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Political Aides Pounce on Whatever-gate

Seizing on an opponent’s latest shortcoming is the currency of the communication director’s realm. But in an age when cleverly crafted GIFs or shade-throwing listicles grab more eyeballs than immediately deleted, boilerplate email blasts, it pays to have one’s digital way with the news of the day.  

Someone in the office of Rep. Todd Young, R-Ind., recently did just that, juxtaposing the New England Patriot’s ballsy brushoff of #DeflateGate with head-scratching comments delivered by administration officials.  

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(Screenshot)

The eight-question “quiz” is all about celebrating foot-in-mouth disease — a relatively common condition here on Capitol Hill. Across the aisle, the tech-savviest folks in the employ of New York Democratic Rep. Charles B. Rangel elected to turn the tables on Speaker John A. Boehner.  

The Ohio Republican last week went to the pop princess well, baiting folks to peruse his critique of President Barack Obama’s free community college plan by punctuating each talking point with scenes cribbed from Taylor Swift videos. Team Rangel decided that the best way to fight fire — or, in this case, a red hot, 20-something ambassador to New York — was by bombarding the GOP leader with a series of unflattering images of birther-in-chief, Donald Trump.  

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(Screenshot)

Let the good times troll.  

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