President Donald Trump learned about the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on live TV on Friday, and for some reason, the internet cannot fully grasp how Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” was playing in the background. The odd soundtrack to a tense historical moment caused a stir online, where viewers questioned the very nature of reality itself, joking that “we are all living in some bizarre alien art film.”
Trump learned of Ginsburg’s death while leaving a campaign rally in Minnesota on Friday. The Supreme Court judge was 87 years old and struggling with cancer โ not for the first time in her life. As usual, social media users mocked Trump’s unscripted speech, as he said to reporters: “She just died? Wow, I didn’t know that. You’re telling me now for the first time. What else can you say?”
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The way “Tiny Dancer” plays in the background and is perfectly synched with the dialogue finally confirms definitively that we are all living in some bizarre alien art film.pic.twitter.com/yk0DzhpV1T
โ Norse Mythology (@NorseMythNews) September 19, 2020
“She was an amazing woman, whether you agree or not,” he went on, presumably referring to his political differences with Ginsburg. She was an amazing woman who led an amazing life. I’m actually sad to hear that.”
Ginsburg’s passing is not only tragic but opens the floodgates on a treacherous political and legal debate about her replacement on the Supreme Court. Trump has stated his intent to replace Ginsburg before the 2020 presidential election, and Republican leaders in the Senate have vowed to call a vote on his appointment. However, Democrats argue that they cannot do so โ based on a legal precedent that these same Republicans set.
In March of 2016, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia passed away, yet Republican senators refused to vote on President Barack Obama’s appointment of a successor, arguing that it was not right to do so during an election year. They stalled for nearly a year on these grounds, yet many of those same lawmakers now say they will rush a vote on Ginsburg’s replacement within less than two months.
As that debate rages on, Trump’s reaction and the strangely mournful soundtrack of “Tiny Dancer” serve as the backdrop to some heated online discourse. Here is a look at how social media is responding to the video.
Editing? Staged?
Who tf is playing tiny dancer ? ๐ญ๐ This canโt be real
โ Liโ~โss๐ถ (@Huemvn_BEinG) September 19, 2020
he’s informed for the first time; and, it just so happens tiny dancer is playing in the background
โ BubbaLucia ~ ~VOTE BIDEN/HARRIS 2020 (@BubbaLucia) September 19, 2020
i don’t believe it’s a coincidence
everything he does is staged.
shame on you trump
Being a White House correspondent is surreal. Last night, shouting over Air Force One’s engines and Tiny Dancer, I asked the president to react to the death of Justice Ginsburg, and he responded as if this was the first he was hearing of it. https://t.co/LOYWDxMfFs
โ Tamara Keith (@tamarakeithNPR) September 19, 2020
Copyright
Here hoping his lawyers send trump a letter asking him not to play elton Johnโs songs at his rallies pic.twitter.com/lq2OZZZE7K
โ Richelle Flores (@Burstyn1fan1972) September 19, 2020
Surreal
Surreal moment as President Trump learns of Ruth Bader Ginsbergโs passing while Tiny Dancer plays in the background. Feels like a scene out of a twisted version of Almost Famous. pic.twitter.com/iUQRosPXIQ
โ Mackay Taggart (@mackaytaggart) September 19, 2020
Having Tiny Dancer playing in the background like that makes this clip so surreal. Like something from a scripted film. https://t.co/OhPNkn1bxY
โ Noam Blum (@neontaster) September 19, 2020
Most-Played Song
Because those songs play after EVERY rally. Pay attention to the next one.
โ #BestIsYetToCome๐โโค๐บ๐ธ (@brooks_shultz) September 19, 2020
You can see for yourself that it is actually a coincidence. Here is the very end of another recent rally. The same music was used. YMCA, then Tiny Dancer.https://t.co/3379auZAKR
โ tanny lee (@tweetannylee) September 19, 2020
Alternate Soundtracks
tell the alien filmmakers to save that song for my death, ive been wanting it for ten years now
โ modest louse (@prinsessidiot) September 19, 2020
Significance
A favorite song of mine. Now whenever I hear it I will think of our beloved RBG.
โ WearYourEffenMaskSusan (@Sespencer02) September 19, 2020
Song Ruined
That made my stomach sick. I canโt unhear that now.
โ Susan Marie โฎ (@SusanMarie_NY) September 19, 2020
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