Republican Senators Tom Cotton and Chuck Grassley have raised several eyebrows online following a video of them engaging in a push-up contest in which neither of them knew how to properly do a push-up.
Video of the contest was captured at a Republican convention in Sioux Center, Iowa, Grassley's home state. You can see the video below if you're in the mood for a deeply awkward cringe-fest.
Update from Sioux Center!\n\n @ChuckGrassley & @TomCottonAR doing 22 push ups in front of 200 passionate Iowans. Wow!pic.twitter.com/1NQL4ybs1C— Jeff Kaufmann (@Jeff Kaufmann) 1625014341
The purpose of the contest was for Senators Cotton and Grassley to complete 22 push-ups to honor and raise awareness of the 22 U.S. military veterans who commit suicide each day on average--a worthy reason for a push-up challenge if there ever was one. And for Cotton, who is a former Army officer, the gesture was likely deeply personal.
Be that as it may, practically from the moment the contest begins, things get real awkward, real fast--so much so that it's hard to pin down the weirdest part of the video.
Is it the weird silence, punctuated only by the MC's booming voice, that permeates the entire room until someone finally starts clapping on push-up 17?
Is it Cotton's insistence upon doing his push-ups in double time despite the MC's very, very loud counting?
Or is it the totally incorrect push-up form that results in both Senators' butts jutting up and down in the air like jack in the boxes? Heck, why limit ourselves to just one--it's at least a three-way tie!
Now, to be fair, Senator Grassley is a hearty 87 years of age--the fact that he can do a push-up at all is impressive! But Cotton is only 44, and a former member of the military, where push-ups are every drill sergeant's favorite punishment. What's his excuse?!
As far as Twitter was concerned, he doesn't have one--and a thorough roasting ensued.
@TomCottonAR never lowers his chest any more than three centimeters from the start position. I would call that a plank with 22 small pulses, turn in your Ranger badge Cotton— Louise Mensch, M.A. (@Louise Mensch, M.A.) 1625019994
I counted zero push ups in this entire video— David Maclean (@David Maclean) 1625018042
Apart from the fact those aren't push-ups, what does this have to with policy?— Machine Pun Kelly (@Machine Pun Kelly) 1625020989
@TomCottonAR must be very proud that he can keep up with an 87 year old man. And possibly dozens of Iowans came to see it.\nBut yeah, more a bobbing plank than a push-up.\nI hear Cher can do a 7-minute plank.— Mela Storm #Resistance! NO SURRENDER (@Mela Storm #Resistance! NO SURRENDER) 1625020700
My Drill Sergeants used to call those "the front leaning rest position." It never made sense until now.— Black Cheeseberder (@Black Cheeseberder) 1625023709
And not a single pushup was done that day.https://twitter.com/kaufmannGOP/status/1410038464192602115\u00a0\u2026— Robert L. Reece, PhD (@Robert L. Reece, PhD) 1625064753
they both did zero pushupshttps://twitter.com/kaufmannGOP/status/1410038464192602115\u00a0\u2026— 2024 Presidential Candidate: Richard 'Dick' Butt (@2024 Presidential Candidate: Richard 'Dick' Butt) 1625020470
Exactly the quality of push up you would expect from Tom Cottonhttps://twitter.com/kaufmannGOP/status/1410038464192602115\u00a0\u2026— Drew Godinich (@Drew Godinich) 1625026028
Literally no one cares, give us healthcarehttps://twitter.com/kaufmannGOP/status/1410038464192602115\u00a0\u2026— Laura Bassett (@Laura Bassett) 1625017309
Cotton is rumored to be considering a 2024 presidential run, so Democratic strategists better get their bad push-up form attack ads ready now!
@nulllnvoidd/TikTok
@warrent711/TikTok
@terrance.n1/TikTok
@slghtr9/TikTok
@itsmittymoon/TikTok
@kokoanddaisy/TikTok
@jdr1959/TikTok
@mandy24787/TikTok
@crilan2015/TikTok
@orutisu88/TikTok
@PreetBharara/X
@RepBrendanBoyle/X
@twesq/Bluesky
@christopherharris/Bluesky
@evangelinewarren/X