The husband of U.S. Senator Deb Fischer, R-Neb., who notoriously refused to shake hands with his wife, former Vice President Kamala Harris, was apparently checked by former Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff earlier this month. Bruce Fischer tried to shake Emoff’s hand at a White House ceremonial tea reception on Jan. 20 before President Donald Trump’s inauguration. According to CNN, Emhoff declined the gesture, viewing it as a slight against his wife.
After his wife was sworn in on Jan. 3, Harris congratulated him and attempted to shake his hand, but Bruce avoided eye contact. Instead, he nodded his head, glanced down and murmured “thank you” instead of returning her handshake. The interaction prompted widespread anger with accusations of sexism and bigotry toward America’s first female, first Black woman and first South Asian vice president. Harris, who appeared completely surprised by the rebuff, remained composed smiled back and whispered, “You sure?”
Fischer was criticized by Emhoff on Jan. 20 for what he perceived as an insult to his wife of ten years.
“You wouldn’t shake my wife’s hand, so why would you try to shake mine?” Emhoff told Fischer, CNN reported. The media outlet added that, following the confrontation, Bruce eventually came back to Emhoff to apologize. According to the outlet, “tempers had cooled” after the two had a “cordial” talk. After a while, the two men started discussing “other subjects.” Sen. Fischer and former Vice President Harris were not present during the exchange between Bruce and Emhoff.
After the inauguration, Harris and Emhoff left office and went back to their home state of California as ordinary citizens. The couple’s first destination was Altadena, where they assisted in delivering food to wildfire victims in Los Angeles and spoke with volunteers. They also went to a fire station in Los Angeles County where she thanked the firefighters.
“It was really important for us before we went home … we are some of the lucky ones. Our home is still standing,” Harris told reporters at the fire station. “We just wanted to come out … and just let [the community] know that we see them and that they are cared for.”
“Moments of crisis really do reveal the heroes among us,” the former vice president said about the firefighters and volunteers.
“California firefighters, time and time again, prove themselves to be the best at the kind of work that is about dealing with these moments of unprecedented crisis and doing it with extraordinary courage and sacrifice,” she added.
