CHICAGO, Aug 21 — He met Kamala Harris on a blind date, and yesterday her husband Doug Emhoff tried to convince Americans to love her too after an equally whirlwind introduction.
The first “Second Gentleman” in US history wooed the Democratic National Convention in Chicago with a speech that highlighted the human side of the party’s presidential nominee.
Delegates chanted “Doug” as the 59-year-old — who gave up his high-flying legal career to support Harris as vice president — regaled them with the tale of how they met and how she then became the stepmother to his kids.
“I love you and I’m so proud of how you’re stepping up for all of us,” Emhoff said.
And he said their personal history showed she was ready to be the country’s first female commander-in-chief — which would make him its first ever First Gentleman.
“Kamala Harris was exactly the right person for me at an important time in my life. At this moment in this nation’s history, she is exactly the right president.”
Harris posted a picture of herself on Air Force Two, watching him speak while she returned from a rally in Milwaukee. “Love you Dougie,” she wrote.
US Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff speaks on the second day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois August 20, 2024. — AFP pic
‘Heyyyy, it’s Doug’
The Harris campaign regards Emhoff as something of a secret weapon, a ready-made speaker who can familiarise Americans with the vice president after her rapid rise following Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the White House race.
He has taken a very visible role as cheerleader-in-chief for his 59-year-old wife ever since Biden first picked her as his running mate back in 2020.
More recently, the father-of-two has been her attack dog against Donald Trump as the Republican former president unleashes personal and racially tinged insults at the Democrat.
But his speech in Chicago focused on the personal as much as the political.
As the crowd waved “Doug” signs, Emhoff told the story of how he and Harris were set up on a blind date by one of his legal clients.
The day after, Emhoff called Harris early in the morning, got her answerphone and “just started rambling. ‘Heyyyy, it’s Doug… I was trying to grab the words out of the air and just put them back in my mouth.”
Harris, however, thought the message was “adorable”, saved it, and they married the following year. Now she plays the message to him every anniversary, he said.
“This Thursday will be our 10th wedding anniversary… that same night I’ll be hearing my wife, Kamala Harris accept your nomination for President of the United States.”
US President Joe Biden, Democratic presidential candidate and US Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff stand on stage during Day one of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, Illinois August 19, 2024. — Reuters pic
‘Momala’
Their marriage made Kamala Harris a stepmother to Emhoff’s then-teenage children Cole and Ella — who both dubbed her “Momala”.
Cole Emhoff introduced him on stage, after narrating a video showing snapshots from Emhoff’s life and gently ribbing his dad.
His son said their “blended family wasn’t used to politics,” but when Harris became first a California senator and then vice president, they all stepped up.
“It felt like Doug was a bit out of place on Capitol Hill, I thought ‘what is my goofy dad doing here?’ But he embraced it.”
Emhoff himself has admitted that it didn’t all come easily, especially when he took a leave of absence from his entertainment law job, which was earning him around US$1 million (RM4.3 million) a year.
US President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, Democratic presidential candidate, US Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff attend Day one of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois August 19, 2024. — Reuters pic
Biden helped him at the time, saying to him “I know this must have been tough.”
Since then, Kamala has called Emhoff her rock as Harris blazed a trail as the first female, Black and South Asian vice president in US history
He too set a milestone, becoming the first ever Jewish spouse of a US president or vice president.
Under the Biden administration, Emhoff took on an increasingly high profile role, giving speeches calling out anti-Semitism after the October 7 attacks by Hamas on Israel.
He also performed ceremonial duties including leading the US delegation at the closing of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
But for one person at least, Emhoff doesn’t take the back seat.
“My mother is the only person in the whole world who thinks Kamala is the lucky one for marrying me,” he quipped. — AFP
