Bruce Fischer, spouse of U.S. Senator Deb Fischer, R-Neb., who famously declined to extend the common courtesy of a handshake to his wife’s predecessor, Kamala Harris, found himself on the receiving end of a similar gesture. At a White House ceremonial tea reception on Jan. 20, a day that preceded President Donald Trump’s inauguration, Bruce endeavored to engage Doug Emhoff, the former Second Gentleman, in an exchange of pleasantries. CNN reports that Emhoff promptly and decidedly turned down the offer, interpreting it as an affront to his wife.
After Harris had been sworn in on January 3rd, she approached him to offer congratulatory gestures and attempted to shake his hand. Yet Bruce, in an act that some might label disregard or even disrespect, chose not to engage. Instead, he simply nodded, temporarily looked down, and mumbled a nonchalant ‘thank you.’
The unexpected snub received considerable backlash, made particularly potent due to Harris’ historic position as America’s first female, first Black, and first South Asian vice president. Despite being taken aback by the refusal, Harris admirably maintained her composure, returning a smile, and quietly uttering ‘You sure?’
On January 20th, Emhoff voiced his disapproval for what he perceived as a mark of disrespect towards his wife of ten years. He confronted Bruce stating, as quoted by CNN, ‘You wouldn’t shake my wife’s hand, so why would you try to shake mine?’ A reasonable question indeed from a husband defending his spouse.
Subsequent to the altercation, Bruce was reported to have returned to Emhoff to offer an impersonal apology. Evidently, the transitory flash of hot-headedness dissipated, giving way to a more ‘cordial’ conversation. It seems their discussion eventually segued away from the incident, transitioning to alternative topics.
Worth noting is that Harris and Senator Fischer were not parties to the somewhat juvenile banter that had transpired between Bruce and Emhoff. Post inauguration events follow a predictable itinerary and the inauguration of President Donald Trump was no exception. Harris, along with Emhoff, exited their professional roles and retreated to their Californian residence to resume their lives as regular citizens.
Their first stopover was Altadena, where they busied themselves with deliveries of food aid intended for the wildfire victims in Los Angeles. Intermittent engagements with the local volunteers were also on their agenda for the visit.
The couple’s itinerary also included a stop at a fire station in Los Angeles County. Here, the erstwhile vice president expressed gratitude to the firefighters, stating, perhaps unnecessarily, how ‘important it was for them to reach out and assure the community that it was visible and being cared for.’
Harris was quoted as saying ‘We are some of the lucky ones. Our home is still standing,’ apparently oblivious to the irony of expressing her gratitude to the firefighters whilst living comfortably far away from the threat that the wildfire victims in Los Angeles were facing.
Claiming to be in awe of the firefighting personnel, Harris labeled moments of crisis as revealing heroes among us. First responders in California, who have indeed repeatedly proved their mettle in handling catastrophes of unprecedented scale, became a device in the narrative of the former Vice President.
While Harris emphasized the ‘extraordinary courage and sacrifice’ of the firefighters, one cannot help but notice the lack of acknowledgment of the role of efficient leadership in prevention and decisive action in mitigating such disasters. Despite her rhetoric, the questions remain: did the fires have to reach such proportions? Could more not have been done in their early stages? Were her words just that, words without substantial action backing them up?
Harris’ actions leave much to be questioned and it seems as if she went out of her way to paint a favorable image of herself, albeit without much success. It begs one to ponder upon the competency of a leader so seemingly focused on portraying a comforting façade, rather than addressing the concrete issues at hand.
Ultimately, the actions speak louder than words and in the case of the former Vice President, it seems to be an episode of much ado about nothing. Harris’ and Emhoff’s ensuing activities, taking into account their previous behaviors, seem more like opportunistic publicity stunts rather than genuine efforts to contribute to their community. The faux pas and platitudes, sandwiched between episodes of minor confrontations and convenient acts of charity, hardly inspire confidence in their competency and dedication.