Harry Fletcher
Mar 10, 2023
content.jwplatform.com
Joe Biden took down Donald Trump with three words in his latest speech – and managed to bring back “Dark Brandon” in the process.
Not aware of the Dark Brandon meme? Essentially, it challenges the right-wing caricatures of Biden, which portrays the president as a frail older man.
Instead of showing him in that light, the meme instead subverts the “dark MAGA” fascist aesthetic into a tribute to the president.
Now, he’s back, after referring to Trump during an event in Philadelphia.
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Speaking about the 2020 election, he said: “I had a big fight with the former president, and maybe future president.”
Then, he dismissed Trump by making the sign of the cross and saying the words “Bless me father”.
Biden has used this saying jokingly before, including last week when he referred to conspiracy theorist Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
It’s used on a fairly common basis as a blessing to ward off evil by Christians, and it looks like this was the case during the event in Philadelphia.
The event sparked a reaction on social media - and it's the latest example of Dark Brandon memes appearing online.
For context, the coded catchphrase was birthed at a NASCAR race in October. Driver Brandon Brown had received his first Xfinity Series race victory and was being interviewed by an NBC Sports reporter. Mid-interview, the Republican-heavy crowd erupted into chants which the interviewer passed off as "let's go Brandon", but it became increasingly clear they were yelling: "F*** Joe Biden".
It initially spread among right-wing circles, and a spin-off version depicting Biden as an evil villain.Democrats have since put their own spin on it, though.
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