Thread by @Norlaine

Yes, handing your spouse a beer can just be being nice. And we should all try to be nice to those we love. However, nothing the leader of the CPC posts is ever spontaneous 1/18

https://twitter.com/erinotoole/status/1395910970778730496

Let's just agree on that one point. Anything that appears on the social media accounts of the CPC leader has been crafted, discussed, and is based on PR theory. He's not just tweeting on a whim. They don't let him do that. 2/18

To be fair, the PM's social media feed is not spontaneous either. People in these positions in Canada have people who make sure they are on message. Even if they write things themselves from time to time, it is vetted. And that's reasonable. Look what Trump did with Twitter. 3/18

But, given that the messages are carefully crafted to send just the right message, what message is being sent in this tweet? 4/18

Let's start with the easy one. Legion beer. Beer drinking is meant to make Erin look like "one of the guys". Not "elite", despite the fact that he is living in a mansion with staff. Yeah, sure, he's just a regular Joe. 5/18

Legion beer - because O'Toole never misses a chance to remind people of his brief career in the military. He wants to be identified with the value set that personifies strength, power, manliness, sacrifice, patriotism, and even potential violence. 6/18

Because there are people who tend to vote conservative who put a lot of stock in those values. From "might is right" to honouring the sacrifices of soldiers in wartime. To be clear, O'Toole has not been in active combat. 7/18

Now, after his "run"... I don't know too many people who run without breaking a sweat. Maybe he's special. Not perspiring as a cooling mechanism doesn't seem too healthy, tbh. 8/18

Does anyone believe Erin runs? Maybe on a treadmill. Certainly not down the streets of Ottawa. Way too much chance of encountering riff-raff. Plus, after mocking the PM's daily runs, it would not do to be seen doing the same thing... 9/18

Of course, he is wearing a blue shirt. Reinforcing the brand. 10/18

Now, the most controversial aspect. Is his reference to his wife having a cold beer waiting for him signalling to guys who think the main job for wives is making them sammiches and bringing beer? 11/18

I think the point is not whether or not handing your spouse a beer is dripping with misogynist ideology. It's not. I made my husband a mojito this evening, while we both watch playoff hockey. Because I am good at making cocktails and I was feeling benevolent. 12/18

It honestly doesn't really matter if Rebecca takes on the role of cold beverage purveyor in their relationship. I do all the cooking in our home, and it's because one of us enjoys cooking and can make food people enjoy eating, and it's not him. 13/18

Conversely, my daughter-in-law tells me our son does most of the cooking at their place. Being the main cook is not in any way demeaning. People contribute to a relationship according to their aptitudes and interests. 14/18

Whatever balance Erin and Rebecca have in their relationship is up to them and, frankly, no one's business. If it works for both of them, great. No problem. 15/18

The issue is why was that a necessary part of this tweet? Remember, nothing is accidental. Someone, or a group of comms people, decided to word it that way. 16/18

And so I wonder why it didn't say something like "Starting the long weekend off right. Went for a run, now I'm enjoying a nice cold one...." Because that was certainly an option. Instead, they made a choice to depict Erin as Man of Action, someone with agency, while... 17/18

Depicting Rebecca as wifey waiting at home, cold beer for her man at the ready. Who is that reaching out to? This is the critical lens we need to use to deconstruct political communications. 18/18