Did Jill Biden Kiss Doug Emhoff on the Lips at the State of the Union? Harris: 'I Haven't Watched the Video' (February 7, 2023)

The first viral moment of President Joe Biden’s 2023 State of the Union came before he said a word. “First lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Douglas Emhoff unintentionally created the first viral moment of President Biden’s second State of the Union address,” Fox News reported [2].

“Ahead of the speech, the first lady received a warm reception when she walked into the House Chamber, but an even warmer one from Emhoff. Both she and the second gentleman were seen greeting each other with a kiss on the lips,” Fox reported [2].

The video above shows the first lady’s arrival in the House chamber on Feb. 7, 2023. Quotes are as reported by Fox News [1][2][3][4].

”Is This… Normal?”

“The moment immediately went viral on Twitter,” Fox News reported that night [1].

Then Biden spoke. “The story of America is a story of progress and resilience…We are the only country that has emerged from every crisis stronger than when we entered it. That is what we are doing again,” he said, according to his prepared remarks as quoted by Fox [1].

“Did Jill Biden just kiss… Doug Emhoff on the mouth?!” AFP journalist Inès Bel Aïba wrote, according to Fox [2].

“Is this… normal?” Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips wondered. “Cheek is fine. Or a hug. This is odd considering they both knew the cameras were on them,” Fox News contributor Joe Concha tweeted [2].

“This was not on my BINGO card tonight,” YouTube host Anthony Cabassa reacted. “We’re off to a HOT start,” conservative strategist Greg Price quipped [2].

“I love love,” Breitbart politics editor Emma-Jo Morris tweeted. Conservative commentator Kelsey Bolar joked, “plot twist,” according to Fox [2].

“Many called the kiss ‘weird’ while others joked that ‘COVID is over,’” Fox reported [2].

”I Haven’t Watched the Video”

The next day, Vice President Kamala Harris, Emhoff’s wife, was asked about it by Univision correspondent Edwin Pitti. “No, I haven’t watched the video, I don’t know,” Harris said, according to Fox News [3].

She quickly changed the subject. “But I do know that the first lady and the second gentleman are working arduously with what we are doing with my husband against antisemitism, very important,” Harris said, “while smiling,” Fox reported [3].

“He was just in Poland, in Kraków, and was visiting Auschwitz, to visit what we need to do in order to fight against hate,” Harris said of her husband [3].

“But the first lady and the second gentleman are truly, truly concerned for many people that are overlooked and underrepresented,” she concluded [3].

”It Was a Peck”

Univision’s anchors tried to explain it away, Fox reported. “Really if you zoom in, you realize that no, it was a peck…a close kiss but a kiss with no kind of controversy, right?” the anchors said. They “also suggested the ‘angle’ had made it look like something it wasn’t,” according to Fox [3].

Among the Night’s Top Moments

Fox News ranked it among the biggest moments of the night. “5. The kiss,” Fox listed. “First lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff shared a kiss ahead of Biden’s speech.” [5]

The same list noted that “Biden opened his speech with a gaffe, incorrectly calling Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer the ‘minority leader,’” and that “Four Supreme Court justices — Clarence Thomas, Sam Alito, Sonia Sotomayor and Neil Gorsuch — opted against attending the speech” [5].

Before the speech, “Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Vice President Kamala Harris were spotted chatting and laughing in a friendly exchange before the president’s speech,” Fox reported [5].

”It’s Jill. I’m So Proud of Joe”

The first lady was busy during the speech, too. “First lady Jill Biden was quick to capitalize on the State of the Union publicity to raise money for Democrats, appearing to sign a fundraising text within the first half of her husband’s speech,” Fox News reported [4].

“It’s Jill. I’m so proud of Joe,” the text read. “But there’s more for this team to accomplish. Can you chip in $20 to the DNC to get it done?” [4]

“The Democratic National Committee’s fundraising blitz, signed by the first lady, came at 9:20 p.m. ET – just 20 minutes into the president’s roughly 90-minute speech,” Fox reported [4].

She “sat alongside Emhoff and the family of Tyre Nichols, who were featured guests of President Biden at his State of the Union address,” according to Fox [4].

By the Numbers

$20: the donation the first lady’s text asked for [4].
9:20 p.m.: when the fundraising text went out [4].
20 minutes: into the speech when it was sent, per Fox [4].
90 minutes: the rough length of Biden’s speech, per Fox [4].
312-226: Trump’s win over Harris in 2024 [6].

What Happened Next

The ticket fell apart. On July 21, 2024, Biden wrote that “I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down” [7]. Harris, the second gentleman’s wife, became the Democratic nominee. She lost to Donald Trump, 312 electoral votes to 226, according to the National Archives [6].

For the speech itself, including the “Liar!” shout from the floor, see HYGO News’ page on the 2023 State of the Union.