Marc Short, the former chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, is a long-time Republican, but on Wednesday, even he couldn't understand the strategy behind J.D. Vance's attacks on Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) 's 24-year military career.
Vance, who served four years in the military and was a reporter for the Marines in Iraq, said Walz's retirement came before his unit went to Iraq and another Minnesota man complained to the New York Post that he was sent in Walz's place. Vance attacked Walz for "stolen valor" due to the report.
Short called the comments a mistake because Vance moved the message from the purpose of his event in Michigan on Wednesday morning.
Read also: Yes: VP pick Tim Walz matters for winning the election. History shows it.
"I do think that in the last three weeks, there has been an enormous upheaval in all of this and the polls, but prior to [President Joe] Biden withdrawing, one of the biggest vulnerabilities for Democrats was the border and the economy and I think that's still the case," said Short.
"I think that unfortunately, much of the Trump campaign continues to be personal, whether or not, it is questioning Kamala Harris' heritage or this attack or, you know, frankly going to Georgia and deciding to attack very popular Republican governor," Short continued.
Trump spoke to a crowd of Black journalists last week, where he claimed that Harris spent her life talking about her Indian heritage and denying her Blackness. Harris attended a historically Black University and joined the first and oldest Black sorority.
NBC News reporter Garrett Haake said that Marc's comments are something he has heard from many Republicans.
"They think there is such fertile ground to turn off voters in the middle who may not like a more progressive Democratic ticket," said Haake. "That's what Vance was trying to do here with law and order remarks here in Michigan; he's going to Wisconsin later today, where he's expected to talk about inflation and the economy."
Short responded that he understood that Vance's intentions were to talk about the border or the economy, but because of Vance's attacks on Walz, it'll be all anyone talks about.
"You're at an event for law enforcement. There is enormous vulnerability for Governor Walz, but instead, the story today will attack the service of 24 years of the National Guard. Maybe they have polling that says that's a vulnerability. But it seems like you have a great message on law enforcement, and you're stepping on that accidentally," explained Short.
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