Kamala Harris told Mike Pence "I'm speaking," as he interrupted her in last night's vice presidential debate, sparking a meme and rivaling the infamous fly as the most popular moment from the debate.
As California Senator Harris and sitting Vice President Pence went head-to-head in the only vice presidential debate of the series, key moments included a fly that sat on Pence's head for two minutes, and Harris' meme-able expressions and her shut down of Pence's interruptions.
Pence continuously interrupted Harris throughout the debate. But Harris said would not allow it, and challenged Pence multiple times, like when she said: "Mr. Vice President, I'm speaking. I'm speaking." Pence continued to talk, until Harris said: "If you don't mind letting me finish, then we can have a conversation."
Mike Pence interrupted Kamala Harris 16 times during the #VPdebate based on the NBC data.
— Vox (@voxdotcom) October 8, 2020
Harris repeatedly made clear that she wouldn’t stand by as it happened. “Mr. Vice President, I’m speaking,” she said on multiple occasions. https://t.co/2PHRXhFnmJ pic.twitter.com/IYfxjhT66X
While the vice-presidential debate was more orderly than the first debate between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, Harris' "I'm speaking" moment was reminiscent—if a lot calmer—of Biden's "will you shut up, man?" which came as Trump kept interrupting the presidential candidate.
IM SPEAKING has the same energy as pic.twitter.com/C7HmIFvVBw
— gav🪐 (@gaviinng) October 8, 2020
Viewers of the debate took to Twitter to express how much they admired seeing Harris stand up for herself, like James Bland who said: "Let me tell y'all how it lifts my spirits to see this brilliant black woman sit on this debate stage and tell this white man 'I'M SPEAKING'."
Let me tell y’all how it lifts my spirits to see this brilliant black woman sit on this debate stage and tell this white man “IM SPEAKING”.
— James Bland (@jrbland) October 8, 2020
Actress Uzo Aduba said: "'I'm speaking. I'M speaking.' I hope every little girl heard that."
“I’m speaking. I’M speaking.” I hope every little girl heard that. #VPDebate
— Uzo Aduba (@UzoAduba) October 8, 2020
Twitter user Stella Krone said: "the fact that senator harris just said 'excuse me mr vice president i'm speaking'. i love to see women standing up for themselves. don't let that dumb white boy interrupt you ladies. what you have to say is important."
the fact that senator harris just said “excuse me mr vice president im speaking”. i love to see women standing up for themselves. don’t let that dumb white boy interrupt you ladies. what you have to say is important.
— Stella Krone (@StellaKrone) October 8, 2020
Just like Biden's famous "will you shut up, man?" line, the phrase "I'm speaking" has already been printed on merchandise, with various t-shirts available to purchase on Etsy and other online stores.
Though the official Joe Biden store created and sold a T-shirt with the "will you shut up, man?" phrase, the store is not selling any "I'm speaking" merchandise yet.
However, Biden's campaign was quick to capitalize on another moment in last night's debate—the fly on Pence's head. The Biden store was selling a fly swatter with the words "truth over flies" soon after the debate, though it is already sold out.
Biden himself joked about the fly on Twitter, posting a photo of himself with a fly swatter with the caption: "Pitch in $5 to help this campaign fly," as well as a link to "flywillvote.com" which takes the user to iwillvote.com.
