Jen Psaki has been criticized for fawning over Doug Emhoff and claiming that his role as Vice President Kamala Harris’ husband has “reshaped the perception of masculinity.”
Psaki’s ridiculous comment comes just months after DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that Emhoff’s first marriage ended when he got his children’s nanny pregnant.
Emhoff, 59, had an affair with Najen Naylor, a teacher at her children’s school who also worked as a nanny for her then-eight-year-old daughter Ella.
The affair cost him his first marriage, leading him and his first wife, Kerstin, now chief executive of creative think tank Prettybird, to divorce in 2009.
Now, nearly a month away from the 2024 presidential election, the MSNBC political reporter and former White House press secretary called Emhoff “an incredibly supportive spouse.”
Jen Psaki has been criticized for fawning over Doug Emhoff, claiming that his role as Vice President Kamala Harris’ husband has “reshaped the perception of masculinity.”
‘It’s funny, I’ve started to think about this a lot. I’ve always been like that, my father was like that, and for me it’s the right thing to do, you know, to support women; It’s mutual, between Kamala and me,” Emhoff said.
“Something that’s always been…there’s also been an important part, an interesting part of how people have talked about your role here is how your role has reshaped the perception of masculinity,” Psaki said.
Emhoff immediately smiled at him and laughed as he added, “And I’m not sure you planned that, but you are an incredibly supportive wife.”
—Has it been an evolution for you and do you think it is part of the role you could play as first knight?
Emhoff responded: “It’s funny, I’ve started thinking about this a lot.” I’ve always been like that, my father was like that, and for me it’s the right thing to do, you know, to support women; It’s mutual, with Kamala and me.
‘We support each other, we support each other, and I’ve said this many times, when we support women, we support them, whether it’s pay equity, child care, family leave and all those issues.
He added that even when he was in the business world, he “lifted up” the organizations he was involved in, just as Psaki “lifted up the White House” when she was there. (pictured: Harris and Emhoff hugging at the Democratic National Committee in August)
“Women should not be less, women should not have fewer rights and be treated differently, that is not the American way,” she added.
Emhoff added that even when he was in the business world, he “lifted up” the organizations he was involved in, just as Psaki “lifted up the White House” when she was there.
Psaki then referred to Emhoff as “a man who is proud of his wife” before asking him how he felt about his wife’s opponent, Donald Trump, who “isn’t as comfortable with fierce women.”
‘He also refuses to accept a debate, which she (Harris) has already accepted. Do you think he’s afraid to debate her?
“Yes, it should be,” Emhoff responded.
Commenters were quick to react to Psaki’s shocking description of Emhoff when one person said: ‘Emhoff was also married at the time. Let’s be clear about this. He has no morals, just like Kamala.
“I don’t find anything masculine about him,” wrote another.
“There isn’t a man alive who believes that Doug Emhoff, of all people, reshaped the ‘perception of masculinity,'” one commenter said.
Someone else argued that “this is the craziest thing” Psaki has ever said.
‘Are you really talking about the perception of masculinity, Ms Psaki? ‘You must have more important things to do,’ said another.
News broke about Emhoff’s affair with his ex-wife just hours after his name and face appeared in the spotlight, when his wife’s campaign unveiled new coffee mugs adorned with the image of a handsome Second Gentleman , noticeably younger, thinner and with more hair. for sale at kamalaharris.com.
Within hours, the Harris campaign was on the defensive and Emhoff admitted the affair, claiming that he had told Kamala years ago and that he had also revealed the affair to Joe Biden’s camp when he was investigating vice presidential candidates. in 2020.
Emhoff, 59 (center-right) and his ex-wife, film producer Kerstin, 57 (center-left), ended their 16-year marriage in 2009 when she discovered the affair, sources said. His daughter Ella (right) was 10 and his son Cole (left) was 15 at the time.
When DailyMail.com approached Naylor, she declined to comment on her relationship with Emhoff or the baby. “I’m a little scared right now,” she said.
“During my first marriage, Kerstin and I went through difficult times because of my actions,” Emhoff sheepishly admitted after the DailyMail.com exclusive.
“I took responsibility and in the years since, we got through things as a family and came out stronger on the other side.”
But while Harris, 59, is said to have known this, it still left her “nervous and humiliated” just two weeks after it became clear she would be the 2024 Democratic presidential pick, according to a source.
“He’s trying to focus on changing his image and this is the last thing he wanted right now.”
‘To put it bluntly, it doesn’t look good and Harris and his team know it. News about the matter dominated the candidate’s coverage over the weekend and caused panic in her camp,” they said.
Even a statement from his first wife supporting him didn’t help much.
“Doug and I decided to end our marriage for various reasons many years ago,” Kerstin, 57, said.
“He is a great father to our children, remains a great friend to me and I am very proud of the warm and supportive family that Doug, Kamala and I have built together.”
Naylor, now 47, moved from California to the East Coast shortly after the affair ended.
He now lives in the millionaires’ playground of the Hamptons, New York.
She did not attempt to deny the affair when DailyMail.com approached her home.
Sources told DailyMail.com that Naylor (far left) was Ella’s nanny at the time she became pregnant. She worked, first as a teaching assistant and then as a teacher, at Willows.
Her only comment was that she was “a little scared right now.”
But a close friend with direct knowledge of the affair and pregnancy told DailyMail.com that Naylor did not keep the child, while CBS has since reported that the pregnancy ended in a miscarriage.
Another friend, Stacey Brooks, who became the mother of twins around the same time Naylor was pregnant, also denied any of the claims, but said she would not divulge further information without Naylor’s permission.
Emhoff and his ex-wife, film producer Kerstin, 57, ended their 16-year marriage in 2009 when she discovered the affair, sources said. His daughter Ella was 10 and his son Cole was 15 at the time.
Sources told DailyMail.com that after the affair, Naylor had to leave her job at the posh private boys’ school, The Willows in Culver City, California, where she worked first as a teacher’s aide and then as a teacher.
Emhoff met Harris, then attorney general of California, three years later, in 2013, when one of her friends set her up on a blind date. They married the following year.
It is unclear whether he confessed his affair to Harris before his second wife underwent vetting to become vice president or if that was the moment it came to light.