Letters: Russian Memes, Abraham Lincoln Assassination Anniversary

Transcript

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

It's time now for your letters. This week our inbox is filling up with reactions to news about the 2016 primary campaigns and our coverage of the newest entries into the race. Among those emails was this from Kim Hunter of Detroit. Kim took issue with something we said and writes this.

(Reading) While speaking about Hillary Clinton's campaign trip to Iowa, one anchor said, Clinton hit the road, literally. Unless Clinton struck the pavement with her hand or an object, she hit the road metaphorically, not literally.

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

Point taken. And if Hillary Clinton had literally hit the asphalt, that probably would've turned into a viral meme, something to rival your current favorite, Robert, Putin on the Ritz.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "PUTTIN ON THE RITZ")

TACO: (Singing) If you're blue and you don't know where to go to, why don't you go where fashion sits? Puttin' on the ritz.

SIEGEL: In case you've missed it, it's worth a Google search. It's a picture of a shirtless Vladimir Putin riding a Ritz Cracker across the Russian countryside. I mentioned it yesterday during All Tech Considered. The topic was a new ban against some celebrity memes in Russia.

CORNISH: Joann Becker of St. Louis, Mo. was very entertained. She writes, (reading) I can safely say I guffawed for the first time in my life. I apparently missed that meme, but I can tell you I do not need to see it. Mr. Siegel's delivery of the visual was all I needed. Much thanks to Mr. Siegel for making me laugh out loud. You cracked me up.

SIEGEL: There's always a first time.

CORNISH: (Laughter).

SIEGEL: We enjoy hearing from you too. You can write us at npr.org. Just click on contact us and type away. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.