The Brief: As soon as Joe Biden announced that Kamala Harris was his vice presidential pick, memes and reactions started emerging online.
DEEP DIVE
On August 11, after much anticipation, Joe Biden’s presidential campaign announced that California Senator Kamala Harris would be his running mate in the 2020 presidential election. Online reactions and memes about Kamala Harris as the VP pick illustrate the breadth of feelings that Democrats have about the addition of her name to the Democratic ticket.
Many memes were celebratory, noting the historic moment of Harris being the first Black woman and the first person of Indian descent to be nominated for national office, as well as the first woman of color to be on a major party’s presidential ticket.
Indian Twitter and Black Twitter converging in real-time 😂pic.twitter.com/cBC8mLX06t
— Nicole Bad & Blerdy (@alamanecer) August 11, 2020
Since comedian Maya Rudolph has previously impersonated Harris in SNL skits, many people remarked that this announcement means they’ll likely be seeing a lot more of her on TV.
maya rudolph in kamala garb singing "wet ass presidency" before the end of the month. calling it now
— mork (@karlmorx) August 11, 2020
maya rudolph bout to eat eat
— nebraska jones (@shutupaida) August 11, 2020
Maya Rudolph walking into SNL contract negotiations pic.twitter.com/zXmkQf0bgY
— Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) August 11, 2020
Mike Pence was an easy target for Kamala Harris VP memes, many of which note how Harris could destroy him in a debate. Others poked fun at Pence’s apparent rule that he won’t dine alone with a woman who isn’t his wife.
Is Mike Pence allowed to stand on the stage alone with a woman?
— Lauren Collins (@laurenzcollins) August 11, 2020
Y'all wanna see a dead body? #BidenHarris https://t.co/naDp9aK6dU
— Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) August 11, 2020
The Settle For Biden Instagram account leaned into their lukewarm approach to the campaign, posting an image of Biden and Harris with the text “she could be worse” and the caption “Joe, you’re not making our job any easier.”
Progressives and leftists who have been demanding that the police be defunded and/or abolished expressed their frustration at Kamala “Top Cop” Harris, also known as Copmala, being named as Biden’s running mate.
excited to do some door-to-door canvassing for kamala!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/TncywtHnG0
— p.e. moskowitz (@_pem_pem) August 11, 2020
we said DEFUND the police not DELEGATE them
— nebraska jones (@shutupaida) August 11, 2020
Others lamented that Harris is not the progressive candidate they’d hoped for.
Do you think Kamala Harris fully utilized her girl power when she incarcerated sex workers in California? pic.twitter.com/zlDR6JATPc
— sam (@sammargera420) August 12, 2020