Pop quiz, hotshot: When is the Nation of Iran like one of the greatest baseball players of the modern age?
If you’re scratching your head at that one, it’s safe to say you probably haven’t been watching Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu speak at the United Nations General Assembly. There, the Israeli head of state stood up in front of some world’s most powerful political figures, jumped on the Derek Jeter good-will bandwagon… and, well, see for yourself:
“To say that Iran doesn’t practice terrorism is to say Derek Jeter never played shortstop for the New York Yankees”
Wait, what? Is Derek Jeter Iran? Are The Yankees…terrorists? It’s a sloppy metaphor to be sure. Clearly Bibi here is trying to speak over the heads of the assembled UN notables, and directly to the folks at home. But insta-viral quotes like this smack of zeitgeisty opportunism, and not the serious business of statecraft. Which is probably why the moment Bibi uttered his Jeter jibe, the internet reacted with the same degree of somberness a line like that deserves:
Bibi makes Derek Jeter reference, is extremely proud of self for making Derek Jeter reference. — Brooklyn Middleton (@BklynMiddleton) September 29, 2014
Derek Jeter must be wondering how he got dragged into the mess of the Middle East
— Brad Klapper (@bklapperAP) September 29, 2014
At least he didn’t compare Jeter’s fielding to Iron Dome. — Nathan Wurtzel (@NathanWurtzel) September 29, 2014
Subtext couldn’t be clearer. Derek Jeter would never let Iran go nuclear.
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) September 29, 2014
Subtext couldn’t be clearer. Derek Jeter would never let Iran go nuclear.
At least Jeter had the common sense to call it a day. — Richard Goldwasser (@_Goldwasser_) September 29, 2014
@attackerman Should have gone with a Nomar reference with this crowd
— James Kennedy (@JamesKennedyDC) September 29, 2014
And what do you think, #2?
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