On Inauguration Day, the temperatures in Washington, DC topped off at a chilly 45 degrees, and so Bernie Sanders wore one of his favorite pairs of wool mittens: brown and cream, and made from recycled materials. They not only kept him safe from frostbite, they also warmed the hearts of political viewers everywhere, causing a viral sensation among Berners and those feeling a little Bern-curious.
If you were wondering if the Senator has seen the memes, Garrett Haake of NBC News reports that indeed he has. Sanders offered his thoughts on going viral, short and sweet: “It makes people aware that we make good mittens in Vermont,” he said. “We have some good coats, as well.”
The Senator was ever-so-slightly more expansive in an interview with CBS’ Gayle King (via AJ+). “You know, in Vermont we dress warm. We know something about the cold, and we’re not so concerned with good fashion. We want to keep warm, and that’s what I did today.”
Afterwards, images of Sanders in the mittens zipped across the internet. The 79-year-old Senator was quipped upon and photoshopped into famous films, album covers, and all sorts of mundane and fantastical situations. Jen Ellis, the woman who made the gloves, also went viral. A second grade teacher from Vermont, Ellis constructed them in 2016 out of repurposed wool. As she told NPR, her own fame took off last year, when Sanders frequently sported her creations at campaign events. “I’m so excited that he likes the mittens and he wants to wear them,” she said. “They are practical and warm and they look nice. And yeah, I had no idea that this is what would happen.”
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She’s right; they do look nice, whether in inaugurations or subways or spaceships. Check out a collection of memes below.
Those cream and brown mittens were only one of the stars of an Inauguration Day that affirmed Joe Biden, Jr. as the 46th President of the United States. After the 2017 Inauguration skipped the traditional poem reading and was headlined by 3 Doors Down, this year’s event boasted the stirring poetry of Amanda Gorman, a National Anthem from Lady Gaga, and performances from Bruce Springsteen, Foo Fighters, John Legend, and the freshly-reunited New Radicals. Those might be just some of the reasons that this year’s event had 10 million more viewers than Donald Trump’s.
Editor’s Note: Inspired by the Internet’s new favorite meme, our new Merch Man shirt benefits touring crew members impacted by the pandemic.⠀
“We have some good coats, as well,” he adds.
— Garrett Haake (@GarrettHaake) January 21, 2021
Bernie dressed to stand on line at the post office. pic.twitter.com/tVgFQisnWy
— Clare Malone (@ClareMalone) January 20, 2021
“This could’ve been an email” pic.twitter.com/kn68z6eDhY
— Ashley K. (@AshleyKSmalls) January 20, 2021
Not me. Us. pic.twitter.com/ec7XgfEl7b
— Guy Fieri (@GuyFieri) January 21, 2021
Full disclosure this one may be photoshoped pic.twitter.com/iJpA0alYpa
— Star Trek Minus Context (@NoContextTrek) January 20, 2021
NYC Instagram is so quick pic.twitter.com/Br6TarGXXb
— Rania Said (@rania_tn) January 20, 2021
— father john mitski (@tatianatenreyro) January 20, 2021
Bernie dressed like the inauguration is on his to do list today but ain’t his whole day. pic.twitter.com/wCRyoxU3V2
— Reeezy (@MsReeezy) January 20, 2021
Minor at heart. pic.twitter.com/lcK9omoCBq
— Nick Bataran ⓥ (@NickOutTheJams) January 20, 2021
