I have been alive for some big elections. Bush v Gore in 2000, Trump v Clinton in 2016, and Young Robert De Niro v Al Pacino on Twitter. I was only able to vote in one of those elections (you can figure out which). But the thirst election between De Niro and Pacino was so close, it took over Twitter the entire weekend.


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Writer Ashley Reese, @offbeatorbit, tweeted Saturday night “At a wedding and having a big debate rn. Please vote. Who was hotter?” with a poll for people to vote either Young Al Pacino or Young Robert De Niro. Reese (also team Pacino) had the poll running for 24 hours and ultimate stan chaos ensued.



The poll garnered over 34.5 million views with over 13k quote tweets of people defending their choice. It was everybody's civic duty to vote and crown the internet’s ultimate vintage daddy.



The thirsty fancams were in effect! People dug archives for photos of the actors in their 20s. Someone posted the letter that Pacino wrote to Diane Keaton in December 1989.





“Pacino was prettier [but] De Niro was hotter” tweeted @annabdemented.



Some could not bear to choose between Hollywood’s most accomplished, distinguished, and sexy actors.


“Why pit two successful women against each other,” tweeted @imbobswaget with a photo of De Niro and Pacino together.


Olivialayne6 brought the debate over to TikTok and planted herself as a De Niro voter. “This is like the least annoying argument that’s ever happened on Twitter,” she captioned her TikTok.



The race was so close and users realized the results would happen during Sunday night’s airing of HBO’s Succession (ironically the election episode).



The poll resulted in Pacino at 49.9% and De Niro at 50.1% (though currently the results still say 50/50). The De Niro girlies rejoiced and the Pacino girlies threatened (a la Scarface).



This might be the most wholesome (and thirstiest) discourse we’ve had on Twitter in a long time. Let's savour the moment however brief it may be.


Next election: Elliot Gould vs. Mandy Patinkin