TIME Magazine cover subject Marco Rubio delivered the GOP’s response to President Obama’s State of the Union address last night. But while it was a big moment for the 41-year-old Florida Senator, and a chance for the Republican Party to counter Obama’s wide-ranging speech, the most memorable moment of Rubio’s night was when he nervously leaned over to grab a bottle of water and take a big gulp.
Twitter, predictably, exploded:
[tweet https://twitter.com/HowardKurtz/status/301541985687314434%5D
[tweet https://twitter.com/PaulBegala/status/301536810083966976]
[tweet https://twitter.com/christerickson/status/301692919780364289]
Several parody accounts sprang up almost instantly — for Rubio’s water bottle and for its maker, Poland Spring. The Senator was happy to join in the joke, posting a picture of his near-empty bottle of water after the speech on his Twitter account.
(PHOTOS: Marco Rubio, Republican Savior)
This isn’t the first time the thirsty Senator has had water issues during a speech. Taking the stage after that memorable Clint Eastwood performance at the Republican National Convention last August, Rubio — having taken a sip from a bottle on the podium — joked, “I think I just drank Clint Eastwood’s water.”
For those wanting a #gulpgate-free analysis of the official GOP rebuttal to the State of the Union speech, you can read TIME’s Michael Grunwald here.
MORE: State of the Union: Obama Calls for Economic Growth, Action on Gun Violence