In a shrewd move of meme-based philanthropy, a mittens-warmed Bernie Sanders at the 2021 inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris has been flipped into a sweatshirt.
As seen on the Bernie campaign store, the Chairman Sanders Crewneck is emblazoned with the now-ubiquitous photo of Sanders in mittens and a Burton jacket. 100 percent of proceeds, in an admirably on-brand move for Sanders, will go toward Meals on Wheels Vermont. The Meals on Wheels program, of course, is known for delivering food to those whose circumstances make it difficult for them to buy or make meals on their own. During the pandemic, the demand for such services has seen a stark increase.
News of the official Bernie merch item first started making the rounds late Thursday night. Not long after that, the sweatshirtâper a Sanders repâwas sold out.
However, at least at the time of this writing, orders for the sweatshirt could again be placed right here. Given the demand, as noted in the product description, buyers shouldnât expect to receive the sweatshirt until up to six weeks after placing an order.
The mittens, the clear co-star of the meme, were made by Essex Junction area teacher Jen Ellis. Hours after the meme started its ascension on Wednesday, Ellis announced she had "no more mittens for sale."
During a Late Night appearance on Thursday night, Sanders gave Ellis a shout-out and also shared his thoughts on the meme's popularity.
"I was just sitting there, trying to keep warm, trying to pay attention to what's going on," he told host Seth Meyers.
