ICYMI, the first debate of the rest of our lives, aka the 2020 presidential election, kicked off Wednesday night. (If you did somehow miss it, please tell me where you went because I don't know how you pulled that off and it sounds magical.)
And less than four minutes into the first debate of the election season, a meme was born.
Former Texas representative Beto O’Rourke, famous for challenging Ted Cruz in 2018 and livestreaming his teeth cleanings, spontaneously switched into Spanish while answering the first question.
WATCH: Beto O'Rourke delivers his first #DemDebate response in English and Spanish.
Some background: Democrats have been pouring time and resources into courting Latino voters. O'Rourke has repeatedly given interviews in Spanish, and Sen. Kamala Harris and former secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro recently appeared on Univision shows to introduce themselves to a critical voting bloc that could sway the election.
But the other candidates still seemed a tad surprised to hear O'Rourke bust out his Spanish so quickly on the debate stage — and their awkwardness showed.
Let's zoom in, shall we: such mood, much lewk.
[spanish]
Yep, pretty much this.
Sen. Cory Booker watching Beto speak Spanish
Well, dedicated Americans watching at home had some 🔥 takes and jokes and, because I work at BuzzFeed, I rounded up some of the best ones and put them in a list format.
Drink if you had Beto speaking Spanish.
Beto O' Rouke is like if gentrification was a person
absolutely no one at the democratic debates: beto:
People pointed out that the moment was basically this super awkward scene from Bridesmaids.
Is Beto really speaking in Spanish right now? This reminds me of this scene in Bridesmaids.
And they assumed it was a diversion trick.
Moderator: “Mr. O’Rourke, what do you think about this specific tax plan?” Beto: “Well you see I know Spanish.” Moderator: “Yeah but the tax plan...” Beto: “Hola como estas” #DemocraticDebate
Beto avoiding answering the question like #DemocraticDebate
Beto was compared to that one friend who comes back from studying abroad for like six months and now bleeds wine and won't spend less than $12 on Manchego cheese.
When he gets back from study abroad Bar*thay*lona and won't stop speaking Spanish
Even Queer Eye's Jonathan Van Ness weighed in.
Cory Booker watching Beto speak Spanish is shook honey
Despite his response being en español, people noticed that he never answered the question...in either language.
Beto spoke in Spanish. Beto didn’t answer question in English or Spanish.
Savannah: Would you support a 70% tax rate Beto: OK, first of all, let me start by reading the lyrics to "Wonderwall" in Spanish #DemDebate
But then, PLOT TWIST: Cory Booker also broke into Spanish when he answered his second question.
WATCH: Booker responds in Spanish when asked what he would do with immigration on Day 1 as president.
Booker's sudden foray into Spanish then sparked its OWN array of memes and jokes.
LOL CORY WAS GIVING HIM THE LOOK BECAUSE HE HAD ALSO PLANNED A GRATUITOUS SPANISH PORTION
Drama à la Democratic Housewives.
For Housewives fans: this is like when you planned to storm off the reunion stage and then someone else storms off the reunion stage before you get a chance!!!!
And a few "NOPE" reactions...
@brokeymcpoverty I'm watching these debates with a fluent Spanish speaker and this was her face when Cory spoke Spanish
Some felt for Cory, who might have been prepping day and night to break out his sharpened Spanish during the big Democratic debate debut.
Dude, Cory Booker has been fucking CRUSHING that Rosetta Stone Spanish.
(The New Jersey senator also speaks Spanish and has appeared on Univision for interviews.)
Others empathized with Beto.
When Cory Booker’s Spanish is better than yours: #DemDebate #DemocraticDebate
But we weren't done yet, because who busted out Spanish in his closing statement? Former HUD Secretary Julián Castro.
So who won the night?
Big night for Duolingo
The big takeaway is that we're going to be hearing a lot of Spanish this election cycle — and the other candidates are feeling the pressure...
I need to learn Spanish by tomorrow night at 9.
And so are we.
question for all the candidates: how do you ask where the library is in Spanish