Jen Psaki is slammed for fawning over Doug Emhoff's 'reshaping of masculinity' - despite getting his nanny pregnant

Jen Psaki has been slammed for fawning over Doug Emhoff - and claiming that his role as the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris has 'reshaped the perception of masculinity.' 

Psaki's farcical comment comes just months after DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that Emhoff's first marriage ended when he got his children's nanny pregnant.

Emhoff, 59, had an affair with Najen Naylor, a teacher at his children's school who also moonlighted as a nanny for then-eight-year-old daughter Ella.

The affair cost him his first marriage, leading him and his first wife Kerstin, now CEO of 'creative think tank' Prettybird, to divorce in 2009. 

Now, just about a month away from the 2024 presidential election, the MSNBC political reporter and former White House Press Secretary said Emhoff is 'an incredibly supportive spouse.' 

'Something that has always - there has also been an important part, an interesting part of how people have talked about your role here is - how your role has reshaped the perception of masculinity,' Psaki said. 

Emhoff immediately smiled at her and laughed as she added: 'And I'm not sure you've planned on that but you are an incredibly supportive spouse. 

'Has that been an evolution for you, and do you think that's part of the role you might play as first gentleman?'

Emhoff responded: 'It's funny, I've started to think a lot about this. I've always been like this, my dad was like this, and to me it's the right thing to do, you know, support women - it's mutual, with Kamala and I. 

'We support each other, we have each other's back, and I've said it many times, when we lift up women, we support women, whether it's pay equity, childcare, family leave, and all these issues.

'Women should not be less than, women should not have less rights and be treated differently, that's not the American way,' he added. 

Emhoff added that even when he was in the business world, he 'lifted up' the organizations he was involved in, just like Psaki 'lifted up the White House' when she was there. 

Psaki then referred to Emhoff as 'a proud wife guy' before asking him how he felt about his wife's opponent, Donald Trump, who 'is not as comfortable with fierce women.'

'He's also refusing to agree to a debate, which she [Harris] has already agreed to. Do you think he's scared of debating her?'

'Yes, he should be,' Emhoff replied. 

Commenters quickly reacted to Psaki's shock description of Emhoff as one person said: 'Emhoff was married at the time too. Let’s be clear about that. He’s without morals just like Kamala.' 

'I’m failing to find anything masculine about him,' wrote another.

'There is no man alive who believes Doug Emhoff, of all people, reshaped the "perception of masculinity",' a commenter said. 

Someone else argued that 'this is the craziest thing' Psaki has said. 

'Are you really discussing the perception of masculinity Ms Psaki . You must have more important things to do,' said another.  

News broke about Emhoff's affair with his ex-wife just hours after his name and face was thrusted into the limelight, when his wife's campaign unveiled new coffee mugs emblazoned with an image of a handsome - noticeably younger, thinner and fuller-haired Second Gentleman, for sale on kamalaharris.com.

Within hours, the Harris campaign was on the defensive with Emhoff admitting the affair, and claiming he had told Kamala years ago and had also revealed the affair to Joe Biden's camp when it was vetting candidates for the vice-presidential candidate in 2020.

'During my first marriage, Kerstin and I went through some tough times on account of my actions,' Emhoff admitted sheepishly after DailyMail.com's exclusive.

'I took responsibility, and in the years since, we worked through things as a family and have come out stronger on the other side.'

But even though Harris, 59, is said to have known, it still left her 'unnerved and humiliated' just two weeks after it became clear she would be the Democrat's 2024 presidential pick, according to one insider.

'She's trying to focus on rebranding her image and this is the last thing she wanted right now.

'Put bluntly it's not a good look and Harris and her team know it. News of the affair has dominated coverage of the candidate over the weekend and sparked panic in her camp,' they said. 

Even a statement from his first wife supporting him didn't help much.

'Doug and I decided to end our marriage for a variety of reasons, many years ago,' Kerstin, 57, said.

'He is a great father to our kids, continues to be a great friend to me and I am really proud of the warm and supportive blended family Doug, Kamala, and I have built together.' 

Naylor, now 47, moved from California to the east coast shortly after the affair ended.

She now lives in the millionaire's playground of the Hamptons, New York.

She did not attempt to deny the affair when approached by DailyMail.com at her home.

Her only comment was that she was 'kind of freaked out right now.' 

But a close friend with direct knowledge of the affair and pregnancy told DailyMail.com that Naylor did not keep the child, while CBS has since reported that the pregnancy ended in a miscarriage.

Another friend, Stacey Brooks, who mothered twin boys around the same time as Naylor was expecting, also did not deny any of the claims – but said she would not divulge further information without Naylor's permission.

Emhoff and movie producer ex-wife Kerstin, 57, ended their 16-year marriage in 2009 when she discovered the affair, the sources said. Their daughter Ella was 10 and son Cole was 15 at the time. 

Sources told DailyMail.com that after the affair Naylor had to leave her job at the children's swanky private school, The Willows in Culver City, California, where she worked first as a teacher's aide and then as a teacher. 

Emhoff met Harris, then California's Attorney General, three years later in 2013 when he was set up on a blind date by one of her friends. They married the following year.

It is not clear whether he confessed his affair to Harris before his second wife was undergoing vetting to become Vice President or if that was the moment it came to light.