Photo: Loren Elliott Getty Images via Agence France-Presse A Kamal Harris supporter wears a t-shirt with his image during a Democratic Party rally in San Francisco in support of the US vice-president on Monday.
Inès Bel Aiba – Agence France-Presse in Washington
Posted at 3:26 p.m.
- United States
How did the coconut tree become a symbol of support for Kamala Harris ? Since the vice-president was propelled into the race for the White House, coconuts have invaded the networks social services in the United States.
“Madam Vice President, we are ready to help,” wrote Hawaii Senator Brian Schatz, a once the news of President Joe Biden's withdrawal was announced.
He accompanied his publication with a photo showing a man – himself, apparently – climbing a coconut tree.
It's an old, abstruse and unusual statement from the 59-year-old former prosecutor who is at the origin of the phenomenon.
Last year at the White House, she was speaking about equal opportunities in education when she concluded her speech with the following anecdote.
“My mother was sometimes a little strict with us and would say, “I don’t know what’s wrong with you kids. You think you just fell out of a coconut tree ?”,” said the former senator, bursting out laughing.
200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000Deemed incomprehensible and with no obvious link with the subject, the statement had been mocked, going viral for the first time.
Then President Biden's catastrophic performance during his June 27 debate with Donald Trump gave him a second life.
But this time, the coconut tree has become a symbol of support for Kamala Harris, with internet users using puns, emoticons and images of coconuts coco to urge the 81-year-old Democrat to step down in favor of his vice-president.
“Coconut Army”
Since Sunday and the publication of the letter in which Joe Biden renounces his bid for a second term, the tree has had its moment of glory.
“I'm going to enlist in the coconut army […]. “I will fight for Kamala Harris,” says one Internet user on X with a hint of irony.
The symbol has also caught on with senior Democratic officials.
The governor of the state of Illinois, JB Pritzker, who has proclaimed his support for Ms. Harris, reacted to press reports about his own political ambitions by writing: “You think I just fell out of a coconut tree?.”
Beyond its comical aspect, this virality illustrates the enthusiasm aroused among many young Democrats – at least on social networks – by the irruption of Kamala Harris on the scene, while this electorate was increasingly escaping Biden the octogenarian.
Woman of Indian and Jamaican origin, much younger than Republican candidate Donald Trump (78), Kamala Harris intends to capitalize on this craze .
She has already apparently been dubbed by pop star Charli XCX, who wrote on X Sunday “kamala IS brat” (sic), quite a concept. brat, the title of her latest album, describes according to the singer “this girl who is a little messy and likes to party and maybe say stupid things sometimes “.
This may not be the ideal definition of a White House candidate, but the post was widely seen as a compliment.
In response, visibly delighted, Kamala Harris' campaign team changed the color of her banner on her campaign account on X to copy the green one of Charli XCX's album cover.
“The “brat” vote is guaranteed,” greeted Maxwell Frost, 27, the first “Generation Z” elected official in Congress.