A Fly Landed on Mike Pence's Head, and It Became the Debate's Most Buzzed-About Moment

Senator Kamala Harris didn't need any assistance defeating Vice President Mike Pence during Wednesday's debate, but a fly — as in, a six-legged insect — came to her aid anyway. As Pence was midway through his response to a question about racial justice, the bug landed on his head. And then it just sort of . . . stayed there. It posed for the camera. It perhaps buzzed the national anthem to itself. And, as it goes, a viral sensation was born.

Over on Twitter, Gabrielle Union dubbed the fly an "American hero." In a sad-but-true tweet, Roxane Gay correctly called the fly "collectively our new best friend." Ziwe Fumudoh even invited the insect to appear on her Instagram Live show. (Editor's note: Please make this happen. We need this.) As for former Vice President Joe Biden, his campaign buzzed right on over (sorry) to grab the FlyWillVote domain for voter registration. A fly that mobilizes a get-out-the-vote campaign and lifts the heavy spirits of very online Americans? That's a tiny patriot indeed.