SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER

Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.

* indicates required
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Bruce Fischer, husband of Republican Sen. Deb Fischer, rejects a handshake from Vice Prsident Kamala Harris

Bruce Fischer, husband of Replican U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska, rejects a handshake from Democratic U.S. Vice Prsident Kamala Harris in the Capitol in Washington, D.C. on January 3, 2025.

(Photo: CSPAN screen grab)

'Racist' and 'Classless' Husband of GOP Senator Won't Shake Kamala Harris' Hand

"What an absolutely pathetic display of fragility and hate," said one observer.

Video of the husband of a Republican U.S. senator rebuffing Vice President Kamala Harris' attempted congratulatory handshake during the lawmaker's swearing-in ceremony went viral Monday, with observers calling the move "classless" and "exactly what is wrong with American culture right now."

Bruce Fischer, husband of third-term GOP Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska, dodged Harris' outstretched hand during Friday's swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., offering a mere nod and curt "thank you" in return after his wife took the oath of office.

"It's OK, I won't bite... don't worry," Harris said in response to Mr. Fischer's apparent reluctance to even stand close to her.

Liberals—and some Republicans—dragged Fischer's departure from decorum, which came just weeks before Harris and President Joe Biden leave office and Republican President-elect Donald Trump and J.D. Vance, his vice president, take the reins.

"Bruce Fischer is exactly what is wrong with American culture right now," filmmaker Princella D. Smith said on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. "We have put civility on the shelf."

The group Republicans Against Trump also took to X, calling Fischer's move "truly classless."

Former longtime CNN host Don Lemon called Fischer a "racist piece of shit" in a video posted on TikTok.

Liberal social media personality Xander Xjork Anderson called Fischer a "classless asshole" adding, "Vice President Kamala Harris has more dignity and class than every MAGA Republican asshole combined."

"America really screwed up," Anderson added. "Enjoy Trump making America a laughingstock again."

Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.