On being asked what he thought of Trump’s mug shot, last month: “Handsome guy.” But after years of running up against Biden’s desire to preserve a reverential feeling around the presidency, several in his inner circle spent the spring encouraging him to use his sense of humor more – and they’re pleased enough with the results that more than one privately claims credit for the idea. Nor did the new approach come from an extensively plotted strategy run through internal polls and focus groups in Wilmington and the West Wing. This is not like his White House Correspondents’ Dinner routine, which followed weeks of friendly Hollywood comedians and veteran speechwriters emailing in suggested bits and one-liners. Jim Watson/AFP/Getty ImagesĤ takeaways from Biden's visit to the UAW picket line According to the White House, Biden is the first sitting president to join a picket line. Some 5,600 members of the UAW walked out of 38 US parts and distribution centers at General Motors and Stellantis at noon September 22, 2023, adding to last week's dramatic worker walkout. US President Joe Biden addresses striking members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union at a picket line outside a General Motors Service Parts Operations plant in Belleville, Michigan, on September 26, 2023. Most importantly for a campaign obsessing every day over how to reach millions of tuned-out voters, it’s another way of trying to break through. It’s also a way of defusing some of the attacks about his age, which advisers felt he was feeding into by being so transparently sensitive about the topic.Īnd it’s a way of going after Republicans without going fully into the mean-spiritedness that Biden prefers to avoid, trying to portray them as not just extreme and dangerous – which remains his main theme – but absurd. Dark Brandon's journey from a casual online creation to a fundraising sensation underscores the growing influence of internet culture on American politics.“Not a joke, folks,” President Joe Biden likes to say to punctuate points in speeches that few would mistake for jokes.īut these days, he’s been slinging a lot of actual jokes, letting slip the sarcastic sense of humor that he has tended to keep behind closed doors.Īs his reelection campaign lays the groundwork for a potential rematch with Donald Trump, Biden’s joke-telling is a way to keep him from coming off like a stodgy soon-to-be-81-year-old with a “stiffened gait,” as some White House aides put it. Ironically, their response may contribute to the meme's ongoing popularity. The Dark Brandon meme offers a unique way for the president to connect with his supporters on a different level.Īs the Dark Brandon meme continues to capture attention, critics from the Republican side aren't staying silent. They're letting people feel a connection to it."īy tapping into this online enthusiasm, Biden's campaign seeks to energize a base that might otherwise be lukewarm. Will Bunnett from the Clarify agency commended the campaign's authentic embrace of the meme, stating, "The campaign didn't initiate Dark Brandon. Also Read | White House downplays Joe Biden’s 'ticking time bomb' barb on China The campaign's "Malarkey Monday" initiative, revealing new Dark Brandon items weekly, reflects the meme's continued appeal to Biden's supporters. The meme's popularity led to its inclusion in Biden's reelection campaign merchandise, contributing significantly to fundraising efforts.ĭark Brandon-themed products, including t-shirts and mugs, have become top sellers in Biden's online store, playing a substantial role in the campaign's revenue. Andrew Bates, the White House's deputy press secretary, celebrated legislative wins with the meme, and Biden has incorporated it into his public appearances. Both the White House and Democratic figures have embraced the Dark Brandon meme.
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