"Did It Fall from a Coconut Tree?" Video Goes Viral
Meme Trend Continues Among Young Supporters
As Kamala Harris, the Vice President of the United States, emerges as the new presidential candidate for the U.S. Democratic Party, her 'coconut tree' meme is also trending online.
"Do you think you fell from a coconut tree?"... Emphasizing the attitude young generations should have
On the 22nd (local time), British newspaper The Guardian and others reported that a video of Vice President Harris laughing heartily while saying, "Do you think you fell from a coconut tree?" during a speech has become a popular meme. This meme originated during a speech Harris gave last May at the White House event titled 'White House Initiative on Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics.' Vice President Harris emphasized equity in U.S. education policy while also pointing out the need to meet the demands of parents and local communities.
At that time, Vice President Harris imitated her mother, saying, "My mother always used to tell us, 'I don't know what is wrong with you young people. Do you think you just fell from a coconut tree?'" as she laughed heartily. She then stressed, "You exist within the context of everything now and everything before." This was interpreted to mean that the younger generation did not suddenly fall from the sky but is connected to previous generations and should consider their background and context.
'Relief pitcher' steps up and the 'coconut meme' resurges... Supporters continue momentum with secondary creations
An internet meme suggesting that Kamala Harris, the Vice President of the United States, will run as the new presidential candidate for the U.S. Democratic Party and conquer America with the power of coconut. [Image source=Screenshot from X (formerly Twitter)]
The opposing Republican Party mocked the remark as difficult to understand, but the internet reaction was different. Netizens found the video showing the down-to-earth side of the Vice President, the second highest-ranking official in U.S. power, amusing and began spreading it as a meme. It soon became a symbolic video of her and spread like wildfire on social media (SNS). The most widely shared version was posted over 18,000 times as videos on TikTok alone, some receiving hundreds of thousands of 'likes.'
After seeming to quiet down somewhat, the 'coconut tree' meme began trending again as President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the Democratic presidential race brought Harris into the spotlight as the 'relief pitcher.' Democratic supporters created 'secondary works' based on this meme to maintain momentum. Senator Brian Schatz (Democrat, Hawaii) posted a photo of himself climbing a coconut tree on X (formerly Twitter) with the caption, "Madam Vice President, we are ready to help you." A club in Washington DC ran an advertisement on the night of the 21st promoting the 'Pina Kamala Coconut Shot' (a play on 'Pina Colada' using Harris’s name) for $5 (about 6,900 won). Additionally, a video overlaying Harris’s 'coconut meme' on a song by British singer-songwriter Charlie XCX, who expressed support for Harris, is actively shared on TikTok.
"Harris is an easier opponent," Trump was confident but... "Polls show a 2 percentage point gap, effectively a tie"
Meanwhile, a nationwide survey conducted by polling firm Morning Consult from the 21st to the 22nd, the day Biden withdrew, surveyed 4,001 registered voters. The results showed Trump’s support at 47%, just 2 percentage points ahead of Harris’s 45%. Considering the margin of error of ±2%, this is effectively a tie. This gap has narrowed compared to the previous poll conducted before Biden’s withdrawal, when Trump led Harris by 6 percentage points. Morning Consult explained, "Since Biden’s withdrawal, Harris has united Democratic voters and injected vitality."
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