‘Brat’ Kamala or ‘dragon mother’ Pelosi? This meme machine is a risky strategy in a high-stakes election | Nesrine Malik

The Democrats are hoping to win voters over on vibe alone. But feelings are fickle, and people could be persuaded either way

If you're not across much of popular culture, the US election may require some interpretation. The Democratic National Convention has been an exercise in creating a theatrical cast drawn from celebrity, music and drama. Take, for instance, Nancy Pelosi, the Mother of Dragons" - a main character in Game of Thrones - as she was introduced at the DNC. A dragon tamer who was also introduced as brat before brat was brat" (a buzzy reference to the musician Charli xcx's album of the same name, which denotes a confident, nonchalantly rebellious woman). Kamala Harris herself was anointed as brat" the moment that Joe Biden stepped down, but already Harris's mother - who had Indian heritage and raised Harris as a single parent - has been declared the uberbrat, more brat than even her daughter.

If all that's too obscure, perhaps Taylor Swift is a more familiar touchstone. Commentators have suggested that Swift's boyfriend, the NFL player Travis Kelce, has much in common with vice-presidential candidate and Harris running mate Tim Walz, and more broadly with the wife guys" of the DNC - all of whom are men who, while confident in their masculinity, are not ashamed to talk up their wives and girlfriends and take a back seat. Harris has captured this loose amalgamation of cinematic performance and cultural zeitgeist by delivering liberals what they sorely need: a Beyonce moment". She is experiencing her Renaissance", according to the New York Times columnist Charles M Blow - a reference to the spectacular pyrotechnic tour that elevated Beyonce to pop icon status. The rumour that Beyonce herself was appearing as a surprise guest at the DNC drew much speculation, as if her presence alone would bless the campaign and ordain its political legitimacy.

Nesrine Malik is a Guardian columnist

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