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Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images; Zahim Mohd/NurPhoto via Getty Images
On Monday afternoon, Gosar—a dentist who identifies himself of Dr. Paul Gosar on Twitter—posted a bit of creative artwork on Twitter. The problem was the Arizona Republican tried to pass off his manipulated photo as fact.
Gosar posted this on Twitter:
@DrPaulGosar/Twitter
The image is supposed to be a photo of former President Barack Obama and current Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
The issues are multiple with this post.
First, President Rouhani is the current President of Iran. Either Gosar thought the person photoshopped next to Obama is deceased General Qasem Soleimani or he is unaware of who the President of Iran is.
@oliverdarcy @KFILE Doubt Trumpsters will know this.— Tux nyc (@Tux nyc)1578344082.0
@tux_nyc @oliverdarcy @KFILE That’s the problem!!!— kelly gorman-forrest (@kelly gorman-forrest)1578346872.0
Second is the photo manipulation itself.
The original photo was of President Obama meeting with India's former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
U.S. congressman sharing a fake photo. This photoshopped from Obama meeting India's prime minister.… https://t.co/SLDlRv8NNk— andrew kaczynski🤔 (@andrew kaczynski🤔)1578342253.0
President Rouhani and President Obama never met.
GOP Rep. Paul Gosar tweeted a photoshopped image of Obama with Rouhani, apparently believing Rouhani is actually So… https://t.co/7g3Ma9C2JB— Aaron Blake (@Aaron Blake)1578343088.0
The move by a sitting Congressman was considered disrespectful to India as well as the United States.
His choice to share the badly manipulated photo did little to help the reputation and public trust for the GOP.
@TySparks8 @KFILE @KevinMKruse Of course it is, I think they know about it and utilize the Russian propaganda.— Robyn A (@Robyn A)1578346123.0
@rockinrob7970 @KFILE @KevinMKruse This should be a scandal. May have been pre-Tea Party... Oh how far we've fallen— Ty Sparks, Recovering Absurdist (@Ty Sparks, Recovering Absurdist)1578346240.0
@TySparks8 @KFILE @KevinMKruse When so many are corrupt, it's hard to get accountability - that's how I see it anyway.— Robyn A (@Robyn A)1578346378.0
@rockinrob7970 @TySparks8 @KFILE @KevinMKruse Yep. Impossible to enforce the laws when those responsible for enforc… https://t.co/ACo5yL1YD0— scribblegurl (@scribblegurl)1578346736.0
Gosar accused the press of being dimwitted in response to the backlash he received for not knowing Rouhani is still President and for sharing a fake photo.
In his response he tweeted:
"1. To the dim witted reporters like @dmedin11: no one said this wasn't photoshopped. No one said the president of Iran was dead. No one said Obama met with Rouhani in person. The tweet says: 'the world is a better place without either of them in power'."
"2. The point remains to all but the dimmest: Obama coddled, appeased, nurtured and protected the worlds No. 1 sponsor of terror. The world is better without Obama as president. The world will be better off without Rouhani."
1. To the dim witted reporters like @dmedin11: no one said this wasn’t photoshopped. No one said the president of… https://t.co/sGz6UiPo10— Paul Gosar (@Paul Gosar)1578343454.0
2. The point remains to all but the dimmest: Obama coddled, appeased, nurtured and protected the worlds No. 1 spon… https://t.co/ePAbd8MLOJ— Paul Gosar (@Paul Gosar)1578343455.0
Despite his claim that his sharing a faked photo and inaccurate information was justified, the tweet was deleted. Whether Gosar, a member of his staff or Twitter deleted the faked and erroneous information is unclear.
@PauletteParis1 @KFILE @RepGosar @Twitter I reported it. Hope others will too.— irisheyes (@irisheyes)1578345181.0
@hilaryluros Me too but I couldn't find the "A member of Congress is posting a photoshopped image to spread propaganda" button.— Jeff Stenehjem (@Jeff Stenehjem)1578344592.0
Although the deletion may be best for Gosar.
Neither the original post or his response to the backlash went over well.
@DrPaulGosar The reporter isn’t dim witted The only dim witted person is the elected member of Congress who is sha… https://t.co/ky1qvk7YuG— Edward Hardy (@Edward Hardy)1578348900.0
@4everNeverTrump/Twitter
@PlanellasChris @KFILE @NatashaBertrand @DrPaulGosar We feel like voting for @delina4az— ek turley (@ek turley)1578343243.0
This is not Gosar's first time in the spotlight.
During House hearings in June 2018, Gosar was mocked for his "I'm a dentist so I know..." speech. In 2018, his six siblings all endorsed his opponent in his reelection bid.
In January of 2019, he took flack for tweeting lies about the government shutdown.
In November, Gosar added a conspiracy theory to an unrelated Twitter thread. And just in time for the holidays, Gosar tweeted a photo celebrating violence against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Gosar is up for reelection in 2020. He faces Democratic challenger Delina DiSanto.
Make sure to follow and donate to Gosar's opponent, @delina4az. https://t.co/4hxPMEanTV— Thor Benson (@Thor Benson)1578350834.0
Thank you so much, Thor. We’re all ready to see him go. Help me unseat him: https://t.co/nxXGYWjdHQ https://t.co/Nk10ecX5Uu— Delina DiSanto (@Delina DiSanto)1578351022.0
Thank you, Sarah! I appreciate the shoutout so much. Gosar has got to go. Help me unseat him.… https://t.co/tkWeMvCNQ2— Delina DiSanto (@Delina DiSanto)1578350222.0
It’s tough, but I’m tougher. AZ04 has better days ahead. Thank you for your support! https://t.co/hYsFFAstn0— Delina DiSanto (@Delina DiSanto)1578349642.0
Gosar—who has been in office since 2011—also faces at least one GOP primary challenger, Anne Marie Ward. Both women hope to remove Dr. Gosar from his seat in Congress.
This shirt, promoting voting out people like Gosar, is available here.
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