OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Vice President Kamala Harris has finally responded to a viral video showing her husband, Doug Emhoff, and first lady Jill Biden kissing during President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address Tuesday evening.
In an interview with Univision’s Edwin Pitti this week following the smooch, Harris was asked to give her thoughts on it. “I haven’t watched the video,” she said.
“I don’t know, but I do now that first lady and the second gentleman are working arduously with what we are doing with my husband against anti-Semitism – very important,” she continued. “He fights against anti-Semitism but also against hatred towards immigrants, and sadly, we’ve seen that in our country.”
.@VP Kamala Harris responds to Univision correspondent Edwin Pitti's question about The Kiss: "I haven't watched the video." pic.twitter.com/9nrrwh7b1R
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) February 8, 2023
Others, however, offered their view of the incident, including SiriusXM podcaster Megyn Kelly. During her Wednesday podcast, she spoke to guests Charles C. Cooke and Jeremy Peters about the “gross” kiss on the mouth. She noted that, in her view, there are only two instances when kissing on the mouth should be allowed and what occurred between Emhoff and Biden was not one of them.
“People should not be mouth kissing ever if it’s not your husband or your spouse,” the former Fox News host shared. “Here is Kamala’s husband and Joe Biden’s wife kissing on the mouth, I’m sorry, secondhand uncomfortable…”
“Not ever,” she added. “Don’t kiss me on my mouth. Don’t do it. In fact, don’t kiss me, and probably don’t hug me, either. Just like the wave or a pat, I’ll take that.”
“Definitely no mouth kissing,” Kelly continued, as footage played showing the kiss. “Gross. I don’t know where your mouth’s been, and I don’t want to know.”
Cooke, a writer for National Review, said, “I have no idea what’s going on in that clip. It’s bizarre.”
WATCH:
“Jill Biden and Doug Emhoff greet each other with… a kiss on the lips?” Cabot Phillips tweeted. “Is this… normal?”
Jill Biden and Doug Emhoff greet each other with… a kiss on the lips?
Is this… normal? pic.twitter.com/HX5p74fJHw
— Cabot Phillips (@cabot_phillips) February 8, 2023
“Why did Jill Biden kiss Doug Emhoff on the mouth?” Arthur Schwartz added.
Why did Jill Biden kiss Doug Emhoff on the mouth? #SOTU pic.twitter.com/bj3hqpwGAT
— Arthur Schwartz (@ArthurSchwartz) February 8, 2023
Last month, Harris was hit with another round of bad news.
The Los Angeles Times’ weekly tracker on her approval in mid-January found that former Vice President Mike Pence had a higher rating at this time as VP than Harris currently does at that point.
“As of Jan. 3, 39% of registered voters had a favorable opinion of Harris and 53% had an unfavorable opinion — a net rating of -14 percentage points, according to a Times average. This page will update as new polls arrive. Since taking office, Harris has been assigned one of the administration’s thorniest issues: stemming the influx of immigrants attempting to cross U.S. borders. Republicans have sought to make her the face of an issue that they believe could help them politically,” the Los Angeles Times reported.
“Past polls show how the favorability of previous vice presidents changed during their first four years in office. Harris’ net favorability is slightly lower than that of former Vice President Mike Pence at this point in their respective tenures, and it’s well under the ratings of three previous vice presidents,” the outlet added.
Harris has another problem – she continues to burn through staff as another member of her communications team announced the same week he was calling it quits.
Communications Director Jamal Simmons will leave by the first of the year, according to a Politico report, after having only joined Harris’ team in January to help her repair her image following a tumultuous first year in office.
Breitbart News noted further:
Harris’ chief of staff Lorraine Voles told staff in an email announcing Simmons’ departure that she hired him to help “steady the ship” of the vice president’s office and that he agreed to serve in the position for a year, according to the report.
The vice president’s office continues to face high turnover, especially in the communications department.
In April, Harris’ chief of staff, Tina Flournoy, announced she was leaving.
“Tina has been a valued advisor and confidant to me and a tremendous leader for the office,” the vice president said. “From day 1, she led our team during a historic first year as we made progress rebuilding our economy here at home and our alliances around the world. Tina is the consummate public servant and I will continue to rely on her advice, counsel, and friendship.”
