A heckler repeatedly shouted “Let’s go, Brandon” at US President Joe Biden during his primetime address, as he spoke about democracy and the threat of political violence.
As Biden made his speech, someone shouted “Let’s go, Brandon” over and over again.
Addressing the heckler, Biden said: “Throughout our history, America’s often made the greatest progress coming out of some of our darkest moments... like you’re hearing that bullhorn.”
He later said: “They are entitled to be outrageous, this is a democracy. Good manners is not something they have ever suffered from,” and the crowd cheered.
But what does “Let’s go, Brandon” mean and why did the heckler shout it?
What does “Let’s go, Brandon” mean?
“Let’s go, Brandon” is a code that Republicans use to insult Joe Biden.
The phrase has been used in right-wing circles for nearly a year now – and has even been used by high-profile Republican figures.
In October 2021, Republican Rep. Bill Posey of Florida ended a House floor speech by saying “Let’s go, Brandon,” while South Carolina Republican Jeff Duncan has worn a “Let’s Go Brandon” face mask, and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has posed with a “Let’s Go Brandon” sign.
But where did “Let’s go, Brandon” come from?
On October 2, 2021, at a NASCAR race in Alabama, a driver named Brandon Brown won his first Xfinity Series.
While he was being interviewed, the crowd was chanting something that was indecipherable at first.
The reporter claimed that they were shouting “Let’s go, Brandon,” to celebrate Brown’s win. However, it then became clear that the crowd was chanting “F**k Joe Biden”.
The phrase took off among Republican circles and, since then, critics of Biden have used the phrase to insult him at public events.
Even former US President Donald Trump is selling “Let’s Go Brandon” T-shirts and caps from his Save America store.
