Ask A Genius 1159: Gaffes of J.D. Vance
Author(s): Rick Rosner and Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): Ask A Genius
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2024/11/11
*Interview conducted October/November, 2024.*
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: What gaffes and flaws do you see in Vance, similar to the commentary about Trump and about Walls?
Rick Rosner: Vance has been attacked by Trump and others for changing his political stances. Most famously, maybe, is about fracking. He was, at some point, in 2016, against fracking, which I take to mean he was against all fracking, and now he’s pro-fracking. Which I assume means pro-reasonable fracking, which would be my stance—that there are places where you can reasonably do fracking. We’ve fucked up the planet by pulling out a ton of fossil fuels. Fracking is more of that. But we’re not past the fossil fuel era yet.
So, I guess I’m okay with fracking, done reasonably. I assume that’s what Harris thinks too at this point. Vance has changed his opinion of Trump extremely. Vance, being a young guy, has an extensive history of emails and social media posts. He called Trump America’s Hitler, and there are probably more than a dozen social media posts where Vance talks about what a piece of shit Trump is. And now that he’s on Team Trump, Trump has forgiven him. So, his past is a gaffe. Then, his statements that are anti-women, his getting behind the idea that Haitian immigrants eat dogs and cats—you could call those gaffes, but they’re things he’s said that don’t bug his base. They might cost him support, maybe among some independents.
So, is it a gaffe when you say this shit, and it’s in line with what Trump’s been saying? Has he said anything disqualifyingly awful? It’s not in the nature of this election to even have that happen. Trump and Vance can’t say anything so terrible that it costs them support among their base. There’s only a 3% gap—Harris only has a 3% lead. And there are only 3% undecided voters. So, the Trump base is kind of gaffe-proof.
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