The Inauguration Day Photo that Stole the Show
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A photo of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders at the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris stole the show on Jan. 20, raising over 41.8 million for charities.
A USF student publication, The Oracle, reported that the inauguration of former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden left students with mixed feelings on what to expect in the next four years.
However, it is clear from the internet memes that students and others around the globe did not react the same way about the viral photo of Sanders from the inauguration.
The viral photo depicts Sanders sitting with his legs and arms crossed on a folding chair. He appears unamused, wearing a big coat and mittens.
CNBC reported, one of the most enduring and endearing photos from Joe Biden’s inauguration does not feature the president at all.
It turns out that the photographer who captured the image, Brendan Smialowski, had no intention of creating a viral phenomenon. Smialowski is a photojournalist who covers politics in Washington, D.C.
According to CNBC, Smialowski had been keeping an eye on prominent guests at the inauguration ceremony.
“I saw Sen. Sanders out of my other eye kind of fiddling with his gloves. It was just a nice moment when he crossed his legs and crossed his arms,” Smialowski said to CNBC. “I threw the camera over to him.”
The photo quickly blew up on the internet and was shared with photoshopped backgrounds and funny text.
Sanders’ mittens were made from recycled wool and knit sweaters by a Vermont elementary school teacher, Jen Ellis, who has a side business making mittens.
Ellis said on her Twitter account that after the sudden fame, she made three pairs of mittens and donated them for fundraising to local Vermont charities. She also plans to auction one pair on eBay for her daughter’s college fund.
The Tampa Bay Times reported that “Chairman Sanders” merchandise, including T-shirts, sweatshirts, and stickers, on Sanders’ website helped raise over $1.8 million for charity.
In an interview with NPR, Ellis said the sudden fame has been sweet, and she appreciated that Sanders decided to wear an article of clothing to the inauguration that normal people can relate to and afford. Unlike “those lovely outfits that everybody else wore”.
“But I’ve tried really hard not to let it (the fame) overshadow the amazing historic event from yesterday and just how wonderful it was to watch a woman be inaugurated as vice president and just to see this positive change in power,” Ellis said to NPR.