The first of the debates between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump was held on Tuesday. In less than an hour and a half, this event in Philadelphia had already gone viral. Sure, the actual debate was chock-full of meat, but if you ask people, probably one of the biggest talking points was all about memes and a popular endorsement that came later in the night.
Debate Highlights and Trump’s Performance
The debate featured a strong performance from Kamala Harris. She effectively confronted Trump’s evasive responses and rambling answers. Trump often avoided direct answers. Instead, he repeatedly discussed the January 6 insurrection and election denialism. Many viewers criticized his performance, expecting a more combative approach.
Oftentimes, Trump’s responses were fragmented and failed to address multiple key issues. These juxtaposed with Harris’s more rhetorically complete arguments. Harris, therefore, became the calmer and more serious subject of the debate.
Memes Take Over Social Media
The debate once again made waves online and launched an internet meme invasion. From Twitter to Instagram, among other outlets, it was abuzz with people taking light, humorous approaches to the moments of the debate. People across social media pointed out Trump’s rambling answers and Harris’s sharp comebacks through an array of memes.
Many memes amplified Trump’s avoidance of direct questions, while others took his comments about the events of January 6th as a more playful fabrication. Memes pithily captured the takeaways of each debate and rendered political speech a source of ubiquitous entertainment.
Taylor Swift’s Endorsement Rocks Debate
The debate took an unexpected turn when, just seconds after it wrapped up, Taylor Swift followed up with an endorsement of Kamala Harris on Instagram. Swift’s endorsement was a whole new layer of excitement to the post-debate conversation. And Swift’s endorsement of Harris quickly became a focal point on social media.
Donald Trump’s Agenda for a Potential Second Term
Swift’s endorsement sent many of the debate’s initial memes-which had dominated discussion among both fans and political commentators throughout the previous day-to the back burner as many wondered where her public support would take the race. It wasn’t just an endorsement that cleared up Harris’s political position, but it also introduced a high-profile celebrity one.
Put together, debate memes and Swift’s endorsement formed one of those peculiar social media moments. Memes blow up what the public feels about heated moments in debates into comic disproportion, and Swift brings a new star weight to the political conversation.
These memes were essentially the way for the public to participate in the debate on lighter notes. They were merely a canvas for comment and critique through satire. However, Swift’s endorsement has captured how celebrity influence shapes political narratives and public opinion.
