Was that drool coming out of Joe Kennedy’s mouth?

Marco Rubio had his awkward pause for a gulp of water. Joe Kennedy had his ... drool?

The Democratic congressman's mouth corners appeared especially shiny during his response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address — and many online were quick to accuse him of drooling during his address. The alternative theory was an overzealous application of lip balm.


“Marco Rubio had dry-mouth during his #SOTU response in 2013. Joe Kennedy has drool-mouth,” tweeted Frank Luntz, the prominent Republican pollster.

Marco Rubio had dry-mouth during his #SOTU response in 2013.



Joe Kennedy has drool-mouth. pic.twitter.com/7DUVnfcIJJ — Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) January 31, 2018

“Rubio had his water,” echoed Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union, whose wife Mercedes is a senior White House official. “Kennedy has his drool.”

Rubio had his water

Kennedy has his drool — Matt Schlapp (@mschlapp) January 31, 2018

“All we’ll remember is the drool on his face,” tweeted Josh Holmes, former chief of staff and campaign manager for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Another Twitter wit delivered this one-liner: "Ask not what your country can drool for you, ask what you can drool for your country!"

It is, of course, hard to get attention for a State of the Union rebuttal. Rubio would likely have preferred a less memorable address. The same might soon be said for Kennedy, who is seen as a potential 2020 contender.

And all we'll remember is the drool on his face. https://t.co/iPC400uwuX — Josh Holmes (@HolmesJosh) January 31, 2018

His speech also included embraces of the “me too” and “Black Lives Matter” movements, and a few lines delivered in Spanish.

Kennedy joked on ABC's "Good Morning America" Wednesday morning that he'd decided to go "a little bit light on the Chapstick this morning."

"More on the coffee, light on the Chapstick, which is probably a wise choice," he said with a laugh.

Still, if Rubio is any guide, State of the Union responses are remembered most for the optics — which in this case were especially moist.

