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. NEW YORK - The phrase 'Let's go, Brandon' can be traced back to an Oct. 2 NASCAR race at the Talladega Superspeedway in . I mean, Facebook released that Let's Go, Brandon as a phrase is not a bannable term. "[64][65] An August piece in Rolling Stone called it "cringe," patronizing, and short-lived. With Joe Biden's victory, Fox is stepping warily to avoid alienating Trump supporters. 28 on this week's #Hot100", "Kid Rock Chants 'Let's Go Brandon,' Slams Joe Biden & Dr. Fauci in New Song", "Cryptocurrency Meme Coin LGBcoin.io Announced as Full Season Primary Partner for Brandonbilt Motorsports", "NASCAR walks back 'Let's Go Brandon' sponsorship approval, Brandon Brown spokesperson says", "Cryptocurrency Meme Coin LGBcoin.io Serving as Primary Partner for Brandonbilt Motorsports in 2022 UPDATES", "NASCAR Rejects "Let's Go Brandon" Crypto Sponsorship, Team Pledges To Fight Back", "Influencers beware: promoting the wrong crypto could mean facing a class-action lawsuit", "How an author, a NASCAR star and a young boy flipped 'Let's Go Brandon' on its head", "How the phrase 'Let's go Brandon' made a little boy with autism feel loved", "Democrat Brandon Presley is running for governor", "The "Dark Brandon" Meme That Liberals Suddenly Love", "The "Dark Brandon Joe Biden Meme has Made its Way to the White House", "Biden: superhero, lame duck -- or both? ", Overwhelmingly, yes. His family. "F- Trump" graffiti still marks many an overpass in Washington, D.C. George W. Bush had a shoe thrown in his face. 'Thank you, Brandon' just means thanks. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. SIMON: Independent researcher Hampton Stall has looked into what's become this catchphrase. These are shibboleths, but barely hand gestures and certain flags and ways of signaling that are . It all started at the end of a televised Nascar stock car race in Talladega, Alabama, on 2 October. [62] The term is often used when Biden "goes on the offensive". GPB is committedto bringing you comprehensive news coverage from Georgia, across the country and around the world. Sean Gardner/Getty Images. The . ", Trump hasnt missed the moment. Rupert Murdoch struck an alliance with President Trump early on, and Fox News has bolstered his presidency. A Lets Go Brandon sign appeared at a Boston College vs. Syracuse college football game in early November. "Let's go, Brandon" is becoming a rallying cry for the Republican base, filling as a stand-in for insulting President Joe Biden. Without knowing the political. Photographer: A. Americas presidents have endured meanness for centuries; Grover Cleveland faced chants of "Ma, Ma Wheres my Pa?" in the 1880s over rumors hed fathered an illegitimate child. SIMON: Is there any evidence that this phrase, which is perfectly innocuous, is being used for more malevolent purposes? It is found on billboards, coffee mugs, T-shirts, face masks, Halloween costumes, and even used as a sign-off to political speeches. More recently, Southwest Airlines opened an internal investigation when a pilot used it over the loudspeaker. 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. The phrase was spotted on T-shirts as well as a banner pulled by a plane at Donald Trump's rally at . It's not a search term that they were going to limit. His mother wrote a book called Brandon Spots his Sign, and they later met Brandon Brown. But now it's being used to sell guns and ammunition. Audible gasps from some passengers were heard. Let's go, Brandon!". Southwest said in a statement that the airline "takes pride in providing a welcoming, comfortable, and respectful environment" and that "behavior from any individual that is divisive or offensive is not condoned. [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. The biggest difference, though, between the sentiments hurled at the Grover Clevelands of yore and modern politicians is the amplification they get on social media. But where did Lets go, Brandon come from? His team is underfunded, short-staffed and owned by his father. So making fun of the president, especially if you didn't vote for them, isn't a new phenomenon in American politics. He drives for a short-staffed, underfunded team owned by his father. Nascar's Twitter account initially posted a video of the interview, but subsequently deleted it without explanation. Bill Clinton was criticized with such fervor that his most vocal critics were labeled the "Clinton crazies.". [57][58], The phrase has been used on bumper stickers supporting Brandon Presley, a Democratic candidate for Governor of Mississippi in 2023. Instead, the phrase is being used in conservative circles in . And while that win his first career victory was huge, the team has long struggled for sponsorship and existing partners have not been marketing the driver since the slogan. Stall, thanks so much for being with us. Two protesters dropped the euphemism entirely, holding up hand-drawn signs with the profanity. [53] In response, investor James Koutoulas threatened a lawsuit against NASCAR, and called for a boycott until the decision was reversed. South Carolina Republican Jeff Duncan wore a "Lets Go Brandon" face mask at the Capitol last month. Either way, President Trump wants YOU to have our ICONIC new shirt.". There's a difference between calls for violence and this sort of wink that the Let's Go, Brandon meme is. STALL: On the left, it's usually used for the, like, call-your-manager-type conservative suburbanite as well. On Friday night, a Southwest Airlines pilot allegedly said "Let's go Brandon" over the plane intercom, causing a stir on board and prompting an investigation by the airline. "Let's go, Brandon" isn't the first president-related meme to take off, nor is it the first time a president has dealt with vulgar messages. The expression became popular as a way of expressing opposition to Joe Biden without using the explicit phrase it represents. Americans are accustomed to their leaders being publicly jeered, and former President Donald Trumps often-coarse language seemed to expand the boundaries of what counts as normal political speech. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? The reporter suggested they were chanting "Lets go, Brandon" to cheer the driver. Who is Brandon, and why is the phrase Let's Go, Brandon being heard on the floor of Congress? Here's the clip. But search engines and moderators would be capable of catching it. It's a direct insult to Biden. On a recent 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. The phrase Let's Go, Brandon was boosted all over the country. [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! I mean, Karen, I think, is more of a, like, demographic stab. NASCAR and NBC have since taken steps to limit "ambient crowd noise" during interviews, but it was too late the phrase already had taken off. A Southwest Airlines pilot is also facing an internal investigation for allegedly saying, Lets go, Brandon, over the intercom during a flight from Houston to Albuquerque last week. it may have seemed cryptic and weird to many who were listening. Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz mentioned it on a conservative podcast, calling it "one of the funniest things I've ever seen". [20] He planned to ignore the phrase, but later worried that his silence was perceived as a tacit endorsement of the sentiment. He cited the Afghanistan withdrawal, the southern border situation and rancorous school board debates as situations in which increasing numbers who were not vocally anti-Biden now feel that "how American institutions are telling the American public what they clearly see and understand to be true, is in fact not true. Go Brandon, but we all know what the sayin' mean. ", "Unless you are living in a cave, you know what it means," he said. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. [2] Texas Governor Greg Abbott used the phrase in an October 22 tweet. But yeah. Brandon got his fourth COVID shot. Now it's made its way to Congress. [29][30][31], On November 12, 2021, when asked about Biden's views regarding the phrase, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki responded, "I don't think he spends much time focused on it or thinking about it. 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. in the 1880s over rumors hed fathered an illegitimate child. A supporter of former U.S. President Donald Trump displays a "Let's Go Brandon" hat before a campaign event for Terry McAuliffe, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for Virginia, in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., on Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. McConnells press secretary retweeted a photo of the phrase on a construction sign in Virginia. DeSantis explains origins of 'Let's go, Brandon' Speaking in West Palm on Wednesday, Nov. 3, Florida Gov. All Rights Reserved. Either way, President Trump wants YOU to have our ICONIC new shirt.". Let's go Brandon. A new song by Bryson Gray called Lets Go Brandon, one of multiple musical tributes to the anti-Biden meme, also bumped Adeles new hit, Easy On Me, out of the top spot on iTunes for a time last month. And maybe it shouldn't be, if you believe in free speech. Grover Cleveland faced chants of "Ma, Ma Where's my Pa?" So there's, like, demographic target overlap. Boxesto make the donation recurring every month, and to make an additional donation are already pre-checked). Sane people aren't offended by it. "Let's go, Brandon!" has become a popular refrain among US conservatives. WASHINGTON - When Republican Rep. Bill Posey of Florida ended an Oct. 21 House floor speech with a fist pump and the phrase "Lets go, Brandon!" [13] It debuted at number 28 on the US Hot 100. After a heckler interrupted Gov. And that's a whole bowl of wrong. Brandon Brown, a 28-year-old driver, had won his first Xfinity Series and was being interviewed by an NBC Sports reporter. IE 11 is not supported. But its hidden G-rated camouflage has sparked others to use the saying more than the original expletive-laced chant at the NASCAR crowd. Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson were the subject of poems that leaned into racist tropes and allegations of bigamy. 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. A portion of the U.S. was already angry before the Brandon moment, believing the 2020 presidential election was rigged despite a mountain of evidence to the contrary, which has stood the test of recounts and court cases. However, "Brandon Falls" is not an official landmark named by the state of Delaware. (SOUNDBITE OF BRIAN BLADE SONG, "AFTER THE REVIVAL") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. "Before the expansion of social media a few years ago, there wasnt an easily accessible public forum to shout your nastiest and darkest public opinions," said Matthew Delmont, a history professor at Dartmouth College. That's not true with Let's Go, Brandon, right? The shocking legacy of the Dutch 'Hunger Winter', Why Alex Murdaugh was spared the death penalty, 'Trump or bust' - grassroots Republicans are still loyal. That makes them inimical to. But it became increasingly clear they were saying: "F- Joe Biden.". 260 14th St. NW SIMON: Well, you know, covfefe - and I don't know SIMON: If there is a correct pronunciation since it's not a word. Republican Rep. Bill Posey of Florida ended an Oct. 21 House floor speech with a fist pump and crypticallylet out the phrase that's disguised to be upbeat. When the president visited a construction site in suburban Chicago a few weeks ago to promote his vaccinate-or-test mandate, protesters deployed both three-word phrases. Brandon Brown, a 28-year-old driver, had won his first Xfinity Series and was being interviewed by an NBC Sports reporter. The phrase originatedat an Oct. 2 NASCAR race at the Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama. Ted Cruz and Mitch McConnell, among others and former President Donald Trump's campaign PAC have been using the phrase or associating with it. he tweeted. If the president gives commentary on a political issue, you have to sue the government not the president. 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. [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. 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. Brown unwittingly became entangled in this debacle when he won his first career NASCAR race in October in Alabama. After the broadcast, the phrase Lets Go Brandon and the hashtag #LetsGoBrandon quickly became popular with opponents of Joe Biden, including some Republican members of Congress, who began to use the phrase when criticizing the president. And . But it became increasingly clear they were saying: "F--- Joe Biden.". [62] Several White House officials, members of the Biden team, as well as U.S. in the 1880s over rumours he'd fathered an illegitimate child. One of them is that the phrase is a very shareable and adaptable phrase that can be sort of said publicly in the way that cursing out the president cannot. Arizona Republican Senate candidate Jim Lamon invoked the anti-Biden phrase "Let's go, Brandon" in a campaign ad released on Monday. NASCAR later sought to distance itself from the phrase. Please consider making a gift today to support this vital public service. We won't be around the bush, it actually means "F*** Joe Biden". But anger has now moved beyond die-hard Trump supporters, said Stanley Renshon, a political scientist and psychoanalyst at the City University of New York. Some conservatives view Ms Stavast's attribution of the Biden chant as yet another example of the media covering up for and protecting Biden by downplaying what they view as the depth of the president's unpopularity. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. But its hidden G-rated camouflage has sparked others to use the saying more than the original expletive-laced chant. ", Veteran GOP ad maker Jim Innocenzi had no issues with the coded phrase. The awkward and quite frankly hilarious moment, occurred when NBC reporter Kelli Stavast was interviewing Brandon Brown following his victory, so you can . The line has become conservative code for something far more vulgar: "F--- Joe Biden." The reporter claimed that they were shouting Lets go, Brandon, to celebrate Browns win. Parody children'sbooks were written making fun of him. SIMON: And the NBC reporter just thought that what they heard was, let's go, Brandon?