J.D. Vance is doomed to spend the next few months, and maybe the next few years, being a professional scapegoat for Donald Trump.
During Tuesday night’s debate, when Trump was asked about how he would vote on a national abortion ban, he went out of his way to blame his vice presidential pick.
“Your running mate, J.D. Vance, has said that you would veto [an abortion ban] if it did come to your desk,” said ABC News anchor Linsey Davis, referring to Vance’s statement last month that Trump “explicitly” told him that he would veto a federal abortion ban.
“Well I didn’t discuss it with J.D., in all fairness. And I don’t mind if he has a certain view, but I don’t think he was speaking for me,” Trump said on the debate stage, before stumbling through the rest of his words. “We don’t have to discuss it.”
Trump unable to answer yes or no if he would veto a national abortion ban… throws JD Vance under the bus pic.twitter.com/d3xED6KUwC
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 11, 2024
When ABC News followed up with Vance after the debate, he was asked to explain Trump’s answer.
“Well, I think the president’s been very clear that he doesn’t want a national abortion ban,” said Vance “I think in some ways he finds the question a little bit ridiculous because why are we asking him about legislation that’s never going to actually happen and why would he veto it or not veto it when he says very explicitly he doesn’t support a national abortion ban and he wants these policies to be made by the states?”
But Vance’s answer didn’t explain why Trump would throw him under the bus. When asked to further clarify the mix-up, Vance replied both that he “hadn’t spoken to him about it” and that “Donald Trump thinks the question is absurd because he doesn’t support a national abortion ban.” He went on to blame “the media” for targeting Trump on abortion and “distracting” Americans, before shifting attention to attacks on Kamala Harris.
Clearly, Vance is more than happy to kiss the ring.
