Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is a staunch supporter of fair wages and a former presidential candidate who lost the Democratic nomination to current President Biden. And thanks to his practical clothing choices, he is also now at the center of a seemingly endless flood of edited images that dominated some corners of the internet in the hours after Mr. Biden’s socially distanced inauguration Wednesday.
Amidst the dark suits and bright coats dotted on the Capitol stairs, Mr. Sanders photographed as he was masked, crucified with his legs and bundled together in a bulky coat and gloves against the icy weather in Washington, DC. Shortly afterwards, the photo was taken by photographer Brendan Smialowski for Getty Images, started spreading on social media recorded in a wide variety of photographs and scenes from films and artworks.
On a day of President Biden, it was in some ways appropriate that Mr. Sanders, whose strongest political support came in the presidential race of young voters, would nonetheless be the star of the biggest meme of the day by doing nothing but sitting and his arms. In their primary competition, Mr. Sanders has a significantly larger online following than Mr. Biden enjoys, especially among those who communicate regularly via memes.
Although other memes with Mr. Sanders in the lead role is often used to say something, he wore the same coat in a 2009 fundraising video in which he ‘once again asks for your financial support’, a rule that was redesigned in a number of ways – there was not such a deeper meaning for the latest meme. Instead of using his image to make an argument, he was simply placed in new contexts, with his attitude, outfit and expression serving as a joke.
While the day to mr. Biden belongs, the meme serves as an amusing spectacle, a little pleasure and vitality after four years in which the presidential politics the supporters of mr. Sanders gave few reasons to be in a good mood.
It was not the only meme inspired by Inauguration Day: others touched former President Michelle Obama’s outfit and lady Gaga, who sang the national anthem, not entirely different from a character from the ‘Hunger Games’. But even with Janet Yellen, Mr Biden’s nominee as secretary of the treasury, just as warmly dressed, it was mr. Sanders, the incoming chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, who seemed to be the favorite.
Early reports about him began with simple reviews of his practical, relatively unsophisticated outfit. Some saw their uncles and fathers in his choice to put warmth above style.
Still others brought the Sanders statue to the movies and showed him on the Starship Enterprise bridge in ‘Star Trek,’ and as a member of the Avengers.
“In Vermont we dress, we know something about the cold,” he told Gayle King. ‘And we are not so concerned about fashion. We just want to stay warm. And that’s what I did today. ‘
“Mission accomplished,” Ms King said.
Yonette Joseph reported.