenialsfortrump pic.twitter.com/UpDlYa1Idq
— Mystery Name (@CumburgGoneburg) September 3, 2016
https://twitter.com/perlapell/status/771892911516426240
https://twitter.com/KObrien33525/status/771868963667972096
https://twitter.com/kashanacauley/status/771860708430639109
"Come Play With Us, Forever" #DefeatGOP #p2 #tcot #millenialsfortrump #studentsfortrump pic.twitter.com/GjpabJvQ5s
— Robin Eublind 🇺🇦 (@iamrobineublind) September 3, 2016
This picture of the Trump kids looks like the VHS cover of a late 90s teen horror movie. pic.twitter.com/Q6DYoOC1PR
— pat tobin (@tastefactory) September 3, 2016
"I'm sorry Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that" pic.twitter.com/cKJkVkXFSW
— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) September 3, 2016
https://twitter.com/Atom_Murray/status/771876181897383936
https://twitter.com/topWave_/status/771941370143633409
https://twitter.com/Spacekatgal/status/771922099501928449
The Cruel Intentions remake looks weird. pic.twitter.com/HFn63XWfzZ
— goop dreams (@verbal_kunt) September 3, 2016
https://twitter.com/saladinahmed/status/771906231023833090
— John Hodgman (@hodgman) September 3, 2016
The Trump kids look like the worst new wave revival band inspired by American Psycho pic.twitter.com/QOvMEBD2X3
— jackie (@jackiecarbajal) September 3, 2016
This picture of the Trump kids looks like the VHS cover of a late 90s teen horror movie. pic.twitter.com/Q6DYoOC1PR
— pat tobin (@tastefactory) September 3, 2016
Someday one of the Trump kids will disappear and the other two will be like "What do you mean? There was only ever two of us."
— Graham Linehan (@Glinner) September 3, 2016
https://twitter.com/RafaelCasal/status/771904872467791872
https://twitter.com/deanbarker/status/772029589761687552
https://twitter.com/blackknoll/status/772026559481974784
#studentsfortrump #millenialsfortrump they look a fun gang but where's Tyrell aka 'the kind one?' pic.twitter.com/bWiCaxy4Dz
— David Lemon (@DavidLemon777) September 3, 2016
#millenialsfortrump pic.twitter.com/w7kvHsigl3
— Felipe Sobreiro (@therealsobreiro) September 3, 2016
Gawker writer Ashley Feinberg found a suitable replacement photo if the Trumps want to give this ad another attempt. What’s interesting is how little Ivanka Trump has changed while Donald Jr. and Eric look like they were picked up from a horrible prom photo.
the new one is good but this is still my favorite trump kids photo pic.twitter.com/qbHoJTbwGm
— Ashley Feinberg (ashleyfeinberg.bsky.social) (@ashleyfeinberg) September 3, 2016
And some of UPROXX’s own got into the fun, complete with a Harambe reference that needs no real comment.
https://twitter.com/davelozo/status/771915174894792704
The Trump kids look like a crappy Eurodisco group that tried to ride Ace of Base’s coattails into America in 1995 pic.twitter.com/J4AA8cjRwq
— Brian Grubb (@briancgrubb) September 3, 2016
Just another in a long line of somewhat embarassing decisions in this campaign, but far from the worst. And not even the oddest from this week.