We looked back at some of the one-and-done moments — the one-hit wonders — that filled election headlines before vanishing from sight. After a year and a half, there was a lot to choose from.
Deez Nuts
(Screen shot)
The independent candidate who started polling up to 10 percent in mid-2015. He turned out to be the creation of a 15-year-old boy in Iowa.
“John Barron”
Aka “John Miller” aka Donald Trump. Names Trump used to pose as his own publicist in the ’80s and ’90s. Trump vociferously denied ever acting as his own spokesman under false names, even after the Washington Post published old unmistakeable audio. He later admitted he had used “aliases” in the past, but still never came completely clean.
Kim Davis
Kim Davis with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. (AP Photo)
The Kentucky clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples after the Supreme Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges. Mike Huckabee and Ted Cruz attended a rally for Davis outside the jail where she was held for five days.
USA Freedom Kids
The red, white and blue dancing girl group that opened for Donald Trump at a Florida rally in January. Their song “Freedom’s Call” went viral, but all was not well: in September, the girls’ manager sued the Trump campaign for damages, claiming they hadn’t been allowed to sell their merchandise as promised and weren’t reiumbursed for their travel.
Birdie Sanders
The bird that flew up onto Bernie Sanders’ lectern during a rally, to everyone’s absolute joy.
Dr. Harold Bornstein
Donald Trump’s personal physician, who attested in a letter — written in just five minutes — that Trump’s health was “astonishingly excellent” and that he would be “the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency,” among other flourishes. Bornstein himself fell under scrutiny for apparently padding his resume.
The guy Jim Webb took out
Anderson Cooper asked the Democratic candidates to name the enemy they are “most proud of.” Former Virginia senator and Vietnam veteran Jim Webb did not mince words.
“I’d have to say the enemy solider that threw the grenade that wounded me, but he’s not around right now to talk to.”
The one person who attended a Martin O’Malley event in Iowa
Kenneth braved the snow storm to meet with @MartinOMalley in Tama. #iawx #iacaucus pic.twitter.com/xvB9S8hDwh
— Sarah Beckman (@SarahBeckman3) December 29, 2015
And he wasn’t even a committed O’Malley voter.
Lincoln Chafee and the metric system
(AP Photo)
Announcing his candidacy for the presidency of the United States, the highest office in the land, former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee called for…switching the U.S. over to the metric system.
Hillary Clinton’s Chipotle run
Manager Charles Wright at Chipotle wasn’t aware clinton was There till I called him. He pulled the security photo pic.twitter.com/wCIJlVpm9a
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) April 13, 2015
Hillary Clinton stopped in at a Chipotle in Ohio — and absolutely no one recognized her.
“Mini-Trump”
(AP Photo)
You know the picture.
David French
(Screen shot)
For one week over the summer, National Review writer David French’s name was bandied about as a possible third-party candidate to block Donald Trump’s path to the White House. French ultimately took himself out of contention, though the harassment from Trump supporters remained.
Carly Fiorina as Ted Cruz’s running mate
(AP Photo)
After a punishing five primary losses in a single night in late April, Ted Cruz looked for a news cycle reset in the form of announcing former rival Carly Fiorina as his running mate — if he locked up the Republicann nomination. The VP announcement didn’t work: Cruz dropped out of the race six days later.
Lindsey Graham’s cellphone
After Donald Trump read out Sen. Lindsey Graham’s cellphone number during a rally in July 2015, Graham responded in good humor with this how-to on cellphone destruction.
Hillary Clinton’s Scooby Van
After launching her second campaign for president, Hillary Clinton was determined to reintroduce herself as a down-to-earth, woman of the people. Eschewing the traditional campaign plane or even a bus, she set off for Iowa in her “Scooby Van,” which, her aides were sure to point out, she really, really liked, really.
@jonfavs @AlyssaMastro44 it is a Mastro worthy idea, but in this case it actually was @HillaryClinton‘s idea. She loves her Scooby van.
— Jennifer Palmieri (@jmpalmieri) April 13, 2015
Also, cue the reporter stampede trying to catch up to Clinton in it.
Meredith McIver
(AP Photo)
The Trump campaign ghostwriter who took the fall for Melania’s convention speech disaster.
“Supergirl”
Jeb Bush, asked to name his favorite superhero, first said he likes “the old-school guys, like Batman.” But he didn’t stop there.
“I saw that there’s a, Supergirl is on TV. I saw it when I was working out this morning, there was an ad promoting Supergirl. She looked pretty hot. I don’t know what channel it’s on, but I’m looking forward to that.”
Ben Carson and the pyramids
(AP Photo)
When an old video surfaced last November that featured Ben Carson saying, “My own personal theory is that Joseph built the pyramids to store grain.”
America’s various local foods, as eaten by John Kasich
(AP Photos)
John Kasich’s love of sampling the local fare took on a life of its own after Donald Trump called out his “disgusting” eating habits on the trail. Kasich feasted on sandwiches, pizza, pasta and ice cream to his heart’s content.
Members of the Washington Examiner staff contributed.
Have one to add? Tweet it at @MadeleineinDC.
