It’s official: With Joe Biden dropping out of the race, Kamala Harris has a chance to be the first Black woman elected as the president of the United States. Biden took himself out of the running after pressure from fellow Democrats, who argued that his age is a deterrent to voters. This officially makes Donald Trump the oldest presidential candidate in American history. Voters have expressed concern about electing older candidates to run the country, making Harris a more viable option than Biden or Trump to many.
Aside from her age, Harris has brought a fresh energy to the Oval Office as VP — something that could influence her campaign positively. In particular, she resonates with much of Gen Z, who tend to lean towards more progressive social policies.
But the biggest thing that makes Harris stand out – even more than her age, policies, or gender and race – is her online presence. If you have access to the Internet, you’ve heard Harris’ viral line, “You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?” Edits, memes, and reposts of Harris have flooded every news and social media platform. TikTok feeds are filled with various memes related to the current VP, usually presented as compilations of different odd, out-of-context quotes from Harris.
Harris’ opposers were quick to use these clips against her. The RNC Research account on X, whose bio reads “exposing the lies, hypocrisy, and failed far-left policies of Kamala Harris and the Democrat Party,” posted the famous coconut clip in an effort to poke fun at the politician. The comments were filled with vitriol and thinly veiled misogyny.
Harris’ Team Leans In
However, Kamala Harris and her team have switched the narrative, actively embracing the edits and memes that have dominated the online zeitgeist. The bio of Harris’ official campaign account on X now says, “Providing context,” a reference to the coconut video.
Harris isn’t the only candidate to be “memeified”– we all know about Trump’s online virality. The difference, though, is that Harris seems to be in on the joke. Trump’s bizarre Tweets were also a source of amusement, but it was often because people were poking fun at his Boomer tendencies.
Harris’ ability to play into online culture could very much be the push that she needs to get the favor of young voters. We know that Biden has been losing support from younger voters, which is partly due to his age. Kamala Harris’ willingness to speak Gen Z’s language – the language of memes – could give her access to potential supporters.
Another Perspective
There’s always the possibility that the “memefication” of Harris online right now could harm her. Her portrayal via internet memes is somewhat ditzy, giggly, and not super serious. Clips of her speaking seriously have yet to go viral – what we’re seeing is mainly out-of-context goofy lines from her. Even if it’s all in good fun, we should watch out for potential underlying trends of misogynoir. People will inevitably try to use lighthearted memes as a vehicle to discredit Harris and spread hatred.
Whether the memes are just a silly internet trend or will actually get more people to the polls, it’s an interesting catalyst for a bigger conversation about the internet and politics. What would it mean for American politics if candidates campaigned through memes? Is this a viable way to start conversations, or is it just a distraction from the politician’s serious platform? Do memes make politicians more engaging, or will people start cringing at their attempts to appear more relatable?
It’s inevitable that politics will adapt as the internet landscape continues to dominate our culture. Nobody exists in a vacuum; our views, beliefs, and perceptions are shaped by so many factors, including social media. After all – you exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you.
What's Your Reaction?
