Martin O'Malley Makes Everyone Uncomfortable

The fourth Democratic debate has been a relatively serious affair. Deep questions on foreign policy and police brutality have forced candidates to confront important issues that had previously barely been addressed. There's also been a whole lot of humor at the debate — most of it unintentional, and a majority of it coming from the third-place candidate. Martin O'Malley made everyone uncomfortable with his awkward comments on the government, ahem, needing a warrant to enter either your front door or your back door.

O'Malley has been on an untouchable streak, so to speak. He's racked up more awkward moments than notable ones, complaining about a lack of time to answer questions while continuing to interrupt moderators and his fellow candidates alike. Just when viewers thought the former governor of Maryland couldn't get any stranger, he turned his answer from YouTube vlogger Marques Brownlee about personal data and security into perhaps one of the greatest soundbites of the night. He referenced Silicon Valley in the loosest of terms, showing minimal understanding of issues of cybersecurity. What he did manage to do was spawn a whole lot of hilarious banter on social media. Some were intrigued by the statement, others were puzzled, and the consensus seemed to be that O'Malley made viewers feel just a little bit weirder about a candidate who is so often forgotten.

O'Malley's full answer to the question of cybersecurity and privacy was a little bit sloppy, strangely name-checking Benjamin Franklin while providing little information regarding what a partnership with, say, Silicon Valley and the private sector would mean for citizens. The statement certainly piggybacks off of Obama's recent initiative to take the fight against violent extremists online, while also seeking similar support from heavy-hitting tech companies. Nonetheless, people were focused less on O'Malley's stance and more on his "front and back door statement," which is as follows:

I believe whether it's a back door or a front door that the American principle of law should still hold that our federal government should have to get a warrant, whether they want to come through the back door or your front door.

He certainly realized the unintended innuendo a second later, and yet he awkwardly soldiered on. Twitter doesn't miss a beat, though, and O'Malley's comments are still being tweeted and turned into GIFs even since the debate's ending. He may be polling poorly, but O'Malley's awkward comments clearly make him number one in the hearts of those on social media.