UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #3: Electronic road signs that are posted near construction zones - well, some Northern Virginia residents woke up to a couple of them that didn't have messages about traffic. The clip took off online, and the "Let's Go Brandon" meme was born. AirPods are at the lowest price ever on Amazon! The Let's go, Brandon meaning goes back to an October NASCAR race. Politics Here's what 'Let's Go, Brandon' actually means and how it made its way to Congress. It is found on billboards, coffee mugs, T-shirts, face masks, Halloween costumes, and even used as a sign-off to political speeches. [59], In mid-2022, the phrase was repurposed as "Dark Brandon", a comically menacing version of Biden used in memes by supporters of his presidency. We've got a clip with NBC reporter Kelli Stavast, but we can't play it, right? By Anthony Zurcher. They claimed "Let's Go Brandon" was emblematic of how they . One message to supporters reads, "#FJB or LET'S GO BRANDON? The phrase originated from a live broadcast at a NASCAR race, when the reporter conducting the post-race interview with winning driver Brandon Brown incorrectly noted that the crowd was chanting Lets Go Brandon when the phrase being chanted was actually Fuck Joe Biden. (Read more about the origin of the phrase in the next section.). The phrase was spotted on T-shirts as well as a banner pulled by a plane at Donald Trump's rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on Saturday. Bill Clinton was criticised so frequently, his most vocal critics were labelled the "Clinton crazies." [1] The slogan has become well known through use by Republican politicians and critics of Biden. Let's go Brandon. "[12], As the phrase began to increase in use, Brandon Brown found the phrase amusing[20] and tweeted: "To all the other Brandons out there, You're welcome! A Lets Go Brandon sign appeared at a Boston College vs. Syracuse college football game in early November. It's not a search term that they were going to limit. That. It also often appears as a caption underneath photos of . When Republican Rep. Bill Posey of Florida ended an Oct. 21 House floor speech with a fist pump and the phrase "Let's go, Brandon!" it may have seemed cryptic and weird to many who were . Last week,Biden's motorcade was driving past a "Let's Go Brandon" banner as the President passed through Plainfield, New Jersey. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. "[64][65] An August piece in Rolling Stone called it "cringe," patronizing, and short-lived. It's "Let's Go Brandon." But how did Republicans settle on the Brandon phrase as a G . STALL: Well, there's a few different ways that I've sort of tried to theoretically explore the Let's Go, Brandon meme becoming as large as it is today. [13] A country rap song of the same name was recorded by Forgiato Blow. Whether by mistake or as an intentional attempt to deflect from the swearing on live television, Ms Stavast told Mr Brown that the crowd was cheering him on with chants of "Let's go, Brandon". It is also tangible proof that for all Biden's campaign-trail and inaugural-address talk of unity and political reconciliation, conservative animosity toward the Democratic chief executive has become firmly entrenched. This past week, Bidens motorcade was driving past a "Lets Go Brandon" banner as the president passed through Plainfield, New Jersey. Michael Pack is nearing the close of his turbulent tenure as CEO of the parent agency to the Voice of America. Driver Brandon Brown was being interviewed by NBC Sports reporter Kelli Stavast as the crowd behind him chanted something difficult to make out. DeSantis trolls President Biden, will sign bills limiting vaccine mandates in Brandon, FL", "Lauren Boebert's 'Let's Go Brandon' Dress Screams Prom Villain", "Psaki Asked About Let's Go Brandon: I Don't Think Biden "Spends Much Time Focused On It Or Thinking About It", "Joe Biden Says He Agrees After Christmas Caller Tells Him 'Let's Go Brandon, "On Santa tracking call, Biden is told 'Let's go Brandon' and says he agrees", "Joe Biden Rips Fox News Hypocrisy, Mocks Low Polls, Praises Trevor Noah & Shows WHCD He Gets "Let's Go, Brandon! President Biden couldn't escape the chant on a visit to Michigan the . And maybe it shouldn't be, if you believe in free speech. However, "Brandon Falls" is not an official landmark named by the state of Delaware. "We never fail to be horrified by some new outrage.". A group chanted "Let's go, Brandon" outside a Virginia park when Biden made an appearance on behalf of the Democratic candidate for governor, Terry McAuliffe. Brandon is the embodiment of the new American dream, where everything's free, but everyone is still angry. There are some who say that part of the popularity of this whole Lets Go Brandon thing comes from people who like using a code to basically troll Democrats. "[32], While President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden were taking phone calls for NORAD's Santa tracker hotline on December 24, 2021, a caller ended his chat by saying, "Merry Christmas and let's go Brandon," to which President Biden smiled and responded, "Let's go Brandon, I agree. Green light, mandate like he's insane. Audible gasps from some passengers were heard. SIMON: And the NBC reporter just thought that what they heard was, let's go, Brandon? Sen. Mitch McConnells press secretary retweeted a photo of the phrase on a construction sign in Virginia. Standing up and standing tall. It's all the rage among Republicans wanting to prove their conservative credentials, a not-so-secret handshake that signals theyre in sync with the partys base. By Anthony Zurcher. Brown unwittingly became entangled in this debacle when he won his first career NASCAR race in October in Alabama. With Joe Biden's victory, Fox is stepping warily to avoid alienating Trump supporters. The phrase "Let's Go Brandon" has been chanted at football games, printed on T-shirts and repeated by U.S. politicians but what exactly does it mean? "To all the other Brandons out there, You're welcome!" Brown, or the "real Brandon," drives for a short-staffed, underfunded NASCAR team owned by his father. You can find it on T-shirts. The obscene chant, and the Brandon slogan that arose from it, reflect the raw frustration of a political movement that three years ago controlled the presidency and both chamber of Congress but now are in the political wilderness. Video, 'Trump or bust' - grassroots Republicans are still loyal, Biden meets Boris: Shared interests but bumps remain, How critical race theory is dividing the US, The Democrats' 'tectonic' shift on Israel, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, Alex Murdaugh jailed for life for double murder, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, Mother who killed her five children euthanised, Zoom boss Greg Tomb fired without cause, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, Biden had skin cancer lesion removed - White House. And as for the real Brandon, things havent been so great. On October 2, 2021, during a televised interview with the Sparks 300 race winner Brandon Brown at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama, NBC Sports reporter Kelli Stavast incorrectly described the chant in the background as "Let's Go Brandon", which sparked the meme. [56], In 2022, a then-nine-year-old autistic boy named Brandon Brundidge saw a sign with the phrase and, not knowing the political meaning, assumed that they were supporting him. The line has become conservative code for something far more vulgar: "F- Joe Biden." UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #2: Republican member of Congress wearing a mask that says Let's Go, Brandon. He drives for a short-staffed, underfunded team owned by his father. "I understand there is a vulgar meaning to 'Let's go, Brandon,' but I'm not that simple-minded, no . In the video, the crowd behind him is chanting "f*** Joe Biden" however, the NBC reporter is claiming the chant is "let's go Brandon," which has since been referred to as a form of damage control. [2][14], Conservative commentators Ben Shapiro and Tomi Lahren spread the phrase via Twitter. Sign up for writing inspiration in your email, So, were up to 8.4% inflation. "But it's done with a little bit of a class. [13] It debuted at number 28 on the US Hot 100. So how did it - how did this take flight? It's far less polarizing than "(Expletive) Joe Biden.". (SOUNDBITE OF BRIAN BLADE SONG, "AFTER THE REVIVAL") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. But now its more than that to die-hard Trump supporters, said Stanley Renshon, a political scientist and psychoanalyst at the City University of New York. HAMPTON STALL: It's good to be here. [39] The song first went viral on TikTok before rising to number one on the iTunes Store Top Hip-Hop/Rap Songs list, and number two on the platform's Top Songs list, on October 18, 2021. Without knowing the political. SIMON: Well, you know, covfefe - and I don't know SIMON: If there is a correct pronunciation since it's not a word. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images), RELATED: Florida man faces daily fines for massive 'Let's Go Brandon' sign and pro-Trump sign: 'That's free speech'. The either flustered or confused journalist then said that you could hear the crowd chanting, "Let's Go Brandon!". Either way, President Trump wants YOU to have our ICONIC new shirt.". The issue was, the reporter interviewing Brown said they crowd was cheering for Brandon's win, but really they were chanting "F*** Joe Biden.". [24] In a November 23, 2021, opinion piece for The Washington Post, Marc Thiessen, a former chief speechwriter for president George W. Bush, commented that the chant was tame compared to what has been said about other presidents. [20] He planned to ignore the phrase, but later worried that his silence was perceived as a tacit endorsement of the sentiment. [2] Texas Governor Greg Abbott used the phrase in an October 22 tweet. [63] An Agence France-Presse journalist wrote that the variant rebranded "him from ineffectual grandfather figure to a kind of political terminator. It's an in-joke, a wink and a nod for elected politicians and supporters to share andsay "hey, I'm a part of the team". Speaking in West Palm on Wednesday, Nov. 3, Florida Gov. But that's not what these slogans are about. Fair warning for some coarse language, obviously. The reporter suggested they were chanting "Lets go, Brandon" to cheer the driver. A first responder carries a sign reading "Our Body Our Choice Let's Go Brandon" before a press conference about vaccine mandates and first responders at the U.S. Capitol on Monday. As Biden made his speech, someone shouted Lets go, Brandon over and over again. The phrase also became popular on anti-Biden merchandise. Instead, the phrase is being used in conservative circles in place of a more vulgar message directed at President Biden. Go Brandon, but we all know what the sayin' mean. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz posed with a "Lets Go Brandon" sign at the World Series. Sure, that response not the original chant was kind of funny in the moment, but to the right-wing movement, this episode did two not-so-funny things. Williams sued, with former Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler acting as his attorney. 'Cause it's all for one and it's one for all. SIMON: The original chant for which Let's Go, Brandon is - has become a euphemism - let me put it that way - is crude, but not violent. [12], According to The Independent, on October 19, "The anti-Biden war cry 'Let's Go Brandon' is no longer a conservative media phenomenon, it's infiltrating mainstream popular culture and is now number one and two on iTunes, knocking Adele's new single into third place. Posey's Oct. 21 speech on the house floor was most notable because he was criticizing Biden while using it. Separately, T-shirts are popping up in storefronts with the slogan and the NASCAR logo. "We never fail to be horrified by some new outrage. If reading the words "Let's go Brandon" drives you up a wall, well, that's the plan. Instead, they showed a slogan that's become popular with critics of President Biden. It was included in campaigning emails in the same way that currently, like, Let's Go, Brandon as a phrase is being repeated in the conservative sphere, in the MAGA world. Thewin that led to the interview that sparked the meme was his first career victory. SIMON: Hampton Stall researches ideology and group cultures. "Memes, like political slogans, reinforce community, and neatly outline the boundaries of the in group and out group," says Amarnath Amarasingam, an associate professor of political studies at Queen's University in Ontario, Canada. In October 2021, Republican Rep. Bill Posey of Florida ended a House floor speech by saying Lets go, Brandon, while South Carolina Republican Jeff Duncan has worn a Lets Go Brandon face mask, and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has posed with a Lets Go Brandon sign. I mean, I think a close analogue would be when Trump tweeted covfefe (ph), or however you pronounce it. The exact origin of Karen is unknown, but the meme gained steam during 2020 in the early stages of the . The "Let's go Brandon" chant dates to an Oct. 2 trackside interview, conducted by an NBC Sports reporter with NASCAR driver Brandon Brown after he won a race. Secrets to eating less salt at every meal. Former President Donald Trump speaks to supporters during a rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on October 09, 2021 in Des Moines, Iowa. What does 'Let's Go Brandon', the latest phrase sweeping US politics, actually mean? Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani, Mary Clare Jalonick, Brian Slodysko and Will Weissert in Washington and Jenna Fryer in Charlotte, N.C., contributed to this report. [44] The music video for Gray's song, which included the line "Biden said the jab stop the spread, it was lies" (in reference to COVID-19 vaccination efforts by Biden) was taken down by YouTube for containing "medical misinformation". Jim Lamon, a Republican candidate for Senate in Arizona, has a new television advertisement that employs the slogan "Let's go, Brandon." His campaign says it is spending $1 million to air. [57][58], The phrase has been used on bumper stickers supporting Brandon Presley, a Democratic candidate for Governor of Mississippi in 2023. [11] Later in 2021, a rapidly increasing number of national Republican politicians explicitly supported or referred to the phrase. [14][1] On the live broadcast, while wearing a headset,[15] reporter Stavast stated, "You can hear the chants from the crowd, 'Let's go, Brandon! What about use of the word Karen? He was quick to jump on the 'Let's Go Brandon' craze, and has blasted his supporters with text messages hoping to fundraise off the moment. Fact check:False claim that 'Let's go Brandon' chant was classified as hate speech, Fact check:Image of cargo ships spelling out 'Let's go Brandon' originated as satire, It's a direct insult to Biden. Rupert Murdoch struck an alliance with President Trump early on, and Fox News has bolstered his presidency. These times, people wakin' up to e'ything. Disinformation and conspiracy theories on social media are a regular source of public concern, but the Brandon phenomenon is something different - a simple vessel for transmitting invective at a politician. But the phrase was already growing in right-wing circles, and now the seemingly upbeat sentiment -- actually a stand-in for swearing at Joe Biden -- is everywhere. At a Chicago airport, a man tricked an airline worker into saying the phrase "Let's Go Brandon!" through the paging system. Bill Clinton was criticized with such fervor that his most vocal critics were labeled the "Clinton crazies.". And a group chanted "Let's go, Brandon" outside a Virginia park on Monday when Biden made an appearance on behalf of the Democratic candidate for governor, Terry McAuliffe. On a Southwest flight from Houston to Albuquerque, the pilot signed off his greeting over the public address system with the phrase, to audible gasps from some passengers. [54], In February 2022, the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a lawsuit against Bitconnect that the Securities Act of 1933 extends to targeted solicitation using social media. Ron DeSantis refers to the Biden Administration as the Brandon Administration. As the crowd chants 'Let's go, Brandon,' the governor explains his version of the origins of the phrase. He cited the Afghanistan withdrawal, the southern border situation and rancorous school board debates as situations in which Biden critics feel that "how American institutions are telling the American public what they clearly see and understand to be true, is in fact not true. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Bill Clinton was criticized with such fervor that his most vocal critics were labeled the Clinton crazies.. Some gun dealers are even using the phrase to market weapon parts. And so, "Let's go, Brandon" went viral as an internet meme. 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False claim that 'Let's go Brandon' chant was classified as hate speech, Image of cargo ships spelling out 'Let's go Brandon' originated as satire, showed the pilot signingoff his greeting over the public address system with the phrase, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of Lets Go Brandon NASCAR later sought to distance itself from the phrase. Gov. "Let's go, Brandon!" has become a popular refrain among US conservatives. [36] Although Denver District Judge Andrew McCallin agreed with Williams that he had successfully proved that he used "Let's go Brandon" as his nickname, the judge ultimately ruled that Secretary of State Griswold acted within her authority in denying Williams the use of the nickname on the ballot. Greg Abbott of Texas tweeted the phrase. Your support makes this possible. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. In the weeks after the race, the motorsport series' president said the league didn't want to be associated with politics, and that it would sue anyone who created NASCAR merchandise with the slogan on it. A heckler repeatedly shouted Lets go, Brandon at US President Joe Biden during his primetime address, as he spoke about democracy and the threat of political violence.