A CNN panel discussion spiraled into chaos when Scott Jennings called out Doug Emhoff, Vice President Kamala Harris’ husband. The topic arose after talking about Eminem’s admiration for Vice President Kamala Harris while he introduced Obama at a Detroit rally to encourage voter participation.
Jennings commented, “I think he didn’t move the numbers. I think this Eminem thing—I gotta tell you—this campaign is… So, everything that’s said about Donald Trump and his treatment of women and the gender gap in this campaign—this rapper, who I fully admit sold a lot of records, if you’ve read some of the things he has said about the promotion of domestic violence.” Jennings was alluding to the rapper’s lyrics.
Attempting to pivot the conversation, Jennings went on, “Everything that’s said about Donald Trump and his treatment of women and the gender gap in this campaign… some of the things that have been said about Harris’ own husband in this regard…” He was abruptly cut off, with panelist Abby Phillip interjecting, “We’re going to stop here for a second.
Jennings wasn’t done, though. When another panelist tried to shut down his point, Jennings retorted, “If you could just give me 13 seconds…” but was quickly interrupted. Phillip then attempted to steer the discussion back to Trump, claiming, “I’ll take those concerns seriously if you also express concerns about the allegations he’s been found liable for rape.” Despite the chaos, Jennings managed to land a punch, noting the selective outrage of the media. “What I’m saying is celebrities don’t move the needle.”
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Alluding to Jennings’ comments, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff has faced serious allegations, mainly from a DailyMail article which claims he slapped an ex-girlfriend, “Jane,” at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. Three anonymous sources, identified as Jane’s friends, stated that the incident happened during a valet dispute, allegedly driven by Emhoff’s jealousy. According to these sources, Jane ended the relationship immediately, leaving her in shock. Emhoff’s spokesperson has denied the report, calling it “untrue” and rejecting the notion that he has ever hit a woman.
The story has not been widely corroborated by other media outlets but remains a focal point in the press. Jane’s friends also alleged that Emhoff admitted to impregnating his children’s nanny, leading to an $80,000 settlement and a non-disclosure agreement. The nanny, Najen Naylor, accused Emhoff of causing a miscarriage, though he denied any involvement.
The allegations conflict sharply with Emhoff’s public image as an advocate for women and critic of toxic masculinity, a persona bolstered by appearances alongside Vice President Kamala Harris. While the claims have yet to be fully addressed further by Emhoff, they pose a potential challenge to his carefully cultivated image and could impact the Harris-Emhoff political brand ahead of the election.
