What is Project Coconut? Meaning behind popular Kamala Harris meme explored after Joe Biden drops out of 2024 Presidential race

After President Joe Biden announced he was dropping out of the 2024 presidential elections, Kamala Harris, his potential replacement, became the subject of memes. A quote from Harris, who is also the current Vice President of the US, has gone viral. In the quote, she said:

"You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?"

Harris reportedly made this remark during a 2023 White House speech while sharing an anecdote about her mother. The entire quote read:

"My mother used to—she would give us a hard time sometimes, and she would say to us, 'I don’t know what’s wrong with you young people. You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?'. You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you."

Netizens found the quote funny, and with the latest developments in the presidential race, they have turned part of her quote into memes, which have further gone viral. Many of her supporters have referred to Kamala Harris' potential candidacy as "Project Coconut."

Several netizens have supported Harris' possible candidacy over Joe Biden's, using the meme to jokingly suggest that another candidate "can't just fall out of a coconut tree." Many of these supporters describe themselves as being "coconut-pilled" and have started using coconut emojis in posts and usernames to extend support to Harris.

The "coconut tree" meme has become popular on social media platforms, primarily TikTok. While some Democrats are using the meme to support her, many Republicans have been using it to criticize her. Last month, rapper Doja Cat also used a part of Harris' quote from the 2023 speech in one of her tweets.

Doja Cat's last month's tweet with a portion of Kamala Harris' quote (Image via @DojaCat/X)

While the meme first surfaced on the internet earlier this year, it became popular again after Biden's announcement yesterday.

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The Democratic National Convention will confirm if Kamala Harris will be their 2024 candidate

A new development has emerged in the upcoming presidential elections. As announced on July 21, President Joe Biden confirmed on social media that he would not be a part of the presidential race. In the official statement, Biden explained that he believed it was best for him to focus on his duties as president rather than run for re-election.

Biden expressed his gratitude to Vice President Kamala Harris and wrote:

"Let me express my deepest gratitude to all those who have worked so hard to see me reelected. I want to thank Vice President Kamala Harris for being an extraordinary partner in all this work."

Following Biden's announcement, many Democrats have voiced support for Harris as a potential nominee. While her nomination has not yet been confirmed, Biden himself endorsed her.

He tweeted:

"Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump."

The reactions to Biden's endorsement were mixed, with some supporting Harris as the potential nominee and others aligning with the Republican Party.

Coming back to "Project Coconut," shortly after Biden's announcement, Colorado Governor Jared Polis took to X and posted three emojis that included a palm tree, a coconut, and the American flag. This meme has gone viral and is seen by some as giving Harris an upper hand in the elections if she becomes a nominee.

Netizens will need to wait for further updates on Kamala Harris' nomination, which will be determined after the party convention.