Earlier than Doug Emhoff defined the embarrassing second that led to his first date with Kamala Harris, he started his speech on the 2024 Democratic Nationwide Conference by introducing his “massive, lovely blended household,” with “a particular shout-out to my mom” — announcing “mom” as would Harvey Fierstein, one other Brooklyn-born Jew: “muthah.” “My mom is the one particular person in the entire world that thinks Kamala is the fortunate one for marrying me.”
Under is the video and transcript, during which he good-humoredly touches on his personal bio, how Kamala has been good to him and their household, and why she will probably be good for the nation.
Whats up to my massive lovely blended household up there. I like you a lot. Are you pleased with Cole? [his son, who introduced him.] Wow. And a particular shout-out to my mom. My mom is the one particular person in the entire world that thinks kamala is the fortunate one for marrying me. And to Kamala, who, we simply noticed the place she is on the path listening to and speaking with voters. Honey, I can’t wait so that you can come again to Chicago as a result of we’re having a good time right here. I like you a lot. I’m so pleased with the way you’re stepping up for all of us.
However that’s who she is. Wherever she is required, nonetheless she is required, Kamala rises to the event. And he did it for me and our household and now that the nation wants her, she is displaying you what we already know. She is able to lead. She brings pleasure and confidence to this process and she or he will probably be an ideal president we are going to all be pleased with. Now I’m the son of two Brooklynites, Mike and Barb. They’ve been collectively nearly 70 years. My dad labored within the shoe enterprise in Manhattan. They moved our household out to New Jersey (the place is New Jersey? I see you on the market) when i used to be a little bit child. In plenty of methods, I had a typical Jersey suburban childhood. I biked across the neighborhood, I took the bus to Hebrew faculty, and I rode to Little League follow in the best way again of my coach’s wooden paneled station wagon. If we did effectively, we received to have a slurpee after.
In my neighborhood everybody left their storage door open. Wherever you ended up at dinnertime, that’s the household that fed you. Everybody took care of everybody else. The blokes I grew up with are nonetheless my finest pals. The group chat is energetic day by day and it’s in all probability blowing up proper now, guys. When my dad needed to get a brand new job we moved throughout the nation to L. A. (Hey, California.) Cash was tight, so i labored at Mcdonald’s in highschool for some additional money. Not solely was Worker of the Month, however I nonetheless have the framed image, which you simply noticed, and there was a hoop, golden arches and all. I waited tables, parked automobiles, i used to be working full-time, so i might afford to go to school part-time. And due to a partial scholarship, pupil loans and a little bit assist from my dad, i received myself by way of regulation faculty and received my first job as a lawyer. Which can be the place I met the fellows in my fantasy soccer league. And rather a lot has modified in our lives for the reason that early 90’s, however my workforce title continues to be Nirvana. Sure, after the band.
I labored exhausting and cherished being a lawyer. I nonetheless get to be a part of the career by instructing college students at Georgetown regulation faculty.
I received married, grew to become a dad. Sadly went by way of a divorce, however ultimately began worrying about how i might make all of it work. That’s when one thing surprising occurred.
In 2013 I walked right into a contentious consumer assembly. We labored by way of the problem, and by the tip of the assembly the now glad consumer supplied to set me up on a blind date. Which is how I ended up with Kamala Harris’s telephone quantity.
Now, for generations, folks have debated when to name the particular person you might be being arrange with. And by no means in historical past has anybody steered 8:30 a.m. And but, that’s once I dialed. I received Kamala’s voicemail and I simply began rambling. “Hey, it’s Doug. I’m on my approach to an early assembly. Once more, its Doug. “I used to be attempting to seize the phrases out of the air and simply put them again in my mouth. For what appeared like far too many minutes, I hung up. By the best way, Kamala saved that voicemail and makes me hearken to it on each anniversary.
However that message was not the one uncommon factor about that day. Kamala, who usually would have been working exhausting at her workplace, occurred to be ready at her residence for a contractor to do work on her kitchen. I used to be consuming at my desk, which was not a daily prevalence for a busy lawyer like me who appreciated a great enterprise lunch, however that’s when she referred to as me again. We talked for an hour and we laughed. You recognize that chortle. I like that chortle!
And perhaps that counted as our first date. Or perhaps it was that Saturday night time once I picked her up and instructed her, buckle up, I’m a very unhealthy driver. You’ll be able to’t conceal something from Kamala Harris, so that you may as effectively personal it. As I received to know her higher, and simply fell in love quick, I discovered what drives Kamala. It’s what you might have seen over these previous 4 years and particularly these previous 4 weeks. She finds pleasure in pursuing justice. She stands as much as bullies similar to my dad and mom taught me to. She likes to see folks do effectively, however hates when they’re handled unfairly. She believes this work requires a fundamental curiosity in how persons are doing. Her empathy is her power.
Over the previous decade, Kamala has related me extra deeply to my religion. Although it isn’t the identical as hers. She involves synagogue with me for Excessive Holy Days companies and I’m going to church along with her for Easter. I get to take pleasure in her mother’s chile relleno each Christmas and she or he makes a imply brisket for Passover. It brings me proper again to my grandmother’s residence in Brooklyn, you already know, the one with the plastic-covered couches.
However Kamala has fought in opposition to antisemitism and all types of hate her whole profession. She is the one who inspired me as Second Gentleman to take up that battle which is so private to me.
These of you who belong to blended households know they could be a little sophisticated. However as quickly as our children began calling her Momala, I knew we might be okay. Ella calls us the three-headed parenting machine. Kamala and Kerstin, thanks each, for at all times placing your loved ones and the children first. Cole and Ella’s pals knew after they came visiting to Sunday dinner with Momala it was going to be actual speak. In between cooking directions they must reply questions on what drawback they needed to resolve on this planet. They discovered you at all times must be ready as a result of Kamala goes to prosecute the case. And in the identical breath that Cole and Greenley instructed us they had been engaged, they requested Kamala to officiate their wedding ceremony. In the identical manner she at all times steps up when it issues, Kamala places a lot time into these remarks and certain them in a e-book that matched her darkish, pink gown and turned that into a present for the glad couple.
A couple of days in the past throughout this unbelievable time we’re going by way of, there was a quick window when Kamala was again at house and iI noticed her sitting on her favourite chair and in the course of a wild month, I hoped she was having a quiet second to herself. Then I spotted she was on the telephone. My thoughts went to all of the potential crises that the vp might be coping with, whether or not home, overseas, marketing campaign. I might see she was targeted and all I knew is that it should be one thing necessary. It seems it was. Ella had referred to as her. That’s Kamala. That’s Kamala. These youngsters are her precedence. And that scene was an ideal map of her coronary heart. She has at all times been there for our youngsters and I do know she will probably be there for yours, too.
Kamala is a joyful warrior. It’s doing for her nation what she has at all times executed for the those who she loves. Her ardour will profit all of us when she’s our president. And right here is the factor about joyful warriors. They’re nonetheless warriors. And Kamala is as powerful because it comes. Simply ask the criminals, the worldwide gangsters and the witnesses earlier than the Senate Judiciary Committee. She by no means runs from a battle. She is aware of one of the best ways to take care of a coward is to take him head on as a result of everyone knows cowards are weak and Kamala Harris can scent weak spot. She doesn’t tolerate any bs. You may have all seen that look. You recognize the look I’m speaking about. It isn’t only a meme. It displays our perception in trustworthy and direct management and It is usually why she is not going to be distracted by nonsense. Kamala is aware of that to be able to win we can not lose focus.
America, on this election you need to determine who to belief with your loved ones’s future. I trusted Kamala with our household’s future. It was the perfect determination I ever made. This Thursday will probably be our tenth wedding ceremony anniversary, which, I do know I’m about to listen to that embarrassing voicemail once more. Nonetheless, that isn’t all I will probably be listening to. That very same night time I will probably be listening to my spouse, Kamala Harris, settle for your nomination for president of the USA. And together with your assist she is going to lead with pleasure and toughness, with that chortle and that look, with compassion and conviction. She is going to lead it from the idea that wherever we come from, no matter we appear to be, we’re strongest after we battle for what we consider in, not simply in opposition to what we worry.
Kamala Harris was precisely the appropriate particular person for me at an necessary second in my life. At this second in our nation’s historical past, she is precisely the appropriate president. Thanks a lot.
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