'Career-Ender' Goes Viral; Backlash Toward CNN's Rubio Water Comment is Harsh, Swift

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., sparked reaction from just about every angle for having a sip of water, as he was delivering the GOP response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address. 

But criticism and backlash really ramped up when CNN played the water sip back in slow motion, with the phrase "Career Ender?" beneath.



The phrase "Career Ender" almost immediately started trending on Twitter, as people satirized the phrase and attacked the left and mainstream media for what was viewed as an overreaction to Rubio's move.

Remember that time Ted Kennedy made Mary Jo Kopechne drink all that water? #CareerEnder cc @rbpundit

— Cuffé (@CuffyMeh) February 13, 2013

Stupid #MSM it wasn't a #CareerEnder that time Ted Kennedy took a sip of water. #Rubio

— Fmr Chf Insp Dreyfus (@Lubyanka13) February 14, 2013

A drone "Kill List" would have been a #CareerEnder for a Republican...

— DANEgerus (@DANEgerus) February 13, 2013

@talkmaster I drink water while driving a commercial motor vehicle. I'm not a lib. #CareerEnder ?

— Christopher Crane (@Novacrane) February 14, 2013

I confess, I drank some water this morning while programming. I hope I don't lose my job over this. #CareerEnder

— Matt R (L) (@escrubb) February 14, 2013

I wonder how many liberals in the #rubio tag know a democrat senator has been banging underage hookers? #careerender

— Against Obama (@against_obama) February 13, 2013

#CareerEnder Appearing on 5 Sunday morning talk shows carrying Obama's water by telling tall tales of an obscure video & a spontaneous riot

— Steve (@RedBTW) February 14, 2013

Drinking the extremist liberal Kool-Ade is okay, water is not. #CareerEnder

— DeCrescenzo(@DeCrescenzo) February 14, 2013

Ted Kennedy driving girl off bridge then leaving her to die & failing to report whole affair less of a #CareerEnder than sipping water

— Tony McMillan (@Slapuel) February 14, 2013

Obama's first term? #CareerEnder

— Scott W (@scott7797) February 14, 2013

Fast and Furious? #CareerEnder

— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) February 13, 2013

One Twitter user even dug up a photo of Obama taking a swig of water from a bottle.

OH MY GOSH😨😱 he's drinking water. He's going to get impeached now. #CareerEnder twitter.com/IsabellaGibson…

— Isabella Gibson (@IsabellaGibson2) February 13, 2013

Another user commented that Biden drinks more water during his speeches than Rubio.

Photo at recent Biden-hosted roundtable on gun violence. Look what's on the table! #CareerEnder Someone tell @cnn! media.philly.com/images/663*395…

— Bill Hobbs (@billhobbs) February 14, 2013

THIS. #Benghazi #CareerEnder yfrog.com/oc9lqmpj

— Bailey (@BailofRights) February 14, 2013

#CareerEnder attending a fundraiser while your ambassador is being sodomized, tortured and killed. Oops, that doesn't count for Dems! #TGDN

— Chris Winchell (@jcwinchell) February 14, 2013

One user sarcastically said Rubio is one of the most interesting men in the world for drinking water.

“I don’t always respond to the president but, when I do, I drink water. Stay thirsty my friends.”-Sen Marco Rubio #CareerEnder #tcot #p2

— James McDonald (@JamesM1080) February 14, 2013