Kamala Harris And Doug Emhoff Address Israel-Hamas War Protests At Los Angeles Reelection Fundraiser

Ted Johnson
·3 min read
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UPDATED: Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, appearing at a Los Angeles re-election fundraiser tonight, each addressed the Israel-Gaza war protests that have highlighted a split on the left.

About two dozen pro-Palestinian demonstrators were outside the event, held at the home of entertainment attorney Cliff Gilbert-Lurie and Leslie Gilbert-Lurie, and some of the protesters chanted “Free Palestine” and held a banner that read “No pride in genocide,” according to a pool report. Demonstrators also threw fake blood in front of the home, and placed their red handprints on the ground, as they have at other protests.

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Inside, with about 140 people in attendance, Leslie Gilbert-Lurie introduced Emhoff and told the crowd, “At this heart breaking moment when antisemitism is rapidly gaining traction along with Islamophobia, racism and xenophobia, it is so reassuring to know that the Second Gentleman understands what many of us are experiencing.”

Per the pool report, Emhoff, who is the first Jewish spouse of a president or vice president, talked about the conversations he has been having amid rising antisemitism and hate speech.

“You saw it outside walking in here today,” he said, a reference to the protesters. “This is the times that we’re living in right now.”

As she was readying to speak, Harris was interrupted by someone at the event who called for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, according to the pool. The vice president paused for a bit, and said, “We live in a democracy. This is a very difficult time and it’s important that we all agree that people should have the freedom to have their voices heard.”

She referred to the fight against antisemitism and Islamophobia. “We’ve already been dealing with hate in various forms these last several years.”

The vice president also addressed the Biden-Harris electoral chances, with a number of polls showing GOP front runner Donald Trump now in the lead nationally and in major swing states.

“This is a very critical moment in the history of our country and the history of the world and so much of what we have each fought for and believed in our entire lives is at stake in this election and in this moment,” she said, predicting a difficult reelection battle but that they “will win.”

“The bottom line is we are going to win. It is not going to be easy. It will not be easy. There are powerful forces in our country right now that are trying to divide our nation,” she said. “And it will be incumbent on us to hold it together for the sake of the strength of our nation and our future.”

The event raised nearly $500,000, according to organizers. In addition to the Gilbert-Luries, the co-hosts included Skip Brittenham and Heather Thomas, John Emerson and Kimberly Marteau Emerson, Sam Fischer and Leah Fischer, Reginald Hudlin and Chrisette Hudlin, Allan Mutchnik and Nicole Mutchnik, and Michael Rotenberg and Shannon Mabrey Rotenberg.

Tickets for the event started at $500 per person for young professionals and rose to $1,000 per person for the “supporter” level. Those who wrote or raised $10,000 were as co-hosts, and had access to the photo line. Co-chairs were those who wrote or raised $25,000, also with access to a photo line, per the invite.

The fundraiser raised money for the Biden Victory Fund, with money split between the Biden campaign, the Democratic National Committee and state committees.

The president is expected to trek to Southern California by the end of the year for a fund-raising swing.

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