Song Meaning
The lyrics paint a picture of the 2020 presidential and vice presidential debates as a spectacle, reducing them to a series of disconnected, meme-worthy moments. The initial image of "two old men fighting" sets a tone of weary observation, suggesting the political discourse felt less like a substantive exchange and more like a petty squabble. This framing immediately strips away any pretense of high-minded debate, focusing instead on the raw, almost absurd, visual elements that captured public attention.
The central tension arises from the juxtaposition of serious political office with the trivialization of online culture. The vice presidential debate, in particular, is distilled into specific, almost surreal, visual gags: "Kamala Harris with Mike Pence's face in the plexiglass" and "the fly on Mike Pence's head." These are not descriptions of policy discussions, but rather snapshots of moments that were instantly ripe for internet mockery. The narrator appears to be highlighting how the gravity of the political moment was undercut by its meme-ification.
The most striking aspect of the craft here is the extreme brevity and focus on singular, bizarre images. The lyrics function like a rapid-fire social media feed, presenting these moments without context or elaboration. This technique emphasizes how easily political events can be flattened into shareable, often ridiculous, content. The repetition of the debate structure (First, Vice Presidential, Second) provides a thin veneer of order, but the content within each section is pure, unadulterated meme fodder, suggesting a profound disconnect between the political stage and the public consciousness.
Ultimately, these lyrics are effective because they capture a specific cultural phenomenon: the way major political events are consumed and processed through the lens of internet humor. By focusing on the most visually arresting and meme-able details, the writing taps into a shared experience of watching these events unfold online. It’s a commentary on how spectacle can overshadow substance, leaving the viewer with a collection of absurd images rather than a clear understanding of the political stakes involved.