Bernie's mittens meme raises $1.8 million for Vermont charities in just five days

Judging by the reaction on social media, you either love the ubiquitous Bernie mittens memes or you hate them.

Personally, I find them charming—and they’ve been a welcome distraction from the 500-pound gorilla that’s, well, no longer in the room.

But this whimsical inauguration day highlight is also doing a lot of good for plenty of people.

CNBC:

Sen. Bernie Sanders said Wednesday that sales of merchandise featuring a viral image of the Vermont independent wearing mittens at the inauguration of President Joe Biden raised a whopping $1.8 million for charities in just five days.

“Jane and I were amazed by all the creativity shown by so many people over the last week, and we’re glad we can use my internet fame to help Vermonters in need,” Sanders said in a statement, referring to his wife.

A photo of Sanders sitting cross-legged and bundled up in a winter coat and wearing a chunky pair of mittens at Biden’s inauguration became a social media sensation last week.

Granted, you could probably raise $1.8 trillion selling T-shirts featuring any Trump family member in grubby prison garb, but we’ll have to wait for that.

For the moment, anyway, it’s all Bernie all the time.

The best Bernie memes I saw pic.twitter.com/mwq6stLV7Z

— David Leavitt (@David_Leavitt) January 21, 2021

One of the best I've seen so far. #Berniememes pic.twitter.com/NmDLibIpAN

— killer/queen (@SameRiver2wice) January 23, 2021

It never gets old. https://t.co/AxtU0lfOCK

— BuzzFeed (@BuzzFeed) January 21, 2021

Ok, this is the best of the Bernie Sanders memes. pic.twitter.com/6REhlCKFJL

— Damian Karzon (@dkarzon) January 22, 2021

when memes collide

[sound on]

(blame @christt for giving me the idea) pic.twitter.com/OK0MrF0ZZT

— shardcore ⧖ (@erocdrahs) January 21, 2021

#InaugurationDay pic.twitter.com/4GT9KopFiI

— Ben Zelevansky (@BenZelevansky) January 20, 2021

Okay, they can’t all be the best. But damn, some of these are really good.

Kudos, Bernie. Some people (oh, you know who) might have been offended. Thanks for being a good sport and helping people in need.

This guy is a natural. Sometimes I laugh so hard I cry.” — Bette Midler on author Aldous J. Pennyfarthing, via Twitter. Trump is gone, but the righteous mocking goes on forever. Thanks to Goodbye, Asshat: 101 Farewell Letters to Donald Trump, Dear Fcking Lunatic: 101 Obscenely Rude Letters to Donald Trump, Dear Prsident A**clown and Dear F*cking Moron, you can purge the Trump years from your soul sans the existential dread. Only laughs from here on out. Click those links!

Aldous Pennyfarthing

In contrast to Donald Trump’s shambolic bearing, appearance, and comportment, Aldous J. Pennyfarthing is a natty hail-fellow-well-met and a gentleman.

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