Top 5 Bizarre Social Media Moments: Election Edition

Folks, we’ve almost made it. Tomorrow is November 8. The televised debates will cease, the outdated horror-esque political ads will no longer air during your favorite programs and the next President of the United States will be named.

To celebrate the joyous occasion of this literal election nightmare coming to a close, I wanted to share with you my personal list of the top 5 most bizarre social media moments that led us to Election Day 2016. I know what you’re thinking, “Five? How on Earth could she possibly narrow it down to five?” And I agree, there were way more than five hardcore “WTF is happening” moments, but in respect for your time, I’ll highlight five.

  1. Senator Lindsey Graham’s “How to destroy your cell phone” video

I know, so much has happened in this election that this one almost escaped your memory. Long story short, Donald Trump gave out Senator Lindsey Graham’s personal cell phone number in retaliation for Graham calling Trump a colorful name during the early days of his campaign. Though the entire ordeal is extremely bizarre, let’s collectively applaud Senator Graham. Any other Senator in his position may have changed their cell phone number and called it a day. Not Graham, though. Graham utilized the most engaging form of social media and created a video masterpiece that I will enjoy for years to come. Bravo, Senator Graham. Bravo.

  1. Hillary’s Twitter mic drop

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Hillary Clinton did not mince words, and echoed pleas that many of us have uttered to multiple candidates throughout this election: “Delete your account.” It was simple, it was elegant and it was brilliant. Hillary, who’s been doing everything to engage with her younger audience, delivered a meme-esque slam to Donald Trump that will always bring me joy.

  1. Ken Bone

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I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shout-out to the one beam of shining light and hope that is Ken Bone. Did Ken Bone play any sort of crucial role in the election cycle? No. Did he impact either of the candidates? No. Did he provide any clarity to the population about who was the right choice and why? No. Will he play a role in politics for years to come? Probably not. But do you know what he did do? He showed how incredibly desperate the American people were for any type of positive energy in this election cycle. A red sweater, a neat mustache, a cheerful demeanor (in contrast with a lot of negativity anchoring the 2016 election) and you have yourselves an overnight social media sensation. Thanks for the memories, Ken.

  1. Celebrities promise Mark Ruffalo’s nudity in exchange for your vote

While it certainly isn’t the first celebrity campaign to encourage people to vote, it is the first celebrity campaign that I can remember that rails against a specific candidate. This isn’t the only celebrity video urging voters to get out and vote against Donald Trump – it’s all of these celebrities plus any late night comedy show host you can find. It’s been incredibly interesting to watch celebrities use their social media influence during this election. Serious politics aside, I think we can all agree: Mark Ruffalo better deliver. Get out and vote, folks.

  1. And last, but most certainly not least, Donald Trump

A live look at Donald Trump’s social media manager during this campaign:

Which incident starring Donald Trump on social media earns my number one spot, you ask? I couldn’t decide. However, for better or worse, Donald Trump’s social media strategy was like nothing we’d ever seen before – and whatever it was, it worked. He approached social media with an open candor and directness that led the social media race among all of his competitors throughout his entire campaign. So, in the event Trump doesn’t win the election tomorrow, maybe he can take solace in the fact that every single curious (or outrageous) comment and interaction he created on Twitter tied for my number one spot on the most bizarre social media moments leading up to Election Day 2016.

There were a lot of inexplicable moments during this election cycle that completely changed the role that social media plays in politics. We saw the ugly, the funny, the brilliant and everything in between – but tomorrow is the day. Exercise your right to vote, respect others’ views and don’t let politics ruin your relationships, your favorite celebrities or your social media platforms. Happy Election Eve to all, and to all a good night.

Did I miss any of your favorite social media moments that brought us to Election Day 2016? Leave ‘em in the comments!

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