Kamala Harris

Emhoff highlights Harris's personal side in the convention speech: 'Her empathy is her strength.'

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff speaks on stage at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago on August 20, 2024.

On Tuesday night at the Democratic National Convention, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff used his speech to showcase Vice President Kamala Harris’ personal side.

“She stands up to bullies, just like my parents taught me to. She loves seeing people succeed but can’t stand when they’re treated unfairly. She believes this work requires a genuine curiosity about how people are doing,” Emhoff shared with the Chicago audience. “Her empathy is her strength.”

Emhoff, who married Harris 10 years ago, noted that their anniversary falls on Thursday, coinciding with the vice president’s formal acceptance of the Democratic Party’s nomination for president.

The second gentleman also discussed his own public service efforts, including his commitment to combating antisemitism.

“Kamala has fought against antisemitism and all forms of hate throughout her career. She’s the one who encouraged me, as a second gentleman, to take up that fight, which is deeply personal to me,” Emhoff said.

As the first Jewish spouse of a president or vice president, Emhoff also spoke about his faith, noting that “over the past decade, Kamala has helped me connect more deeply with my faith, even though it’s different from hers.”

In the VIP suite for Emhoff’s speech were his parents, Barbara and Michael Emhoff, whom he acknowledged during his remarks. At one point, he joked that his “mother is the only person in the world who thinks Kamala is the lucky one for marrying me.”

Emhoff also expressed gratitude to his former wife, Kerstin Emhoff, who was in the VIP box alongside other members of the Emhoff and Harris families, and to the vice president for their roles in creating a modern blended family. He mentioned that his daughter Ella, seated next to his parents, affectionately refers to them as a “three-headed parenting machine.”

Before Emhoff’s speech began, attendees were given red "Doug" signs, many of which were visible in the VIP box with his family members.