Democratic Party Responds to Paul Ryan’s Selfie With Its Own Diverse Selfie

Politics

 | July 20, 2016 | By Margo Gothelf

The Democrats are firing back in response to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan’s intern selfie and showing a different and more diverse side to Capitol Hill.

Ryan posted a selfie last Saturday from the Republican National Convention with a group of Capitol Hill interns that caused a lot of controversy.

I think this sets a record for the most number of #CapitolHill interns in a single selfie. #SpeakerSelfie.

A photo posted by Speaker Paul Ryan (@speakerryan) on Jul 16, 2016 at 11:12am PDT

Many people were quick to jump down Ryan’s throat due to a lack of diversity in the intern program, with the response on social media being very negative.

..Paul Ryan has managed to capture all the many colors of whiteness with his latest selfie with interns…such an inclusive leader..

— Franky Stein (@franksnstein) July 18, 2016

Paul Ryan selfie with capital hill interns #TooMuchWhite https://t.co/xrskb2x95m pic.twitter.com/J0sHOGJV33

— Kevin Smith (@mr_kevinsmith) July 17, 2016

Seriously guys a crate of Wonder Bread isn't as white as that Republican Intern selfie Paul Ryan took. #outoftouch #not whatamericalookslike

— Carl Gannon (@thebuckeyegamer) July 18, 2016

The Democrats were quick to respond to the photo, showing a photo full of diversity with the hashtags #DemInternDiversity and #DemInternSelfie.

My intern Audra Jackson led Democratic Interns in their own selfie 2day showing #DemInternDiversity #DemInternSelfie pic.twitter.com/83UcIOKS5s

— US Rep E.B.Johnson (@RepEBJ) July 19, 2016

The Democratic Interns on Capitol Hill 2016 #DemInternSelfie pic.twitter.com/ZzUMl4hKoc

— Sheila Jackson Lee (@JacksonLeeTX18) July 20, 2016

“Today interns from Democratic Congressional offices wanted to show America how diverse the future of our party is,” Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas shared on Facebook with the photo.

The photo received a great amount of praise across social media and pretty much got the opposite response of Ryan’s photo.

This #DemInternSelfie puts Paul Ryan's Wonder Bread intern selfie to damn shame. ???????? https://t.co/mUqqrD88yi pic.twitter.com/724HwlUXGD

— house of snarks (@houseofsnarks) July 20, 2016

This is what the Hill truly looks like, DIVERSE. #DemInternSelfie pic.twitter.com/xBW7t7wNY3

— Noah McQueen (@Noah_McQueen) July 20, 2016

According to a study done by the Washington Post this past January, “people of color make up only 14% of the lawmakers at the state level, and only 17% of lawmakers in Congress.”

(H/T Mashable)