Ken Bone Is the Debate's Real Winner

There was one clear winner at Sunday night’s debate: Kenneth Bone. Sporting a cozy red half-zip sweater and chic mustache, the uncommitted voter sweetened the end of a very ugly debate when he stood up and asked his question about energy policy. Bone became an instant sensation, with memes and parody accounts popping up like no other. He was a fulfilling ray of light during yet another draining debate.

Bone was part of the town hall set-up, joining a number of other people screened by Gallup and selected by the moderators. When it was finally his turn, he asked the presidential candidates a thoughtful question: “What steps will your energy policy take to meet our energy needs while at the same time remaining environmentally friendly and minimizing job layoffs?”

The combination of this man’s outfit, his musical name, and a smart, pointed query was a recipe for viral fame. All the fanfare proves that people crave some comic relief when it comes to the shitshow that’s the 2016 election. Yes, it’s vital that voters take into consideration the possible outcomes of this race. But celebrating Ken Bone allows people take a break from the exhausting presidential battle. And his question, while it might stray from more hot topics like Donald Trump’s lewd comments about women, still critically important.

Since Sunday night, the internet has spilled its love for Bone, who rose like a Phoenix:

There are T-shirts to be made:

Could Ken step in?

Bill Clinton points at Bone and moves in to shake his hand:

Bone was photogenic:

Bone was the internet’s hero:

Bone lovers also created a slew of fan pages, parody accounts, and Instagram shrines. One Twitter account claims to be the “@RealKennyBone,” but until he’s posting selfies we can’t be positive it’s the man of the hour. It looks like there’s a couple of Ken Bone imposters floating around on the internet, but it’s reasonable to assume @KenBone18 is the real deal since he was interviewed by a local radio show on Monday that was later retweeting him.

Part of the appeal of Bone, whose Twitter account identifies him as being from St. Louis, is the fact that he was so darn earnest. Bone took pictures of the stage on his disposable camera after the debate, most likely amazed after being part of such a major event in the history democracy.

The uncommitted voter has also become one of the hottest Halloween costume ideas. Everyone’s trying to figure out how to steal his look. Expect a sea of red sweaters while trick-or-treating this year.

The admiration for Bone continues to grow. Yes, the red sweater is part of his legacy. But Monday morning, he revealed on St. Louis radio show The Morning After that it was actually a backup option. He faced some complications with his first-pick wardrobe selection.

Ken Bone might not be in the running for president this fall, but perhaps we can get him as a top option for Secretary of Energy.