Former presidential candidate, Senator Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont) sits in the bleachers on Capitol Hill before Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th US President on January 20, 2021, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC.
After his Inauguration Day mittens became a viral meme, Bernie Sanders is reflecting on the fashion accessory the internet can't stop talking about.
During an interview on "Late Night with Seth Meyers" Thursday, the senator said he had no clue that the puffy coat and handcrafted mittens he wore to the inauguration ceremony would cause such a stir.
"I was just sitting there trying to keep warm, trying to pay attention to what was going on," he told Meyers.
Most politicians dressed up for the special occasion, opting for sharp dress coats and sleek leather gloves. Sanders stood out in his practical outerwear.
Many social media users had a bit of fun with the moment and posted a series of memes to Twitter and Instagram, adding the photo of Sanders into an array of scenes.
The senator also ended up in a snow globe and looked ready to face the frightful weather.
Some celebrities also got in on the fun. Sarah Jessica Parker shared a pic of the politician sitting alongside the "Sex and the City" cast and captioned the post "Like a needle in a haystack."
When Meyers asked Sanders if he'd seen any of the memes, the politician laughed and said his staff had shown him some of them. He also gave credit to the woman who made the mittens, noting that she lives in Vermont.
"She is a schoolteacher, a very nice person. She has been somewhat overwhelmed by the attention that has been shown to her mittens," he said.
Everyone seemed to have a favorite mittens meme and Meyers shared his with the senator: a photo of Sanders sitting alongside Forrest Gump.
"I think this is my favorite one because i just don’t think you would listen to Forrest Gump that long. I think you would get up and leave that bench," he said.
The mysterious envelope that Sanders was holding at Inauguration Day was also the subject of speculation on social media, and Meyers couldn't help but ask him what was in it.
"I'd love to tell you Seth, (but it's) top secret," he said.
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The longtime senator also offered some thoughts on the new president.
"I think the president is off to a very good start. What I liked about his inaugural remarks and the general tone of his administration is that he recognizes that this country faces a set of unprecedented crises - from the pandemic to the economy to the very threats against democracy to climate change to income and wealth inequality," he said.
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