Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) will deliver the keynote speech at the RNC on Wednesday night, marking his first full-length public appearance after Donald Trump selected him as a vice presidential candidate.
Vance has made the transition, at once remarkable and utterly familiar, over the past eight years from comparing Trump to “cultural heroin” to now fervently helping to sell him to the masses. He’s ambitious, a quality demonstrated by more than his shift to supporting Trump: since being elected to the Senate in 2022, he’s articulated an aggressive agenda that includes deprioritizing support for Ukraine in favor of China, imposing a tariff on all imports, and ceasing federal efforts to support the transition to green energy.
A lot of this is relatively standard GOP policy, dressed up in the belligerent and aggrieved tone of modern Trumpism. It’s not clear what favor Vance’s policy preferences will even have in the White House. If Trump’s first term was any indication, he’ll rule largely on whim. Besides, look what happened to Vance’s predecessor.
We’ll be following along below:
Watch Live
What To Expect
Wednesday night's theme will be foreign policy, after Tuesday focused on immigration.
Per a schedule posted online, the RNC will kickstart events at 5:30 p.m. CT, with Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) giving a speech. Trump-era acting Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell will speak, along with both Gingriches (Callista and Newt). Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Nancy Mace (R-SC), and Ronny Jackson (R-TX) will also speak.
The Trump-era GOP has come to regard immigration as a national security issue; fittingly, former acting ICE director Thomas Homan is slated to speak Wednesday evening as well, along with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R).
Two reps from the Trump bloodline will precede Vance's keynote: granddaughter Kai Trump and her father, Don. Jr.
Vance himself is expected to begin speaking during the 9:00 p.m. CT hour.
Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) will deliver the keynote speech at the RNC on Wednesday night, marking his first full-length public appearance after Donald Trump selected him as a vice presidential candidate.
Vance has made the transition, at once remarkable and utterly familiar, over the past eight years from comparing Trump to “cultural heroin” to now fervently helping to sell him to the masses. He’s ambitious, a quality demonstrated by more than his shift to supporting Trump: since being elected to the Senate in 2022, he’s articulated an aggressive agenda that includes deprioritizing support for Ukraine in favor of China, imposing a tariff on all imports, and ceasing federal efforts to support the transition to green energy.
A lot of this is relatively standard GOP policy, dressed up in the belligerent and aggrieved tone of modern Trumpism. It’s not clear what favor Vance’s policy preferences will even have in the White House. If Trump’s first term was any indication, he’ll rule largely on whim. Besides, look what happened to Vance’s predecessor.
We’ll be following along below:
Not sure if this is the backdoor or front door.
Biden deserves credit for no US servicemen war deaths. I’m sure a bunch of service members have died doing stupid stuff, but that’s just young men, booze and idiocy.
ETA: if the Dems could please stop fighting Biden for a minute, a whole bunch of adverts highlighting what Vance used to say put on Fox “News” might mean that he gets canned by TCF for being insufficiently loyal in the past. Can’t hurt things.
Lots of chatter about Vance being the MAGA dude with a brain. The smart one. The guy that can pull it off. Well…he’s not smart enough to see what’s happened to all those before him that came into close association with Trump nor smart enough not fear it happening to him.
MAGA has two options do what it says…and become pariahs within 2 years and don’t do what it says and have their base screaming for their heads. Or a gallows. Either way Vance is fucked bigly and his political career ( which is all he’s playing for ) is done.
It is somewhat surprising that Trump chose Vance as his running mate. I would think the beard would cause some irritation when he kisses Trump’s butt.
I’m very sorry that TPM staff are going to have to watch this. Godspeed, you crazy kids. Thank you for your service.
It’s certainly not an unfamiliar tone as Richard Hofstadter pointed out years ago but the level of ressentiment has been raised to 11 and the level of responsible government actually on offer is going negative: Fascism got the trains running on time as the cliche goes but, like Putinism, what is on offer here is authoritarian kakistocracy with a big serving of klepto.