Kamala’s meme magic - will the energy last?
Also: Vance buyers remorse, Olympics food issues and a new push for Gen Z's in office
With her sudden rise to the top of the Democratic presidential ticket, Vice President Kamala Harris is bringing major meme energy, buzzing with Gen Z and young voters about her bid for the presidency.
Biden’s decision not to seek re-election and his endorsement of Harris have united the Democratic Party behind her, with nearly four in five Democrats or Democratic-leaning voters supporting her nomination. Within days, Harris raised a record $126 million in campaign donations and secured the majority of delegates needed for the nomination. The Harris campaign also enlisted thousands of new volunteers.
Harris’ engaging the Democratic coalition has helped narrow former President Donald Trump’s significant advantage over Biden from a few weeks ago. A New York Times/Siena College Poll shows Kamala Harris in a virtual tie with Trump.
She is also significantly more popular among America’s youngest voters than Biden, according to a new Axios/Generation Lab poll. In a Biden-Trump matchup, Biden led by just six points among 18- to 34-year-olds. In contrast, Harris led Trump by 20 points among the same group. The poll also showed Harris garnering about 60% support from voters under 30 and Hispanic voters, groups Biden had consistently struggled with.
Harris's appeal to younger and more diverse voters could put renewed focus on Sun Belt states like Nevada, Arizona, and Georgia, which had been threatening to slip off the swing-state map for Biden. As the race heats up, Harris's connection with younger voters will be crucial.
On Thursday, Kamala Harris launched a TikTok account, gaining 1.7M followers in less than 24 hours, following the rebrand of Biden’s campaign TikTok to “Kamala HQ”. In her first post, a smiling Harris looks directly into the camera and says, "I thought I would get out here myself."
Harris has also become the subject of a number of viral memes popular among Gen Z. For starters, Harris is being called a “brat,” a shout out to a viral meme inspired by Charli XCX’s song “Brat.” When Charli XCX tweeted “kamala IS brat,” it wasn’t long before the tweet blew up with over 53 million impressions.
Harris’s campaign jumped on this, updating their X banner to match the striking Shrek-green of Charli’s album cover.
The Brat meme, all about sass and confidence, has become a signature part of Harris’s online persona. By engaging with this trend, Harris is showing she gets the humor and vibes of today’s internet-savvy generation. It's a savvy move, making politics feel more relatable and less like a civics lesson.
Harris has also leaned into the meme surrounding coconuts. After a much-memed speech involving a phrase her mother used, her campaign account X started using coconut-themed content, and Democratic politicians even joined in, adding to the viral fun.
Once mocked by the Republican National Committee for her love for Venn diagrams, Harris has turned them into a campaign highlight. By framing them as a symbol of their policy goals, her team cleverly uses them to engage voters and emphasize their commitment to holding Trump accountable.
Throughout Biden’s first term, Harris put a significant emphasis on reaching out to younger voters. Last fall, she traveled around the country, visiting different colleges and focusing discussions on issues like protecting abortion rights and curbing gun violence – two areas she championed during Biden’s first term.
Despite occasional awkward moments in speeches that have drawn mockery, these instances have also endeared her to younger voters, who circulate memes and clips featuring the VP. Critics, especially from the GOP, have tried to paint her as a “border czar” due to her role in addressing the root causes of migration from Central America. However, her ability to galvanize the Democratic base and broaden her electorate is undeniable.
Harris is on a glide path toward next month’s Democratic convention as she seeks to become the first woman, first Black woman, and first person of South Asian descent to serve as an American president.
However, Harris faces structural challenges as November approaches. She is the sitting vice president at a time when 75% of voters rate the nation’s economic conditions as “fair” or “poor.” Despite this, her favorable rating has risen by 10 percentage points since February, though it still trails Trump’s.
With the election just over 100 days away, Harris’ ability to maintain momentum, leverage her viral appeal, and engage with young voters could fuel her election victory.
↪ Dig Deeper: How the "brat summer" TikTok trend kickstarted Kamala Harris campaign memes (CBS News)
🗳️ More Election coverage
➤ Kamala Harris joins ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars’ season finale in get-out-the-vote push
Vice President Kamala Harris shows up at the top of the Paramount+ series season ender to urge viewers to vote in the November election. (Deadline)
➤ Vance's attack on "childless" Harris becomes rallying cry for women
Celebrities are mobilizing to support Vice President Kamala Harris after Donald Trump’s VP pick, in a resurfaced 2021 Fox News appearance, said that “childless cat ladies,” including Harris, were running the Democratic Party—to the detriment of the country. (Axios)
➤ Some Republicans express buyer's remorse over Vance VP pick
Vice President Kamala Harris' sudden elevation as Donald Trump's opponent has some Republicans second-guessing the former president's selection of Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) as his running mate. (Axios)
Related:
➤ What A Harris presidency could mean for crypto
Given her background as supporting progressive policies and friendliness toward the tech industry, it is easy to imagine a world where Harris embraces crypto. (Forbes)
⭐ Gen Z in the Spotlight
➤ For David Hogg, Parkland shooting survivor, Gen-Z Is the future of politics
The 24-year-old Harvard grad has launched a progressive PAC to help get Zoomers into office. (Inc.)
➤This Gen Z candidate in Florida reveals what running for office is really like
Young progressives like 23-year-old Nate Douglas are running for office. Leaders We Deserve, the nonprofit cofounded by David Hogg and Kevin Lata, is helping them win. (Fast Company)
🌎 Around the world
Netanyahu comes to Washington
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's visited Washington, primarily to address a joint session of Congress and meet with President Biden and Vice President Harris to discuss the urgent need to free hostages held by Hamas and the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, which has seen nearly 40,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza.
🥇Paris Olympics
➤ Arson attacks paralyze French rail network hours before start of Olympics
Authorities say the attacks included three fires near high-speed train tracks that significantly disrupted service. France’s prime minister called them “acts of sabotage” on social media: (Scripps News)
➤ Paris Olympics 2024: Food becoming an issue for athletes in Olympic village
Grilled chicken and eggs, in particular, are among the items in short supply. As a result, some athletes have resorted to bringing packed meals back to the Village for lunch and dinner, according to the Times of London. (Yahoo News)
➤ Snoop Dogg carries torch for Paris games
Snoop Dogg, 52, has been a hit musician, reality TV star and even Olympics broadcaster. On Friday, he added Paris 2024 torchbearer to that list. (ESPN)
➤ Opinion: Why LeBron James and Coco Gauff are the perfect Team USA flag bearers
James and Gauff were voted to carry the flag by the other Olympians on Team USA. (NBC News)
📡 On the radar
➤ The planet saw its hottest day on record this week
Sunday was the hottest day in recorded history, according to preliminary data from a climate tracking agency monitoring temperatures since the mid-1900s. (CNN)
➤ Newsom orders California officials to remove homeless encampments
The directive from Gov. Gavin Newsom is the nation’s most sweeping response to a Supreme Court decision last month that gave local leaders greater authority to remove homeless campers. (New York Times)
➤Activists pair told to expect jail over soup on painting
Two Just Stop Oil (JSO) activists who threw soup over Vincent van Gogh's Sunflowers in October 2022 have been found guilty of criminal damage. At Southwark Crown Court, Judge Christopher Hehir told the pair to be "prepared in practical and emotional terms to go to prison" when they are sentenced on 27 September. (BBC)
➤ Adidas apologizes to Bella Hadid following backlash over shoe ad linked to 1972 Munich Olympics
Adidas has apologized to Bella Hadid after the company pulled an ad that was linked to the 1972 Munich Olympics that featured the model. In the ad, Hadid wears shoes modeled after Adidas' SL72 sneakers, a design used at the 1972 Summer Games that were overshadowed by tragedy when members of the Palestinian group Black September killed two athletes from Israel's national team. (CBS News)
➤ Astronauts stuck in space for 49 days by malfunctioning Boeing spacecraft can’t return home for weeks
Two astronauts stranded in space for 49 days — 41 days longer than their planned mission — because their Boeing-built ride home is full of leaks will have to spend at least a few more weeks aboard the International Space Station, officials said Thursday. (New York Post)
➤ Chipotle is 're-emphasizing generous portions' after social-media complaints
No, Chipotle's servings have not shrunk as TikTokkers have suggested. But yes, Chipotle is reminding its workers to give customers big scoops. (NPR)
🙏 Thanks for reading!
We are looking forward to hearing from you as we build our community. Reply to this email, drop us a note here, or slide into our DMs on Substack with your thoughts. And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and TikTok for more news.