Viral debate moments and their political significance
By Torin Hough ‘24
The first presidential and vice presidential debates are long gone, and they left little impact on the polls and potentially even less of an impact on the election. FiveThirtyEight shows that the polls changed by less than half a percentage point in the days following the debates. In fact, the only impact that these debates may have had on voters was snappy quotations and humorous moments that stuck on the internet and spread across memes, t-shirts, stickers, and more.
Here is a rundown of some of the most viral moments from the debates.
The First Presidential Debate - Sept. 29
Biden’s Interjections
Biden’s frustrated “Will you shut up, man?” went viral quickly. T-shirts bearing the phrase were for sale within hours of the initial quotation.
Other instances where he snapped at his opponent’s interruptions, such as “Keep yapping, man” and “It’s hard to get a word in with this clown” also spread.
“Bad Things Happen in Philadelphia”
Trump’s “bad things happen in Philadelphia,” made in reference to poll watchers being thrown out, became popular.
Variations of the quotation included “good things happen in Philadelphia,” various jokes about “bad things” that happened in Philadelphia, and images of the Liberty Bell, the Constitution, and Gritty, the mascot for the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team.
“The Biggest Mask I’ve Ever Seen”
“I don’t wear masks like him. Every time you see him, he’s got a mask. He could be speaking 200 feet away from them, and he shows up wearing the biggest mask I’ve ever seen.” Trump’s complaints about Biden’s mask use, particularly in comparison with his own fragmented mask use, went viral. Memes also sprang up of Biden wearing digitally enlarged, hyperbolically giant masks.
Proud Boys
Trump’s unwillingness to denounce the far-right white supremacist group, Proud Boys, blew up on the internet. “Proud Boys, stand back and stand by,” he said when asked to condemn white supremacists.
Cliff Mason II, an AP Government teacher at Buckley School in Los Angeles and former Catlin Gabel School (CGS) social studies teacher, found that moment in particular unbelievable.
“I think I’ll be teaching about that moment for years to come,” said Mason.
The Vice Presidential Debate - Oct. 7
“I’m Speaking”
Harris’s “I’m speaking” or “Mr. Vice President, I’m speaking. I’m speaking” went viral. It was seen by many, especially women, as a powerful quotation emphasizing women’s right to be heard, even when they are ignored and talked over.
“We didn’t get to see all of Kamala in the debate,” Mason said. He noted how, despite Harris’s long list of achievements, she wasn’t able to show what she was fully capable of, being a woman of color debating what he called a “polished old white guy.”
“To see her be courageous enough in that moment to acknowledge, it’s time for you to be more respectful, was special,” said Mason. “To me, that was a moment that spoke to all women.”
“I’m Pro-Life. I Don’t Apologize For It.”
Pence, when asked about abortion, responded by saying that he was proud to work with a president who opposes choice and said, “I’m pro-life. I don’t apologize for it.” Pro-life groups found affirmation in this, and it became a popular quotation.
The Fly
In what may be the most popular moment from the vice-presidential debate, a large black fly landed on Pence’s head and stood out starkly against his white hair. It remained there for two minutes and three seconds before flying off, and those two minutes were more than enough to bring the fly to fame.
While many pieces of merchandise sprang from this, a prominent one was a fly swatter by Biden’s campaign, branded with the words “Truth Over Flies.” Biden’s campaign also launched a website, flywillvote.com, that took the user to a voter registration website.
In addition to products, memes also emerged from the fly. These included ones in which the late Justice Ginsburg claimed to have sent the fly, ones where it was pointed out that flies tend to land on fecal matter, and ones where the fly was holding a small Biden/Harris sign. Comedic theories also began circulating that the fly was a drone. The fly also went viral, with hundreds of social media accounts for the fly springing up, and the term “fly” trending on multiple sites.
The Political Significance of These Viral Moments
While many of these viral moments are undoubtedly funny, few of them are impactful or politically important. Some, including Mason, find this concerning.
“For these moments to be… more impactful and memorable than a conversation about the deadliest virus to strike our shores in a century, I think says everything we need to know about our politics,” Mason said. That these moments went viral and stole the show from the actual discussions occurring “highlights… the steady decline of civic and civil discourse, the steady decline of civil engagement.”