Staff Reports
Vice President Kamala Harris is vying to carve her name in history books as the first female president of the United States, while her husband Doug Emhoff has already snagged the title of the first “Second Gentleman.” This title, no doubt a feat in itself, has led to a wave of dialog as he awkwardly dances around substantive issues during interviews about his wife’s campaign.
In a recent chat with MSNBC’s Jen Psaki, Emhoff found himself in the hot seat, not for his own impressive credentials, but to sprinkle some charm dust over his wife’s less-than-stellar record. With Psaki, a veteran of the Biden administration’s press team, grilling him about Harris’s platform, one would think he’d pull back the curtain on the campaign. Instead, he meandered down memory lane, reminiscing about his initial meeting with Harris and her attorney general tenure in California.
MSNBC’s @Sruhle cues up Harris in first question: “Madame Vice President, you just laid out your economic vision for the future. But still there are lots of Americans who don’t see themselves in your plans. For those who say these policies aren’t for me, what do you say to them?” pic.twitter.com/yoYBHq0VmU
— Brent Baker 🇺🇦 🇮🇱 (@BrentHBaker) September 25, 2024
With a nod to his business background, Psaki pressed Emhoff to explain how, in the shadow of Trump’s booming economy, he would navigate inquiries from nostalgic voters yearning for that economic prowess. Emhoff responded less like a candidate’s campaign manager and more like a high school prom date trying to say nice things without declaring intention. He pointed out how Harris identifies as a capitalist—without elaborating on that oxymoron—and highlighted her understanding of technology and the economy’s interdependencies. He made her sound like some magical unicorn rather than addressing any real policies or plans.
Emhoff has become quite the media darling, popping up on numerous platforms from Good Morning America to Stephen Colbert’s Late Show, serving as a cheerleader for his wife. It seems orchestrated, though, considering the vice president herself has been notably absent from these more traditional interview setups. Instead, she seems to prefer social media, town halls, and other less confrontational formats where the tough questions can be sidestepped with the kind of finesse only political aspirations can muster.
Critics have their suspicions that Harris’s approach may be a deliberate strategy to distance herself from direct scrutiny by the American public and the media alike. The New York Times has even chimed in, noting that her team seems keen on keeping the narrative fluffy, relying on the safety of scripted appearances rather than actual dialogue. The campaign justifies their tactics by claiming Harris values reaching voters where they consume information. But those attuned to the political game see this as all smoke and mirrors designed to conceal a lack of concrete plans—an all-too-common tactic in today’s political theater.
