Every so often, the internet becomes abuzz with vague statements that everyone instantly understands. “Is he dead yet?” or “When it happens” flood the feeds, with nearly everyone exactly aware of who “he” is and what “it” is. Webcomics have made “he’s still alive” a punchline, with similar humor embedded in long-winded McSweeney’s essays. This makes for good business, too. A Wisconsin brewery went viral recently for promising free beer “all day long, the day he dies” without mentioning anyone by name.
It is no coincidence these phrases and memes pop up every time President Donald Trump makes an unexpected trip to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, among other surprise medical exams that have been occurring since his first term.
