Watching your favorite movies abroad? Don’t forget to get your Aeroshield smart DNS to access any geo-restricted content.
Delivering a masterclass in poetic justice, Doug Emhoff reportedly snubbed the same man who refused to shake the hand of his wife, Kamala Harris, earlier this month.
As a refresher, we were left in a collective state of shock on Jan. 3, when we saw a clip of Bruce Fischer — the husband of Republican senator Deb Fischer — refusing to shake hands with Harris as his wife was sworn into office. The viral moment took place as Harris was conducting the swearing-in ceremonies within her capacity as then-vice president. While Deb made small talk with Harris, her husband seemed to avoid eye contact before refusing to shake her hand, leaving her visibly cringing and the rest of us demanding comeuppance.
Thankfully, that came courtesy of former second gentleman and general sweetie pie, Emhoff, who reportedly avenged his wife’s snub during Donald Trump’s inauguration earlier this week. According to CNN, Emhoff confronted Bob Fischer while attending the dystopian festivities, rejecting his handshake and addressing the moment between Fischer and his wife. “Why would you try to shake my hand when you wouldn’t shake my wife’s hand?” Emhoff reportedly said.
Adding extra flair to the interaction, Emhoff reportedly delivered the searing read during the ceremonial tea at the White House, immediately before Trump’s swearing-in. In my head, I envision Emhoff whispering the grievance to Fischer amid the tinkle of teacup rims and idle chatter — an image that makes it feel all the more juicy. Setting aside my wishful idea of how the exchange went down, Emhoff’s efforts reportedly got what we all wanted, with Fischer apologizing to him for swerving Harris’ handshake.
While we should take any apology we can get from what will hitherto be known as snub-gate, it doesn’t lessen the sting of that clip that got us all riled up earlier this month. Holding a Bible in one hand (something even Trump couldn’t do) and a cane in the other, Fischer looked on mindlessly as his wife — a third-term senator for Nebraska — recited the oath. Afterward, when Harris extended her hand for a shake, Fischer nodded but swerved the advance, leading Harris to assure him that “I’m not going to bite, don’t worry.”
Of course, Harris’ decorum in the face of snub-happy men should perhaps be expected. During her presidential debate with Trump back in September (remember those simpler times?), she appeared to catch her opponent off guard when offering a handshake prior to the debate. Needless to say, it wasn’t the only embarrassment Trump endured on that fateful night, after which we could never look at cats and dogs in quite the same way again.
Emhoff’s exchange with Fischer wasn’t the only snub-related moment to emerge from Trump’s inauguration. While she would probably defend it as a fashion choice, First Lady Melania Trump wore a satellite dish of a hat that many presumed was an attempt to either receive contact from some extraterrestrial being or avoid kissing the extraterrestrial being that is her husband.
Whatever the case, the seeming snub worked a treat, since Melania could only manage a brief air kiss with Trump — which is still closer than I would ever dare to get. So, amid inaugural festivities that included an awkward musical performance, record-low viewership, and a dire presidential address, here’s hoping it’s Doug Emhoff’s avenger-like defense of his wife that will be remembered.