Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) is a quick learner.
In his swift public persona transformation from a Trump-bashing, moderate-appearing conservative to an all-out MAGA brawling, Don Jr.-emulating Trump loyalist, Vance has learned how to speak Trump’s language. (Trump’s love for repentance stories that involve people going from speaking badly about him publicly to groveling at his feet surely helped Vance get the Veepship, too.)
In the hours after the Saturday attack, which is being investigated as an assassination attempt on Trump, Vance posted on Twitter, giving an early articulation of what would quickly become most right-wing politicians’ line about the shooting.
“Today is not just some isolated incident. The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs,” Vance wrote. “That rhetoric led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination.”
Maybe that’s what sealed the deal, even as Trump went into the weekend claiming he was still undecided on the details of his VP announcement. But perhaps the former president has known for some time that Vance would be his right-hand man. I’m thinking specifically of a moment earlier this year, when the Ohio senator completed his transformation into a human vessel/mouthpiece for Trump’s various grievances, specifically the one closest to his heart: his anger with former Vice President Mike Pence for not bending to his pressure campaign and refusing to not certifying the 2020 election on Jan. 6.
“If I had been vice president, I would have told the states, like Pennsylvania, Georgia and so many others, that we needed to have multiple slates of electors, and I think the U.S. Congress should have fought over it from there,” Vance said during an interview with ABC News in February. “That is the legitimate way to deal with an election that a lot of folks, including me, think had a lot of problems in 2020.”
The Best Of TPM Today
Judge Cannon Dismisses Mar-A-Lago Case Against Trump
Vance Scores Vice Presidential Nod In Exchange For Total MAGA Capitulation
New Details Trickle Out About Trump Rally Shooter
Yesterday’s Most Read Story
Grounded Responses to Yesterday’s Attempted Assassination — Josh Marshall
Donald Trump is a corrupt fascist who must be stopped, but not at any cost. The only way he can be stopped is at the ballot box. Anything else will be a victory for fascism. Vance is correct, and completely f****** wrong at the same time. Sorry, my dictation software adds to stars.
is anybody in there?
All this bad news, it’s starting to get overwhelming. I would be more comfortable if I was numb.
He would invalidate the votes of millions to serve his master. He is only a nominee at this point, we need to work our asses off to make sure he and Trump are roundly defeated at the ballot box.
Jessica is back and preaching it! JD Vance is a security blanket with a beard. Go listen at the link.