Klomentum or Klobmentum? Tweet revives heated Klobuchar primary debate

November 21, 2020 at 9:14PM
After officially announcing her candidacy for President, Amy Klobuchar's first appearance in Iowa was here in Mason City. On Sunday it was also her final presidential campaign appearance before Monday's Iowa caucus.
After officially announcing her candidacy for President, Amy Klobuchar's first appearance in Iowa was in Mason City. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Many months (years? lifetimes?) ago, a fierce debate dominated some corners of the Democratic primary Twitter: What should U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar's rising status in the still-crowded presidential primary field be called?

As Klobuchar surged in early 2020, aides, reporters and political junkies with too much time on their hands sparred over two dueling terms for the trend.

Some went with Klomentum. For others, Klobmentum was the proper spelling.

On Monday, a mere 259 days after Klobuchar suspended her campaign, it appeared for a fleeting moment that consensus had finally been reached.

Former Klobuchar Communications Director Tim Hogan turned to Twitter (of course) to declare an end to the "national nightmare."

"Trump may refuse to concede but @carliewaibel just privately admitted that it is KLOBmentum and not KLOmentum," he tweeted, tagging the former campaign press secretary.

The claim reignited the months-old debate. A DFL staffer questioned the ruling, citing a Washington Post tweet that used the version without the "b." An NBC News reporter shared a "VICTORY" gif.

"This claim is disputed," CNN's DJ Judd replied.

Wabiel, who went on to work for Joe Biden in Florida, acknowledged defeat.

"Let this be a lesson friends," she tweeted. "Nothing is off the record."

about the writer

Torey Van Oot

Politics and Government

Torey Van Oot reports on Minnesota politics and government for the Star Tribune.

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