;)
Since last night’s debate was boring and pretty much meaningless (“I think we all love teachers,” said exasperated moderator Bob Schieffer in a discussion purportedly about foreign policy), the only takeaway is the meme.
What makes a great meme? Four elements:
- Excellent visuals. (Binders. Women. Archaic weaponry.)
- Rhythm (BIND-ers FULL of WOM-en.)
- The horse’s mouth. (“Binders full of women.”)
- The essence of an ethos. (“Let them eat cake!”)
So let’s see which meme won:
VISUALS: We love horses and women. (Um, we mean that in a good way.) TIE
RHYTHM: “Horses and bayonets” aren’t as hip-hop rhythmical as “Binders full of women.” BINDERS
HORSE’S MOUTH: A meme works better when it plays off something the victim said, or allegedly said. Romney came up with “Binders full of women.” Obama came prepared with his bayonets. Therefore: BINDERS
ETHOS: A great meme captures the negative personality the opponent wants to create. Democrates portray Romney as being a cluelessly sexist plutocrat, the kind of guy who sees women in binders. On the other hand, it’s harder to believe that Romney is hopelessly clueless about military affairs. Again, BINDERS.
So who won the last two debates? Binders full of women, 3-0.