A fly briefly lands on Mike Pence’s head during the vice-presidential debate.
Salt Lake City:
Oh be a fly on the wall – or in the hair – during Wednesday’s US Vice Presidential debate.
Mike Pence received an unwelcome visitor during his confrontation with Democrat Kamala Harris when a large fly perched on the vice president’s white hair for two minutes, triggering an avalanche of comments online.
Pence was discussing the grim question of racial injustice and police reform when the winged intruder foiled the plexiglass barriers installed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and landed on the man who is only a heartbeat of the US Presidency.
And there he stayed. For. Of them. Anguishing. Minutes.
A split screen TV showed Harris watching Pence as the fly basked in the spotlight, but it wasn’t immediately clear if she was seeing him.
Everyone apparently did.
Donate $ 5 to help this campaign fly. https://t.co/CqHAId0j8tpic.twitter.com/NbkPl0a8HV
– Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 8, 2020
Social media, perhaps in a collective lull given the evening was far more civil than the chaotic opening clash between President Donald Trump and challenger Joe Biden last week, immediately said the fly was the winner of the debate.
“Ok, this is a very important debate, but no one will remember anything but this fly,” tweeted a user named Sykersomatic.
“This fly has been in Pence’s hair for a long time. It should be quarantined,” added former Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander, apparently alluding to the rampant spread of the coronavirus through the ranks of the White House .
Others have suggested the creature go to Walter Reed, the military medical center just outside Washington, where Trump spends three nights receiving treatment for Covid-19.
As online jokes snowballed, a new Twitter account, @MikePenceFly___, quickly garnered some 60,000 followers.
Even Biden himself took part in the action, raising money for the insect drama.
“Pitch in $ 5 to help this campaign fly,” the Democratic candidate tweeted.
And at the right time, the Joe Biden country store got up to speed to offer a “Truth Over Flies Fly Swatter”, for $ 10.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
