The Memeification Of Kamala Harris | Colbert Is Brat | Trump Struggles To Attack Harris

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
23 Jul 202412:30

TLDRStephen Colbert humorously discusses Kamala Harris's swift rise to the Democratic presidential nomination, following Joe Biden's withdrawal and endorsement. He highlights Harris's fundraising success and her 'memeification,' with the public embracing her viral moments. Colbert also touches on Trump's struggle to find a strong attack against Harris, including his past donation to her campaign.

Takeaways

  • 😀 Stephen Colbert humorously discusses Kamala Harris becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee in a very short time.
  • 🏃‍♂️ The Democrats plan to hold a virtual nomination by August 7th, reflecting a quick transition in the election process.
  • 💰 Kamala Harris's campaign broke a single-day fundraising record with 1.1 million individual donors, showing strong support and engagement.
  • 📈 Harris's campaign received a significant boost with a $1.5 million raise during a zoom call attended by 44,000 black women.
  • 📞 Kamala Harris had a call with Joe Biden, indicating continued support and collaboration between the two.
  • 🥥 Kamala Harris is being memeified, with her speeches and actions being turned into viral content, enhancing her online presence.
  • 🎤 Singer Charlie XCX's tweet 'Kamala is brat' led to the Harris campaign embracing the term, further engaging with the younger demographic.
  • 📊 The term 'brat' is defined as someone who is a bit messy and likes to party, which the Harris campaign has adopted in a light-hearted manner.
  • 🤔 Trump seems to struggle to find a strong attack line against Harris, reflecting his difficulty in dealing with her as a political opponent.
  • 💔 Trump's frustration is evident as he criticizes the Democratic party's handling of the election process and Joe Biden's withdrawal.
  • 💸 Trump also makes a joke about the cost of fighting against Biden, suggesting that the Republican party should be reimbursed.

Q & A

  • Who is the host of The Late Show?

    -The host of The Late Show is Stephen Colbert.

  • How many days are left until the election according to the script?

    -There are 104 days left until the election.

  • Who is mentioned as having dropped out of the race and endorsed Kamala Harris?

    -Joe Biden is mentioned as having dropped out of the race and endorsed Kamala Harris.

  • How quickly did Kamala Harris secure enough delegate endorsements to win the Democratic presidential nomination?

    -Kamala Harris secured enough delegate endorsements to win the Democratic presidential nomination in 48 hours.

  • What is the significance of Kamala Harris breaking a single-day fundraising record?

    -Kamala Harris broke a single-day fundraising record with 1.1 million individual donors, 60% of whom were making their first contribution to a 2024 cycle, indicating a high level of voter motivation and support.

  • What was the total amount raised by Kamala Harris in a single Zoom call with 44,000 black women?

    -Kamala Harris raised $1.5 million in a single Zoom call with 44,000 black women.

  • What is the term 'brat' used to describe in the context of the script?

    -In the context of the script, 'brat' is used to describe someone who is a little messy, likes to party, and maybe says some dumb things sometimes, as quoted from Charlie XCX.

  • How did Kamala Harris' campaign respond to the term 'brat' being associated with her?

    -Kamala Harris' campaign responded by giving their official Twitter profile a brat theme, embracing the term and turning it into a campaign slogan.

  • What is the significance of the coconut meme in relation to Kamala Harris?

    -The coconut meme is significant because it is based on a viral speech by Kamala Harris, which has been widely shared and remixed on social media platforms like TikTok, further contributing to her 'meme candidate' reputation.

  • What is Donald Trump's reaction to Joe Biden dropping out of the race according to the script?

    -According to the script, Donald Trump is upset about Joe Biden dropping out, as he believes it forces him to spend time and money on fighting Biden and then has to start all over again with a new opponent.

  • What is the connection between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris' campaign for California attorney general?

    -Donald Trump donated $5,000 to Kamala Harris' reelection campaign when she was running for California attorney general.

Outlines

00:00

🎉 Kamala Harris' Rapid Ascend to Democratic Nomination

The script opens with Stephen Colbert, the host of The Late Show, humorously addressing the swift developments in the election campaign, highlighting Kamala Harris' rapid rise to the Democratic presidential nomination after Joe Biden's withdrawal and endorsement. Harris secured the nomination in just 48 hours, an impressive feat compared to the prolonged wait for a new James Bond film. The Democrats plan a virtual nomination event by August 7th, aligning with the shorter campaigning periods seen in other democracies like the UK and France. Harris' campaign also broke fundraising records with 1.1 million individual donors, 60% of whom were first-time contributors to the 2024 cycle. The host playfully suggests the European style of election could involve voting with a baguette and a fountain pen, while also mentioning Harris' visit to the campaign headquarters and a call from Joe Biden, emphasizing their familial relationship.

05:00

🥥 Kamala Harris: The Meme Candidate and 'Brat' Campaign

This paragraph delves into Kamala Harris' popularity on social media, particularly as a meme candidate, with her speeches going viral and being remixed into songs by popular artists like Taylor Swift, Charlie Puth, and Beyonce. The 'coconut clip' is a notable example of her online presence. The term 'brat' is explained as a slang for someone who is a bit messy and enjoys partying, which Harris' team embraced by theming their Twitter profile accordingly. The host pokes fun at CNN's confusion over the term and at Jake Tapper's attempt to define 'brat'. The segment also includes a humorous anecdote about a boyfriend distracted by another woman, labeled as 'half a carton of leftover chicken pot pie', and ends with a playful jab at the host himself being a 'brat'.

10:02

🤔 Trump's Struggles Against Harris and Biden's Patriotic Exit

The final paragraph discusses President Trump's difficulty in formulating an effective attack against Kamala Harris, resorting to a peculiar nickname and expressing jealousy over the attention given to Joe Biden's patriotic and selfless decision to withdraw from the race for the greater good. Trump is portrayed as upset about Biden's exit, as it means he has to start over in his campaign strategy. The host suggests that if Trump truly wanted to overshadow Biden, he could simply drop out of the race himself. The script also mentions Trump's past financial support for Harris during her run for California attorney general, adding an ironic twist to the current political scenario.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Memeification

Memeification refers to the process by which an individual, event, or phrase becomes widely spread and parodied on the internet, often through the creation of humorous images or videos. In the context of the video, Kamala Harris is described as the 'meme candidate' due to her viral speeches and the internet's reaction to them, turning her into a subject of various internet memes.

💡Presumeptive Nominee

A presumptive nominee is a candidate who is considered to have effectively secured enough support to become the official nominee of their party for an election. In the script, Kamala Harris is referred to as the presumptive nominee for the Democratic presidential nomination after securing enough delegate endorsements.

💡Fundraising

Fundraising in the political context is the process of collecting financial contributions from individuals or organizations to support a campaign. The script mentions that Harris's campaign broke a single-day fundraising record, indicating the level of support and enthusiasm for her candidacy.

💡Virtual Nomination

A virtual nomination is a process where political parties or organizations hold their nominating events online rather than in person, often due to circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The Democrats plan to hold a virtual nomination by August 7th, as mentioned in the script.

💡Brat

In the context of the video, 'brat' is used as a slang term to describe someone who is seen as a bit rebellious, enjoys partying, and may occasionally say or do things that are considered foolish. The term is adopted by Kamala Harris's campaign after a tweet by singer Charlie XCX, and it becomes a theme for her campaign, as seen in the script.

💡Zoom Call

A Zoom call is a video conferencing meeting conducted using the Zoom platform. The script refers to a Zoom call where Kamala Harris raised $1.5 million, indicating the effectiveness of virtual events in political fundraising and engagement.

💡Coconut Meme

The coconut meme is a humorous reference to a speech by Kamala Harris where she used the phrase 'fell out of a coconut tree.' This phrase and the context in which it was used have become a source of internet humor, with many creating memes and remixing it into songs, as described in the script.

💡TikTok

TikTok is a social media platform known for its short-form videos, often featuring music, dance, and humor. In the script, it is mentioned that Kamala Harris fans on TikTok have been remixing her 'coconut' speech into songs, showcasing the platform's role in spreading and adapting political content.

💡Debate

A debate in politics is a formal discussion or argument on a particular topic, often between candidates or representatives of different viewpoints. The script refers to a 'terrible debate' that Joe Biden had, which may have contributed to his decision to drop out of the race.

💡Patriotic Sacrifice

Patriotic sacrifice refers to an action taken for the perceived benefit of one's country, often involving personal cost or selflessness. The script mentions Joe Biden's decision to drop out of the race as a patriotic and selfless sacrifice for the greater good of the party.

💡Attack Line

An attack line in politics is a phrase or strategy used by a candidate or their campaign to criticize or undermine an opponent. The script discusses Donald Trump's struggle to find a good attack line against Kamala Harris, indicating the challenges in crafting effective political messaging.

Highlights

Stephen Colbert humorously discusses Kamala Harris becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee in a rapid timeframe.

Harris secures the Democratic presidential nomination with an impressive fundraising record of 1.1 million individual donors.

The Democrats plan a virtual nomination event by August 7th, reflecting a shift to a more 'Euro-style' election process.

Harris raises $1.5 million on a Zoom call with 44,000 black women, demonstrating strong voter motivation and support.

Colbert jokes about the possibility of using technology to appear attentive during virtual meetings.

Harris visits campaign headquarters and receives a call from Joe Biden, showing a close and supportive relationship.

The 'memeification' of Kamala Harris' campaign, with viral speeches and internet memes becoming a significant part of her public image.

Harris' campaign embraces the 'brat' theme after a tweet by singer Charlie XCX, leading to a rebranding on social media.

Colbert provides a humorous definition of 'brat' and its relevance to Kamala Harris' campaign strategy.

Trump's struggle to find an effective line of attack against Harris, resorting to nicknames and memory jokes.

The revelation that Trump once donated to Harris' campaign when she was running for California attorney general.

Colbert suggests that Trump might secretly like Harris, based on his past financial support.

TikTok users remix the 'coconut' speech into songs, showing the viral nature of Harris' campaign moments.

Harris' campaign adopts a light-hearted approach, with Colbert joking about the 'bratitude' of the campaign.

Trump's tweets about Biden's withdrawal and the need to start over against Harris, indicating his discomfort.

Colbert's satirical take on Trump's reaction to Biden's withdrawal and the shift in focus to Harris.