2020 Democratic National Convention Memes And Online Political Humor

The 2020 Democratic National Convention generated a significant volume of online content, particularly in the form of memes and GIFs, as users engaged with the event's unique virtual format. The convention, held amidst the coronavirus pandemic, featured a mix of live and prerecorded segments that provided ample material for social media commentary. Online platforms became hubs for sharing humorous reactions to specific moments, including Senator Bernie Sanders' remote speech backdrop, former Ohio Governor John Kasich's "crossroads" visual, and unexpected topics such as Senator Amy Klobuchar's feet. These moments were widely circulated on platforms like Imgflip and Giphy, contributing to a broader digital discourse surrounding the election cycle.

The 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary and Digital Discourse

The 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary served as the preliminary round in the Democratic party’s candidate selection process for the 2020 general election. Following the 2016 election, speculation regarding potential challengers to President Donald Trump dominated political discussions. The primary field included prominent figures such as Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Kamala Harris, Senator Bernie Sanders, and Vice President Joe Biden. As the primary progressed, online users utilized memes to comment on the candidates and the evolving political landscape.

The "Composite Image" Phenomenon

One notable meme to emerge during the primary was the "composite image" meme. On April 22, 2019, Twitter user @AndrewPaulJoyce posted an image described as a composite of all male Democratic candidates polling at less than 1%. The image gained significant traction, amassing over 6,100 retweets and 37,000 likes. This visual sparked a wave of jokes and comparisons to other figures in popular culture. Twitter users drew parallels to a congressman from the television show Parks and Recreation and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. The humor surrounding this composite image was significant enough to be covered by Twitter Moments, highlighting the intersection of political polling data and internet culture.

Candidate Announcements and Online Reaction

The primary season was marked by various candidate announcements and the subsequent online reactions. Senator Elizabeth Warren announced the launch of an exploratory committee on December 31, 2018, signaling the start of her campaign. Other candidates, including Tulsi Gabbard and Kirsten Gillibrand, also announced their bids, generating discussion across media platforms. While the source material notes that external references such as The Washington Post and The New York Times covered the top candidates and announcements, the primary focus of the provided data is the user-generated content and meme culture that surrounded these events.

Memes from the 2020 Democratic National Convention

The 2020 Democratic National Convention (DNC), held from August 17 to August 20, provided a unique set of visuals due to its largely virtual nature. The combination of remote speeches and prerecorded segments created moments that were quickly adopted by internet users for meme creation.

Senator Bernie Sanders' Backdrop

Senator Bernie Sanders delivered a speech remotely during the convention, choosing a backdrop of stacked logs. This visual choice was widely interpreted as reflecting "extremely Vermont vibes." The image of Sanders speaking in front of the logs became a popular meme, with users on Twitter expressing delight at the rustic aesthetic. The specificity of the backdrop allowed for a variety of humorous interpretations and commentary on the Senator's persona.

John Kasich's "Crossroads" Speech

Former Ohio Governor and Republican John Kasich appeared at the DNC to deliver pre-recorded remarks. The speech featured a visual metaphor where Kasich stated, "America is at a crossroads," as the camera panned out to reveal him standing at a literal fork in the road. This imagery was immediately seized upon by Twitter users, leading to the creation of a "lifetime supply of crossroads memes." The perceived corniness of the visual made it a focal point for online humor.

Amy Klobuchar's Feet

In an unexpected turn of events, Senator Amy Klobuchar became a subject of memes related to her feet. After speaking at the DNC on Monday night, she tweeted a photo of her feet on Tuesday. This tweet generated significant online attention and meme creation, a development the source material describes as unexpected for the election cycle.

The Constitution Backdrop

While the source material mentions a speech delivered in front of a giant copy of the Constitution, it does not specify which speaker utilized this backdrop. The text notes that there was "absolutely nothing meme-worthy about his speech" other than the backdrop, which was described as "beautifully extra." Despite the lack of specific attribution in the provided text, the visual of a large Constitution document was noted as a memorable element of the convention.

Platforms and Categories of Political Content

Online platforms played a central role in the distribution and creation of political memes during the 2020 election cycle. Sites like Imgflip and Giphy provided tools and galleries for users to create and share content.

Imgflip and User Engagement

Imgflip hosted a section dedicated to "politics › democrat 2020" memes and GIFs. This section facilitated humor and discussion around U.S. and world politics, encouraging constructive criticism and debate while prohibiting harassment. The platform offered "AI creation tools & better GIFs" and features like "Custom 6x6 profile icon and new colors" for users with Imgflip Pro accounts. The source data highlights specific meme posts with view counts and engagement metrics, such as one post with 1,063 views and 14 upvotes, and another with 1,862 views and 3 upvotes, indicating active user participation.

Giphy and GIF Exploration

Giphy served as another hub for political content, with an "Explore" section for "democrat" related GIFs, Stickers, and Clips. The platform categorized content under tags such as "conservative," "pelosi," "biden 2020," "impeach," "democratic," "democract," "dnc," "hillary2016," "republican party," and "republicans." This categorization allowed users to easily navigate and share reactions to specific political figures and events.

Conclusion

The 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary and the subsequent Democratic National Convention were significant events in U.S. politics that generated extensive online engagement through memes and GIFs. Key moments, such as Bernie Sanders' log backdrop, John Kasich's crossroads visual, and the unexpected focus on Amy Klobuchar's feet, became viral sensations. Platforms like Imgflip and Giphy facilitated the creation and distribution of this content, allowing users to participate in political discourse through humor. The "composite image" meme from the primary further illustrates how internet culture interacts with political polling and candidate announcements. While the provided source material focuses on the existence and description of these memes, it underscores the role of digital platforms in shaping the narrative around the 2020 election.

Sources

1. Imgflip Politics: Democrat 2020
2. Mashable: Best Memes 2020 Democratic National Convention
3. Know Your Meme: 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary
4. Giphy: Democrat Explore