Second Gentleman Pool Reports of July 18, 2024

SGOTUS pool note #1 - interfaith roundtable background

Good morning,

Scripps News is your print pool for Second Gentleman Emhoff's roundtable event today, scheduled to begin at 11:30am.

Your pool is currently holding outside the Indian Treaty Room in the EEOB, and have been told we're tracking an on-time start as of now.

Please see below for background on today's event from a White House official:

Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff will host a roundtable with religious leaders from national faith-based organizations on interfaith coalition building. The Second Gentleman will deliver remarks highlighting the Biden-Harris Administration's actions to combat hate and unify our nation. Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement Steve Benjamin and United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain will also attend.

The organizations attending today's roundtable include:

• Baha'is of the United States
• Black Muslim Leadership Council
• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Disciples of Christ
• Hindu American Foundation
• Interfaith America
• International Buddhist Association of America
• Multi-Faith Neighbors Network
• National Association of Evangelicals
• National Council of Churches
• Progressive National Baptist Convention
• Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
• Sikh Coalition
• The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
• United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

The Second Gentleman has been a leading voice on combating hate. He regularly travels across the country, meeting with local leaders and faith organizations to build coalitions.

Mr. Emhoff continuously engages in interfaith dialogue including, but not limited to:

• Meeting with the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom;
• Convening a group of young leaders with Jewish American, Muslim American, and Arab American, including Palestinian American at the USUN with Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield and Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain
• Meeting with the leaders of NewGround: A Muslim-Jewish Partnership for Change
• Delivering remarks at Sixth and I's MLK Shabbat on the importance of interfaith collaboration
• Meeting with Jewish and Muslim students across the nation to learn more about their experiences on college campuses

SGOTUS pool note #2 - interfaith roundtable remarks

Pool entered the Indian Treaty Room at 11:33am, where your pooler counted 15 attendees sitting around a large U-shaped table.

Second Gentleman Emhoff, WH Office of Public Engagement Director Steve Benjamin and United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain entered at 11:38am and took their seats at the center of the table.

Amb. Hussain opened remarks by emphasizing the need to stand together and "protect the rights of one another," here and around the world. He told attendees they're all "bridge-builders," and said it's "more important than ever that we step up our efforts and work together."

Benjamin spoke next, highlighting Second Gentleman Emhoff's "vision." Speaking to the complicated geopolitical context globally, he stressed that, "We know that we need to navigate these challenging times together." Relationships have become "so difficult to navigate right now," he said, though he added he has "faith" we can maintain such connections and come out even stronger. "We are here to listen closely, to learn from your experiences and insights," Benjamin said. He then introduced Emhoff as someone who is "committed to fostering interfaith dialogue," noting the conversation today will focus on how to navigate the complexities of this moment.

Emhoff began speaking at 11:45am, offering thanks to his introducers for their work.

"I wanted to bring this group together for a while now," Emhoff began. "This is a very difficult time in our country, in our world," he said. "Right now, we're in a crisis. It's a crisis of hate." He said today's event was intended to "explore how we can use that deep faith we all have together."

"There are forces out there trying to divide us," Emhoff said, but "that is not the way to go.

Speaking to his background, Emhoff described himself as a "typical Jewish suburban kid." Vice President Harris, meanwhile, grew up singing in her church choir and Emhoff said she learned there about the connection between faith and justice. Together they're an interfaith household, Emhoff said, stressing that they have respect for each other and each other's faith. "At heart is the fight for justice – Tzedek," Emhoff said (Tzedek translates to justice in Hebrew). Emhoff said that despite their differing faiths, both he and the Vice President "hate bullies," and fighting for others undergirds the "core" of their relationship.

Emhoff recounted several actions the Biden administration has already taken to address antisemitism and religious tolerance more broadly, including 2022's United We Stand summit, President Biden's interagency group to combat antisemitism and the resulting national strategy. He said that "there will be an Islamophobia plan coming out soon as well."

Part of the administration's effort on this topic involves "fostering connections in coalitions and community," Emhoff said, something he was thinking about before the "horrific day" of Oct. 7 and since. "Hate is interconnected," he noted, reflecting on the 2022 shooting at Tops Friendly Markets. "Hate, which is coursing through our country, is a poison, it's like a poison coursing through the veins of our country," Emhoff said. "It can destroy our beautiful democracy." He concluded noting hate is a "real threat" to our democracy, and "that's why we all need to be invested, we all need to come together," something he said would be the basis of the conversation today.

The open press portion of the event concluded at 11:53am. On our way out of the room, your pooler shouted to ask Emhoff to whether he'd spoken to President Biden since his Covid diagnosis and if he has any impression of the president's condition. The Second Gentleman made eye contact with your pooler but did not answer. We're told the entire conversation (including the spray at the top) is expected to last about an hour. An otter of the spray is accessible here, should anyone need: https://otter.ai/u/hXQOJ1INl7gLShviHtw_PcNB-dQ?utm_source=copy_url

Your pooler asked press aides whether they had any more information about the Islamophobia "plan" the Second Gentleman referenced and they said they'd follow-up if they had any more information to provide. Otherwise, that's it from me - have a good rest of your day!