"Veeps let the president be presidential, the calm and resolute leader of the nation, while taking on the "attack dog" role themselves, tending to the dirtier, more emotional work of pure partisan politics. Vice-presidents spend a lot of time at foreign funerals, of course, but also a lot of time at party fundraisers and second-tier campaign events around the country."
"First, he has a short career in politics that was preceded by some of the nastiest remarks any Republican has ever uttered about Donald Trump, particularly during the mogul's rise to power in 2016. Back then, Vance called Trump "America's Hitler"; a "moral disaster"; a "villainous, doucey celeb"; a "total fraud"; an "idiot"; and "unfit for our nation's highest office." These comments have been forgiven but not forgotten."
Vice-presidents traditionally shield the president's flanks and tend to the party base, allowing the president to appear calm and resolute while they handle combative partisan tasks. Veeps act as attack dogs, attend funerals, fundraisers, and second-tier campaign events, and defend the president to party loyalists. J.D. Vance faces heightened pressure to demonstrate absolute loyalty because of prior harsh denunciations of Donald Trump and comparisons with Mike Pence, whom many MAGA supporters view as a traitor for January 6. Vance must constantly prove his fealty to reassure Trump and MAGA activists while embracing aggressive partisan advocacy.
Read at Intelligencer
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]