Finding “The One”

As a fortysomething woman in politics, finding a partner was tricky for Kamala Harris – until she went on a date with Doug Emhoff. In this extract from her memoir, the US Vice President goes back to the day she met the love of her life in 2013.

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I was in the middle of a meeting, and my phone wouldn’t stop buzzing. I ignored her call the first several times, but then I started to get worried. My best friend, Chrisette, was blowing up my phone. Her children are my godchildren. Had something happened? I stepped out and called her.

“What’s going on? Is everything okay?”

“Yes, everything is great. You’re going on a date,” she said.

“I am?”

“You are,” she replied with total certainty. “I just met this guy. He’s cute and he’s the managing partner of his law firm, and I think you’re going to really like him. He’s based in Los Angeles, but you’re always here for work anyway.”

Chrisette is like a sister to me, and I knew there was no use in arguing with her.

“What’s his name?” I asked.

“His name is Doug Emhoff, but promise me you won’t Google him. Don’t overthink it. Just meet him. I already gave him your number. He’s going to reach out.”

Part of me groaned, but at the same time, I appreciated Chrisette’s takecharge approach. She was one of the only people to whom I could talk candidly about my personal life. As a single, professional woman in my 40s, and very much in the public eye [as California attorney general], dating wasn’t easy. I knew that if I brought a man with me to an event, people would immediately start to speculate about our relationship. I also knew that single women in politics are viewed differently than single men. We don’t get the same latitude when it comes to our social lives.