What do coconut trees have to do with Vice President Harris?
The tropical fruit plant quickly became an informal symbol of support for her presidential campaign, thanks to an anecdote about her mother that she told more than a year ago.
President Biden made the historic decision on Sunday to abandon his re-election bid and endorsed Harris to take his place against former President Trump in the November election.
Harris, who sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, has four weeks to shore up her base and secure the party’s nomination during its convention in Chicago in August, and less than four months to make her case to American voters.
Many Democrats have already followed Biden’s lead by formally endorsing Harris, and some are leaning toward the curious symbol of a coconut tree.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis (D) posted three emojis for your account on social platform X to express your support: ” .”
Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) posted a photo of himself climb a tree to collect coconuts. “Madam Vice President, we are ready to help,” he wrote.
EMILY’s List, a PAC supporting Democratic women who support abortion rights, I added a coconut and a palm tree emoji on his profile, as well as several other supporters.
And web searches for “Coconut tree” have soared in recent days, Google trends data shows.
Harris’s connection to the coconut tree begins with comments she made during an inauguration ceremony for Hispanic Educational Advancement Leaders.
Discussing the importance of families, communities and the environment in ensuring youth success, she emphasized that “none of us live in a silo.”
“My mother used to do this – she would sometimes bother us and tell us, ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with you young people. Do you think you just fell from a coconut tree?’” the vice president reminded the president, laughing. “’You exist in the context of everything you live in and what came before you.’”
Harris frequently inspires viral trends and internet memes.
When Harris sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, her most loyal supporters became colloquially known online as the K-Hive, or #KHive, (a nod to Beyoncé’s #BeyHive). Supporters placed bee emojis on their Twitter feeds and “swarmed” to defend the then-junior senator from California whenever she faced criticism or mockery.
Washington Post technology columnist Taylor Lorenz noted Harris’ ability to attract “hyper-online progressive content creators” and her potential to attract young voters and in a recent article.
“Harris has gained a wave of attention online from people who turn awkward or awkward public moments into memes or viral music videos that often find her relatable and down-to-earth,” Lorenz wrote.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
