Beto O'Rourke's First Debate Answer Is Already A 2020 Election Meme
It didn’t take long for Wednesday night’s Democratic presidential debate to produce its first meme-worthy moment.
Former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke broke out his Spanish in the middle of his first answer.
Candidate @BetoORourke answered his first question during the #DemDebate primarily in Spanish https://t.co/VEmbgi01mb pic.twitter.com/ZM3MaHZpbq
— Hollywood Reporter (@THR) June 27, 2019
As several observers noted, O’Rourke didn’t directly answer the question about marginal tax rates in either language.
“We need to include every person in this economy’s success,” he said in Spanish. “But if we want to do that, we need to include every person in our democracy. Every voter needs representation and we need to listen to every voice.”
O’Rourke was likely trying to make a direct pitch to viewers watching on Telemundo, which was one of the networks broadcasting the debate.
But the opening gambit struck some critics as pandering, and many observers couldn’t help but notice Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) — who later broke out some Spanish himself — looking on, leading to the debate’s first meme:
When your friend comes back from study abroad #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/pvw4sYWhHu
— Full Frontal (@FullFrontalSamB) June 27, 2019
When Dad says "Hola, como estas?" to the waiter at the Mexican restaurant #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/64FY2LV6kp
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) June 27, 2019
[spanish] pic.twitter.com/oxy9zRUIm8
— David Mack (@davidmackau) June 27, 2019
Question: can all of you say basically the same thing but in 20 sort of different ways and make it stretch for two hours?
Everyone: Yes
Beto: Si, se puede— Caroline Moss (@CarolineMoss) June 27, 2019
omg Booker’s face when Beto busted out the Spanish pic.twitter.com/O4oY4HowWK
— andi zeisler (@andizeisler) June 27, 2019
Booker as Beto speaks in Spanish pic.twitter.com/pVYL3p0cun
— Tim Mak (@timkmak) June 27, 2019
LOL pic.twitter.com/6nFgF5U3E6
— Mark Gongloff (@markgongloff) June 27, 2019
here u go internet pic.twitter.com/qc3AAAwp3m
— Versha Sharma (@versharma) June 27, 2019
Beto answering in Spanish. Everyone else, "Ah, nobody likes a show off buddy." #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/k9r8u4Fdr8
— Kathleen Madigan (@kathleenmadigan) June 27, 2019
When you’re trying to end a meeting but that one coworker is still talking. pic.twitter.com/uDdlGaozK6
— F1agg Σagl3t0n 🇺🇸🦅🍑🌱 (@NM_Che56) June 27, 2019
Is Beto really speaking in Spanish right now? This reminds me of this scene in Bridesmaids. pic.twitter.com/9PV9ro4BQt
— Alexis Benveniste (@apbenven) June 27, 2019
— David Mack (@davidmackau) June 27, 2019
This look is the single funniest thing Cory Booker has ever done. pic.twitter.com/7RbnFDyX9a
— Saeed Jones (@theferocity) June 27, 2019
— M (@Mtorbat) June 27, 2019
et moi, je parle francais!
-probably someone on the end— Alexandra Petri (@petridishes) June 27, 2019
Also on HuffPost
Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.