It doesn’t happen very often to him, so this should be a very good day for Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell: he has gone viral. The only bad news is that he has become famous because he appeared to fart live on TV.
Here’s the video showing Swalwell farting. Or, I should say: possibly farting.
I'm not saying that Swalwell was definitely the one that ripped it, but in slow motion you can see his body lift up momentarily as he takes a break from speaking just as the fart is unleashed. #fartgate pic.twitter.com/6qYw8r0fTf
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) November 19, 2019
And here’s a rather hilarious remix:
#FartGate Remix 1 and 2 combined pic.twitter.com/5YDFP2ieWp
— Carpe Donktum🔹 (@CarpeDonktum) November 19, 2019
Hilariously, the congressman denies that he was the one blowing wind. He actually sent a journalist the text message: “It wasn’t me!!!!!”
Methinks thou does protest too much.
As Twitter user Josh Jordan explains, there’s a problem with Rep. Swalwell’s denial:
I get that some of you think Chris Matthews was the farter, but do you really think he has the skill and control to not only drop it perfectly between Swalwell's words, but also choreograph it seamlessly with Swalwell's body movement? #fartgate pic.twitter.com/6qYw8r0fTf
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) November 19, 2019
“I get that some of you think that Chris Matthews was the farter,” he writes, “but do you really think he has the skill and control to not only drop it perfectly between Swalwell’s words, but also choreograph it seamlessly with Swalwell’s body movement?”
Other Twitter users agree with that analysis. As one Patric Squarepants puts it: “Exactly. He lifted off a little bit and then came crashing down… like the early NSA rockets.”
Exactly.
He lifted off a little bit and then came crashing down….like the early NASA rockets
— Patrick_Squarepants (@PatrickSquarep6) November 19, 2019
MRS. Bernie Broad agrees, adding praise for how the congressman treated his fart. “I think,” she writes, “that he is very considerate of his fart, pausing for a moment so that it could have its moment of magnificent glory.”
I think he is very considerate of his fart, pausing for a moment so that it could have its moment of magnificent glory.
— MRS. Bernie BROad 🛑✂ 🌹🔥 🎹🎻🎤 (@disneyphish) November 19, 2019
Another Twitter user adds that Rep. Swalwell could’ve gotten away with it (assuming he’s the farter, of course) if he had lifted himself a little bit more:
He doesn't lift enough to make a clean, more "airy" fart. So, I'm led to believe this particular level of elevation only served to pressurize it, and led to the loud expulsion.
— ᴄɪᴀʀáɴ ʟᴇᴀʜy (@Ccl1) November 19, 2019
It’s all about the lift, Eric.
As for Rep. Swalwell’s denial, well:
Grade school rules dictate that his denial means it’s him. I don’t make the rules. I just enforce them.
— Daniel Vaughan (@dvaughanCI) November 19, 2019
And:
And then visibly relax after its over.
— Rory Not Sorry (@rorynotsorry) November 19, 2019
Last week, Rep. Swalwell made headlines because he compared President Trump to shoe bomber Richard Reid. In other words, he is distinguishing himself as a professional blower of hot air.
Eric Swalwell be like “I am Farticus!” #fartgate
— Raheek (@Raharikari) November 19, 2019
Having said that, there are also some people who believe the congressman wasn’t the guilty party:
Sound is all wrong. That came from someone sitting in a chair. Acoustics in Swalwells location would be completely different.
— David Lives With Dogs (@ResistanceWorks) November 19, 2019
I’ve read many analyses of FartGate and have to say that Josh Jordan’s take on the matter makes a whole lot of sense, but I’m open to the possibility that Matthews is just a very talented farter, who set up Swalwell.
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