Congressman Brings That Kamala Coconut Meme to Life

Sipping a cool beverage out of a coconut is a sight more common in Cancun than on the steps of the US Capitol, but Rep. Eric Swalwell brought a bit of tropical vibe to DC on Tuesday, also bringing to life a meme tied to Vice President Kamala Harris, the apparent Democratic nominee for president. A Politico reporter first spotted the suited-up and sunglass-sporting Dem congressman downing his drink through a straw, and when asked by an Axios journalist what exactly was going on, Swalwell simply replied, "Staying hydrated."

The Daily Beast notes, however, that the coconut seems to be a reference to the memes that have been circulating after a speech last year by Harris went viral. "My mother used to ... 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?'" Harris said at a May 2023 swearing-in ceremony. "You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you." More on being "coconut pilled" here, here, and here. (You may want to bone up on why Harris is also "brat.")