Someone at the Republican National Committee should slip JD Vance a biography of his running mate because he doesn’t seem to know how Donald Trump has marketed himself for decades.
After the former president “decisively lost” the presidential debate against Kamala Harris — as Fox News host Neil Cavuto put it — followed quickly by a ringing endorsement of the Democratic ticket by Taylor Swift, Republicans have been left trying to find a positive spin on the one-two punch.
Step forward vice presidential nominee and Ohio senator Vance, who sat down for an interview with Martha MacCallum, also of Fox News.
Referencing the endorsement of the Harris-Walz ticket by Swift — perhaps the most influential recording artist in the world — MacCallum asked Vance how the campaign would speak to women voters who care about what she thinks.
The Ohio senator replied: “We admire Taylor Swift’s music, but I don’t think most Americans, whether they like her music or not, are going to be influenced by a billionaire celebrity who I think is fundamentally disconnected from the interests and the problems of most Americans.”
Given that Trump has spent more than 40 years cultivating an image as a “billionaire celebrity,” who as a politician is often characterized as being out of touch with most Americans, only running to return to the White House out of self-interest, and whose economic platform benefits billionaires to the detriment of the majority of the population, this was — to put it mildly — tone-deaf.
In his two months as Trump’s running mate, Vance has already caused the Trump campaign headaches with uncovered audio about “childless cat ladies,” a toe-curlingly awkward interaction at a donut store, and for publicizing a disproven fringe conspiracy about immigrants eating pets that Trump then repeated before a national audience to widespread ridicule.
Indeed, Swift’s endorsement post on Instagram even took a direct shot at Vance, when she signed off the reasoning for her choice of candidate with: “With love and hope, Taylor Swift, Childless Cat Lady.”
The Ohio senator made the comments on Fox while in New York City for the September 11 commemorations at which he appeared alongside Trump, Harris, and President Joe Biden.
Later in the day, Harris, Biden, and Trump (separately) also visited Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the sight of the Flight 93 National Memorial, with the president and vice president continuing to a wreath-laying ceremony at the Pentagon in Virginia.
Vance remained in New York and was later seen joined by his wife Usha taking a walk in Central Park.
The couple were spotted, surrounded by their Secret Service detail, walking near the Bethesda Fountain.
Earlier, Vance attended the Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund Charity Day 2024 which commemorates the 658 employees of the company who perished on September 11.
Other celebrity ambassadors appearing on the trading floor included Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea, Kenan Thompson, Neve Campbell, Rob Gronkowski, and Busy Philipps.