Meet Doug Emhoff: Dad-in-Chief

The White House might be getting a wife guy as the country’s first-ever “first gentleman.”

Doug Emhoff, husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, took the stage Tuesday night and gave America their first taste of what a first gentleman Emhoff would be like.

Speakers throughout the night gave their pitch for Harris with a more serious tone, describing her as someone who will fight against threats to democracy, the increasing costs of living and limited abortion access across the country.

Emhoff painted a different picture on the Chicago stage Tuesday night: A dorky dad obsessed with his wife, who just happens to be the vice president. His words aimed to humanize Harris as not just a policymaker, but a successful woman who balances her career and family.

He told the story of how he fell in love with Harris, including embarrassingly relatable tidbits about their relationship, like calling Harris for the first time at 8:30 in the morning and leaving a rambling voicemail she now makes him listen to every anniversary.

“Never in history has anyone suggested 8:30 a.m.,” Emhoff said. “And yet, that is when I dialed.”

Emhoff recounted picking up Harris on their first date and immediately admitting he was a bad driver because “you can't hide anything from Kamala Harris, so you might as well own it.”

He defended her laugh — something her opponent Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has routinely mocked her for.

“You know that laugh,” Emhoff said to a roar of laughter from the crowd. “I love that laugh!”

It was a new picture of Emhoff, who, like many second spouses before him, does not play a leading role in Washington and has only been seen in the periphery of the Biden administration. Emhoff, who is Jewish, has taken on a strong role in talking about antisemitism, something he said in his speech that Harris encouraged him to do.

Outside Harris, Emhoff still leaned into the typical American dad vibe. He praised Harris for helping build a “blended” family with his children and his ex-wife, and referenced his kids calling Harris “Momala” and grilling their friends. It was a DNC speech that felt more like a Dad rambling about his childhood in the family room, with mentions of the buddies he still plays fantasy football with and working at a McDonald's in high school.

Even before Emhoff took the stage, the dad-in-chief was on full display. Emhoff was introduced with a sitcom-like video narrated by his son, Cole Emhoff, who summarized his father’s life while also poking fun at him. It included clips of Emhoff waving at Harris and making faces during formal political events. “I thought, what is my goofy dad doing here?” Cole said in the narration.

Cole Emhoff then introduced the second gentleman on stage, while his daughter, Ella Emhoff, was seen in the VIP box tearing up at the video and snapping a picture with a disposable camera.

Emhoff also said that Thursday will be his and Harris’ 10th wedding anniversary, when he’s excited to hear Harris accept her nomination for president.

“Kamala Harris was exactly the right person for me at an important moment in my life,” Emhoff later added. “At this moment in our nation’s history, she is exactly the right president.”