Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse was widely mocked after he posted a meme of himself breaking down in tears as he pumps gas in a dig at President Joe Biden, who he blames for high gas prices.
Rittenhouse's crying act appeared to be a reenactment of his crying during his trial, the clip of which was viewed more than two million times and that his critics said rang hopelessly false.
"No it's not Lemon Heads," Rittenhouse wrote on Twitter, referring to the sour candy. He added that Biden's presidency has left a "burning hole in my pocket."
No, it\u2019s not Lemon Heads.. it\u2019s the burning hole in my pocket thanks to a Joe Biden presidency.. pic.twitter.com/UpPvfHEjRv— Kyle Rittenhouse (@Kyle Rittenhouse) 1647565545
In recent weeks, former President Donald Trump and prominent Republicans have blamed Biden for spiking gas prices, an issue that continues to be touched upon in daily press briefings. The implication, of course, is that gas prices remained low during the Trump administration but that is not necessarily true.
In recent months, for example, Trump has repeatedly exaggerated the size of the price increase, telling stories on Fox News in which the price of gas when he left office is off by "more than 50 cents per gallon," according to one fact check.
According to price data collected by the federal Energy Information Administration, the national average price of a gallon of gasoline for the week of Jan. 18, 2021, the week Trump left office, was $2.38, which is 28 percent higher than Trump has previously claimed.
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has more than once sparred with Fox News reporters who have asked why the White House isn't increasing domestic energy production, a question that has received criticism because the White House does not have control over it.
Rittenhouse was swiftly criticized.
When he uses his fake crying to show he doesn\u2019t understand oil prices.https://twitter.com/thisiskyler/status/1504625069506666498\u00a0\u2026— Good Guy Reed (@Good Guy Reed) 1647616157
lol at this guy being like "i'm not going to piggyback a career in politics off of the publicity from me killing two people" and then doing nothing but that from the exact moment the trial endedhttps://twitter.com/ThisIsKyleR/status/1504625069506666498\u00a0\u2026— Jack Saint (@Jack Saint) 1647616017
Hope his Judge & jury sees this. I\u2019m betting this kid will end up where he should be right now, sitting in a cell!https://twitter.com/ronfilipkowski/status/1504627665097089027\u00a0\u2026— Pat Dryden\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6\ud83d\ude37Anti-Fascist Anti-Racist (@Pat Dryden\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6\ud83d\ude37Anti-Fascist Anti-Racist) 1647615696
Celebrated mass murderer Rittenhouse pours an ocean of ridicule all over the American (in) Justice System.https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1504627665097089027\u00a0\u2026— John Moffitt \ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83e\udde2\ud83e\udde2 (@John Moffitt \ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83e\udde2\ud83e\udde2) 1647616472
As if we didn\u2019t already know. This video confirms that this kid is a sociopath.https://twitter.com/thisiskyler/status/1504625069506666498\u00a0\u2026— Jack Hopkins (@Jack Hopkins) 1647615000
Can't believe he's taking this moment from his trial lightly! Says a lot about his character. He's proven innocent, sure. But why make this meme?https://twitter.com/ThisIsKyleR/status/1504625069506666498\u00a0\u2026— Shannan (@Shannan) 1647612395
Your reminder that Kyle Rittenhouse is a serial murderer who killed two people and permanently disabled a third. https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1504627665097089027\u00a0\u2026— Victoria Brownworth (@Victoria Brownworth) 1647614986
Having sympathy is difficult when you know the person seeking it is not sincere. #KyleRittenhouse tears are like believing Putin loves peace for Ukraine.https://twitter.com/thisiskyler/status/1504625069506666498\u00a0\u2026— Fr. Bruce Wilkinson (@Fr. Bruce Wilkinson) 1647613504
If ANYONE had compassion for this kid before, after watching this, it should be gone\u2026Getting away with murder isn\u2019t funny and he\u2019s NOT a hero. Wake up people, I don\u2019t care who you are, this is WRONG\u2026#KyleRittenhousehttps://twitter.com/thisiskyler/status/1504625069506666498\u00a0\u2026— Brenda Murph (@Brenda Murph) 1647614674
Rittenhouse has remained a darling among the right since he was acquitted of all charges relating to the fatal shootings of Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and injuring Gaige Grosskreutz during the Kenosha unrest, which took place after police officers shot and partially paralyzed Jacob Blake, a Black man.
He has long courted the adoration of conservatives, including prominent Republicans who have offered him a wealth of opportunities following his acquittal.
Republican Representatives Madison Cawthorn (North Carolina), Paul Gosar (Arizona) and Matt Gaetz (Florida) have faced heavy criticism after indicating their offices would offer Rittenhouse a position as a congressional intern.
Gosar, in particular, said he would "arm wrestle" Gaetz to "get dibs for Rittenhouse as an intern" and suggested elsewhere that Rittenhouse should be granted the congressional Medal of Honor.
