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Where Is This Picture Of Hillary Clinton In A Kitchen Apartment From? The Meme Explained
The Hillary Clinton presidential campaign in 2016 was notoriously the source of many, many high-profile memes, some of which arguably contributed to her eventual loss, but as the years have gone on, most Clinton campaign memes have been lost to history. That is except for one: Hillary staring, confused and possibly concerned, in an average New York City kitchen. Here's why the meme has lasted so long and why there might be a little more to it than meets the eye.
Where Is The Picture Of Hillary Clinton In A Kitchen From?
The picture first hit the internet on April 15th, 2016, when Clinton was making a campaign stop in New York City. As part of a meeting with the New York City Housing Association, she stopped in what seems to be a regular apartment in East Harlem, which is not one of the wealthier neighborhoods in the city. As she stepped into the apartment, she was photographed looking a bit confused and concerned by her surroundings.
The picture instantly became a meme, as a Photoshop battle was initiated that day on Reddit while it began seeing use as a reaction image on Twitter.
Did The Meme Affect The Clinton Campaign?
While there's no hard data connecting the popular opinion of Hillary Clinton to the meme, the image fed into an image Clinton struggled to shake throughout her campaign: that she was too out of touch with the regular American and was too entrenched with "elites."
While it's certainly plausible to read Clinton's somewhat bewildered expression as deeply bewildered by an average New York City apartment, there may be a little more to it. Following Hillary's eyeline, one can tell she is looking at a pair of giant plants in the apartment's kitchen sink, which is, of course, not where plants usually go.
While we may never know what Clinton was thinking at this precise moment, it's possible she was simply taken aback because she saw some large plants in an unexpected location, leading to an unflattering photo op.
How Has The Hillary Clinton Meme Developed?
Surprisingly, the picture of Clinton greatly outlasted her campaign and still sees common use on social media eight years later. The week before the Kansas City Chiefs were set to play the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs, many social media users used the picture to imagine Swift visiting the rowdy city of Buffalo and interacting with Bills fans.
Whether deserved or not, the image of Clinton entering a regular New York City kitchen has become arguably the most enduring picture from her ill-fated campaign for President, and still sees popular use nearly a decade later. That's certainly more than some previous failed Presidential candidates like Mitt Romney and John McCain can say.
For the full history of the Hillary Clinton In An East Harlem Kitchen meme, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's entry for even more information.
