On Monday afternoon, Donald Trump announced freshman Ohio Senator JD Vance as his Vice Presidential running mate. All the advanced telegraphing and breadcrumbs leading to Vance's doorstep weren't misdirection or head fakes, as it turned out. Following the reveal, I analyzed the development, describing Vance as highly intelligent and someone who served our country with great distinction, signing up for the Marines after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, which occurred while he was in high school. He and his wife have a wonderful young family, with three children. I added, "His bestselling memoir [Hillbilly Elegy] was searing, vulnerable, and insightful. His experiences, some painful and difficult, will resonate with many Americans." On a political level, though, I have some reservations, about the selection:
Committed Trump fans are loving the choice, but Trump already has a hyped up, highly motivated base in his column no matter what, especially after this weekend. I’m not sure if a voter exists who was conflicted on Trump but is motivated or reassured by Vance as the pick. I don’t see a tent expansion here. Trump may not need that, but he might. Vance is very young (my age), just joined the Senate last year (having notably underperformed other Ohio R’s on the ticket), and has little-to-no executive experience. He’s from the same “wing” of the party as Trump, after defecting from the opposite wing, in a number of ways. Is he a plausible POTUS on day one? Critics will go after that question (of course on the other side, they’ve got an unpopular Harris) & will also highlight some of Vance’s quotes over recent years— both about Trump himself and a few hot button issues.
It’s Trump’s choice alone, of course, and he may feel like the pick doesn’t really matter much. His supporters will say to trust Trump’s judgment on this. We’ll see if voters agree, or react in any significant way to this at all. Trump has doubled down on populism/base politics here. I don’t see it as the most advantageous pick for him politically, but it is what it is. The Left will be eager to define Vance in as negative a light as possible, asap. Vance will need to introduce himself to America in a compelling way. As I said, he’s very smart and can be quite impressive in interviews. Let’s see how he performs moving forward, starting on Wednesday night. Huge platform, huge opportunity.
Wednesday is now here. Vance has made a dramatic journey from a hardcore and sometimes vitriolic 'Never Trumper' to Trump's running mate. He is not exactly my sort of conservative, ideologically, on several subjects -- though we agree on many things. Setting that aside, Vance's not-too-long-ago quotes about Trump, and some soundbytes on issues like abortion will provide ample negative fodder for the Democrats and news media. Vance is sharp and articulate, which is a major plus. He'll have his work cut out for him. The race is on to define Trump's running mate, and the Left's machine is already churning away. Vance has an important opportunity to introduce himself to millions of people tonight during his acceptance speech. Vice Presidential nominees are often tasked with being designated attack dogs against the opposition, but given the context, I think Vance would benefit from leaning heavily into his uniquely American story. Biography, patriotism, positivity, and relatability -- including some light and soft touches -- could go a long way. As for the argument that his age and limited significant executive experience render him unprepared for the job, this is Vance's compact response:
This is exactly correct and a great response to the claim he “doesn’t have experience” https://t.co/BMfEOM0wON
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) July 16, 2024
He really did come from nothing. He had a dysfunctional family, his community was riddled with addiction, and his upbringing was marked with profound poverty. His book is worth reading; it wasn't turned into a feature length film for no reason. His voluntary military service in a time of war is, of course, quite admirable. But when the Democrats and media inevitably ask the 'ready on day one?' questions, there's another angle Republicans can point to, as large swaths of voters wonder about that critique:
[Vance would be] 40 upon assuming the Vice Presidency if the ticket wins, having only served part of a single Senate term. Qualified to be POTUS? Well: One counterpoint is Kamala Harris, who served a partial Senate term before running for the presidency (unsuccessfully) then getting the VP nod. But she was also a statewide officeholder before the Senate. The better counterpoint may be Barack Obama, a community organizer, turned part-time state legislator, turned US Senator, boosted primarily by his famous words. He entered the Senate in 2005 and announced his presidential run in 2007, in his mid-40s. Dems felt he was qualified to be POTUS. Vance is no less qualified (state senate, voting present isn’t too meaningful), and served in the US Marine Corps after 9/11, unlike Obama.
It's entirely fair to ask if someone with Vance's resume is truly prepared to lead the free world, if needed. But the political party and media that positively slobbered over Barack Obama are in absolutely no position to press this issue. They practically worshipped a man who was approximately Vance's age, with arguably less meaningful life experience, with a less impressive 'elite' resume, without any military service, who'd also completed less than a third of his first Senate, when he ran for president. They all insisted he was ready, and he won.
The party of Barack Obama, and their media allies, are in no position to credibly assail Vance on inexperience (also, Vance was a Marine): pic.twitter.com/iVSUzGpmcg
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) July 17, 2024
Finally, I'll note that Vance's wife, Usha, is an extraordinarily accomplished person in her own right. A daughter of immigrants (and a practicing Hindu), a former registered Democrat, and a corporate attorney, Mrs. Vance holds two degrees from Yale, studied at Cambridge, and clerked for both then-judge Brett Kavanaugh and Chief Justice John Roberts. Her role in her husband's journey, as described in Hillbilly Elegy, is formidable. I'd like to hear more from her. I'll leave you with this, which is well worth the read:
My interview with the Republican vice presidential nominee:https://t.co/uKLtkvJvwk
— Ross Douthat (@DouthatNYT) July 15, 2024