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The best memes from the 2020 Democratic National Convention

From calamari to Klobuchar's feet. (Help.)

Nicole Gallucci

on August 20, 2020

As Americans buckle up for the 2020 presidential election, they're keeping the cherished tradition of meme-ing every moment leading up to it alive.

The 2020 Democratic National Convention kicked off on Monday, Aug. 17, and this year the event is largely virtual amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Some segments were filmed live, and others were prerecorded — which was admittedly a little awkward. But the unique convention setup wound up inspiring some truly great memes.

From speech backdrops to Amy Klobuchar's...feet, here are some of the best memes to come out of the 2020 DNC.

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1. Bernie's log backdrop

Senator Bernie Sanders gave quite a speech on Monday night, and he did so remotely, which means he got to stand in front of the backdrop of his choice. For reasons unknown, Sanders chose to speak before a bunch of stacked logs. And Twitter users were absolutely delighted by the extremely Vermont vibes he was serving.

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2. The calamari comeback

Don't call it a comeback, unless you're talking about calamari. Why? Well, on Tuesday night the DNC held an incredibly charming virtual roll call where local delegates from 57 states and territories "called in" via video message to cast their presidential nomination for Joe Biden.

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There were some real standout states in the mix, but Rhode Island really captured the hearts (and stomachs) of Americans thanks to a little help from some calamari. In Rhode Island's video, state Rep. Joseph McNamara dubbed Rhode Island "the calamari comeback state," while masked chef stood beside him displaying a gorgeous calamari platter. You can learn more about the Calamari Guy here, and enjoy a delicious sample of calamari memes below.

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3. John Kasich's "crossroads" speech

One of the more memorable moments from the DNC's opening night was a speech given by former Ohio governor, former presidential nominee seeker, and Republican, John Kasich. Why? Well, mostly because it was corny as hell.

In Kasich's pre-recorded remarks he said, "America is at a crossroads," and the camera proceeded to pan out and show him at a fork in the road. That one visual was all Twitter needed to make a lifetime supply of crossroads memes.

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4. Amy Klobuchar's feet

I have to admit: Never in the course of the 2020 election cycle did I expect to type the words "Amy Klobuchar's feet." But here we are.

The former presidential candidate spoke at the DNC on Monday night, but on Tuesday, she tweeted a photo of her feet. "Behind the scenes of my speech from last night: when a convention is virtual, who needs shoes?" Senator Klobochar captioned a photo that showed her standing shoe-less at a podium. It's almost like she was begging to be meme'd.

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5. Barack Obama's speech

President Barack Obama gave a powerful and poignant speech on Wednesday night. He addressed the nation to clearly emphasize the importance of voting, called out President Donald Trump for his lack of leadership, and personally vouched for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. There was absolutely nothing meme-worthy about his speech...except for the fact that he delivered it in front of a giant copy of the Constitution. That was so beautifully extra of him.

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Thursday marks the final night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, and we can only assume it will deliver another slew of good memes.

Topics Memes Politics

Nicole Gallucci

Nicole is a Senior Editor at Mashable. She primarily covers entertainment and digital culture trends, and in her free time she can be found watching TV, sending voice notes, or going viral on Twitter for admiring knitwear. You can follow her on Twitter @nicolemichele5.