Kamala Harris‘s presidential campaign is being trolled. Over the weekend, Kamala HQ posted a TikTok video highlighting the Republican vice presidential pick JD VanceThe “aura” of — or lack thereof.
The Harris campaign has compiled a series of short films featuring some of the most embarrassing moments from The Elegy of the Mountain People author, including the classic awkward high-five/handshake, a reminder of the “never Trump” past and his traveling companion Donald TrumpVance’s past of “never remembering JD Vance’s name,” his infamous “bare cat lady” comment, and Vance’s wry laugh and insistence that being called “strange” by Democrats doesn’t hurt “at all.”
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Meanwhile, a running counter tracks Vance’s aura points as they decrease, decrease, decrease. While the word “aura” has traditionally been used to refer to a person’s vague vibe and the energy they radiate, online diehards have designed the idea of a vague “aura point” system into a sort of ideological hybrid of manifestation and roleplaying. You can even practice “auramaxxing,” combining different routines in the service of leveling up.
It’s another nod from the Harris campaign to the Gen Z voters they hope will elect the nation’s first female Brat president. In a summer TikTok trend, users track their “aura score” throughout the day. Left waiting for a high five? Negative aura score. Had an extra scoop of ice cream for no real reason? Big positive aura score. And according to the Harris campaign, Vance’s aura is at negative infinity. Yowza.
It’s another clever use of social media for the campaign, especially in contrast to Trump’s strategy of using online platforms. Trump’s official TikTok account has posted a total of eight videos since joining the platform in June, most recently a video of Trump being introduced in Atlanta with a glittering portrait of himself. Harris’s campaign account has posted 299 videos since February, including those supporting the President. Joe Bidenre-election campaign before the party turned its hopes to Harris.
