After months of age being a concern in the Democrats' presidential race, Vice President Kamala Harris' election campaign is courting young voters by embracing the viral "Brat" trend on social media.
President Joe Biden announced on Sunday in a statement posted on social media that he would not be seeking reelection in the 2024 presidential race, following weeks of pressure from within his own party and from key Democratic donors to step down amid concerns over the 81-year-old's age and mental acuity.
In a follow-up post, Biden endorsed Harris, 59, to succeed him as the nominee as the Democrats seek to take on Republican rival Donald Trump. With Trump being 78, he will now replace Biden as the oldest presidential nominee in U.S. history.
Amid the wave of attention around Harris' presidential run, British-born singer Charli XCX took to X, formerly Twitter, to compliment the former California senator in a most unconventional manner. "kamala IS brat," she declared in a July 21 post that has gone viral, garnering more than 47 million views as of press time.
The post won the approval of model Ella Emhoff, who is the daughter of the vice president's husband, Doug Emhoff.
Brat is the name of the recently released album by Charli XCX, whose real name is Charlotte Emma Aitchison. Since the album's June 7 release, its singles, "Girl, So Confusing" and "Apple," have become viral hits on TikTok. It has also spawned the "Brat Summer" movement, which prides itself on bucking conventions.
"You are just that girl who is a little messy and maybe says dumb things sometimes, who feels herself but then also maybe has a breakdown, but parties through it," Charli XCX explained in a TikTok video. "It is honest, blunt, and a little bit volatile. That's Brat. Think Courtney Love in the '90s, Amy Winehouse in the early aughts, and Ke$ha in the 2010s."
Harris' campaign appears to have accepted the compliment. The @KamalaHQ account on X has undergone a subtle makeover, with its background image featuring the neon green shade and low-res Arial font used for the Brat album artwork.
The trend has been embraced with aplomb by a host of young social media users from Gen Z (those born between 1997 and 2012), with one writing on X that Harris "running for president in 2024 is so brat summer and you can't tell me otherwise."
Typical of many Brat Summer-themed posts, Charli XCX's music accompanied the post, which featured various clips of Harris, including a speech she made at a White House event in 2023.
Another fan shared a post of CNN's coverage of the Brat movement, adding in a caption that they "need BRAT-competent pundits now more than ever before."
According to an Associated Press survey, Harris has garnered the backing of at least 2,668 delegates, surpassing the 1,976 needed to win the nomination on the first ballot at the Democratic National Convention (DNC). Of the delegates, 54 remain undecided as of Tuesday morning, according to the survey.
Harris' swift consolidation of support demonstrates the party's desire for unity in the face of an unexpected leadership transition. The vice president, who received an immediate endorsement from Biden following his withdrawal, has moved quickly to shore up support from key Democratic constituencies, including donors, elected officials, and party leaders.
Despite this show of strength, the Associated Press has not yet declared Harris the presumptive nominee. This caution stems from the unique circumstances of the situation and the technical rules of the Democratic Party. Convention delegates remain free to vote for the candidate of their choice when the party formally selects its nominee, either at the August convention in Chicago, or in a potential virtual roll call ahead of the gathering.
As Harris consolidates her position as the presumptive nominee, speculation is growing about her potential running mate. CNN's Jamie Gangel reported that Harris is considering several prominent Democrats for the vice-presidential slot. The shortlist reportedly includes Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.
Harris has since released a statement on becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee for president. Harris thanked her home state of California for getting her over the top with delegates by saying: "Tonight, I am proud to have secured the broad support needed to become our party's nominee."
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