A one-on-one interview with Meet the Press has done absolutely nothing for J.D. Vance’s likability problem.
NBC’s Kristen Welker sat down with Donald Trump’s vice presidential pick on Sunday, but questions Vance could have used to clear the air with voters were instead used as opportunities to double down on how weird and alienating the fairly unpopular candidate is.
Vance—who has famously likened abortion to murder—insisted that the “childless cat lady” comment he made about Democratic leadership in 2021 was intended to be about wanting to give women more “choices.” Still, he doesn’t regret it.
“You’re calling it a sarcastic comment, and yet some women, and you got the feedback in real time, felt like it was a gut punch to them personally. Do you regret making that comment?” asked Welker.
“Look, I regret, certainly, that a lot of people took it the wrong way, and I certainly regret that the DNC and Kamala Harris lied about it—” Vance started, before Welker interjected to clarify if he regretted saying it.
“Look, Kristen, I’m going to say things from time to time that people disagree with,” Vance said. “I’m a real person. I’m going to make jokes, I’m going to say things sarcastically. And I think it’s important that we focus on the policy.”
“I think it’s most important to actually be the person I actually am,” Vance continued, later commenting that he believed that making the abrasively misogynistic remark was in line with him being a “normal human being.”
“I have a lot of regrets, Kristen, but making a joke three years ago was not in the Top 10 on the list,” Vance added.
Welker: You're calling it a sarcastic comment, women felt like it was a gut punch to them. Do you regret making that comment?
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 25, 2024
Vance: I have a lot of regrets but making a joke is not on the top ten list pic.twitter.com/hfMKG9lyGd
In another portion of the interview, Vance seemingly had no response to a question about why Trump is undermining the integrity of the 2024 election before it has even occurred.
“Why is Donald Trump casting doubt on the election before it’s even happened?” Welker asked.
“I don’t think that’s what Donald Trump is doing,” Vance said.
“That’s what he’s doing,” Welker said.
“I think that what he’s saying is that we want to pursue a set of policies in the Republican Party that make it easier for every legal ballot to be cast and counted, but make it harder for illegally cast ballots to be counted,” Vance continued, arguing for reforming election laws by way of the judicial system. “Now, we can disagree about how many of those there are, whether there are a few hundred, a few thousand, maybe more.”
“Do you have faith that the 2024 election will be free and fair?” asked Welker.
“I do, Kristen,” Vance said. “I do think it’s going to be free and fair. And we’re going to do everything that we can to make sure that happens. We’re going to pursue every pathway to make sure, again, legal ballots get counted. But I feel very good about where we are. I think we’re going to win this race, and I think we’re going to win it in a very good election.”
Welker: Why is Donald Trump casting doubt on the election before it's even happened?
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 25, 2024
Vance: I don't think that's what Donald Trump is doing.
Welker: That's what he's doing. pic.twitter.com/QWrJmfG5NY
There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud, despite what Vance and Trump continue to insist. Vance has also previously stated, including during the current campaign, that it’s up to the candidates to win the support of voters, as opposed to bringing doubt and suspicion to the process in which ballots are counted.
