He met Kamala Harris on a blind date and on Tuesday her husband, Doug Emhoff, tried to convince Americans to love him after an equally stormy introduction. The first “second gentleman” in US history highlighted the human side of the party’s presidential nominee with a speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
Delegates chanted “Doug” as Doug, 59 — who gave up his high-powered legal career to support Harris as vice president — told the story of how they met and how she became stepmom to his children.
“I love you, and I’m so proud of you for sticking up for all of us,” Emhoff said.
He said her personal history shows she is ready to become the country’s first female commander-in-chief — which would make him the country’s first-ever First Gentleman.
“Kamala Harris was absolutely the right person for me at a crucial time in my life. She’s absolutely the right president at this moment in this country’s history.”
Harris posted a photo of herself on Air Force Two watching him speak as she returned from a rally in Milwaukee. “Love you Dougie,” she wrote.
‘Hey, it’s Doug’
The Harris campaign regards Emhoff as a secret weapon, a willing speaker who can introduce Americans to the vice president following her rapid rise after Joe Biden withdrew from the White House race.
Ever since Biden first chose his 59-year-old wife as his vice presidential running mate in 2020, she has taken on the role of his cheerleader-in-chief.
Recently, the father of two has been his aggressor against Donald Trump, as the Republican former president has made personal and racially derogatory comments against the Democrat.
But his speech in Chicago focused on political as well as personal issues.
As the crowd waved “Doug” signs, Emhoff told the story of how one of his legal clients had set him and Harris up on a blind date.
The next day, Emhoff called Harris early in the morning, picked up her answerphone and “started blabbering. ‘Hey, it’s Doug’ … I was trying to grab words out of the air and put them back in my mouth.”
However, Harris thought the message was “so sweet” so she saved it and they married the following year. She said she now reads the message to him every anniversary.
“This Thursday will mark our 10th wedding anniversary … the same night I will listen to my wife, Kamala Harris, accept your nomination for President of the United States.”
‘Momala’
Their marriage made Kamala Harris the stepmother of Emhoff’s teenage children Cole and Ella — who both call her “Momala.”
Cole Emhoff introduced him on stage, and showed a video showing highlights from Emhoff’s life and making fun of his father.
Her son said their “blended family was not well versed in politics”, but they all came forward when Harris became first California’s senator and then vice president.
“I felt like Doug felt a little uncomfortable on Capitol Hill, I thought ‘What is my stupid dad doing here?’ But he embraced it.”
Emhoff herself has admitted that it hasn’t been easy, especially since she took a break from her entertainment law job, which was earning her around $1 million a year.
“I know that must have been tough,” Biden said at the time, helping him.
Since then, Kamala has called Emhoff her fulcrum as Harris paves a new path as the first female, Black and South Asian vice president in US history
He also set a milestone, becoming the first Jewish spouse of a U.S. president or vice president.
Under the Biden administration, Emhoff took on a higher profile role, delivering speeches against anti-Semitism following the October 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas.
He also performs ceremonial duties, including leading the US delegation at the closing of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
But for at least one person, Emhoff doesn’t back down.
He joked, “My mother is the only person in the whole world who thinks Kamala is lucky to be marrying me.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)