During an interview with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, California senator and Democratic vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris laughed in response to a question about the fly that landed on the head of Vice President Mike Pence during their Oct. 7 debate.
“I know I said that was the last question, but I lied,” Maddow said, and added, “but I just realized that I would kick myself if I didn’t just ask you before I let you go if you noticed the fly on Vice President Pence’s head at the time during the debate?”
Harris laughed as Maddow asked the question, then she nodded with a smile. Maddow then wondered if Harris felt inclined to swat the insect away, eliciting even more giggles.
“You know, Rachel, I think that it’s important that we kind of find a way, all of us, to move on and, you know, kind of fly away from this subject,” Harris said while laughing, “onto something else. Yeah.”
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The fly landed on Pence’s head during the sole vice presidential debate as the topic turned to racial justice.
Moderator Susan Page asked both candidates if Breonna Taylor received justice after a grand jury didn’t indict the officers involved in her shooting. Harris said no, while Pence said that while the family of the 26-year-old emergency medical technician had his “sympathies,” he trusted the justice system.
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The fly was not the only viral moment of the night involving the vice president. Social media users also pointed out that his left eye seemed unusually red.
Health experts questioned if the redness was a sign of possible COVID-19 infection.
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Dr. Tara C. Smith, an infectious disease doctor and professor, wondered on Twitter, “Why is Pence’s eye so red?”
Up to 30% of COVID-positive patients have reported conjunctivitis, also known as “pink eye.”
The fly incident went viral last week, sparking memes and a sketch on Saturday Night Live. The fly even got its own parody Twitter account.
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