Folks, I’m sipping my coffee and reading about JD Vance’s latest defense of a controversial campaign ad, and I’ve got to say, it’s a wild ride. Vance is backing Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s ad featuring the estranged mother of his opponent, Democrat Amy Acton, which has been widely panned. The ad is controversial because Acton has said she hasn’t seen her mother since she was 12 years old, when her stepfather was indicted for sexually abusing her and her mother stayed with him. Vance is basically saying that the ends justify the means, and if it takes a questionable ad to win, then so be it.
It’s not like we haven’t seen this kind of thing before from Vance. He’s been known to defend some pretty questionable tactics in the past, like the false claim that Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, were stealing and eating people’s pets. And let’s not forget his comments on antisemitism, where he refused to take a side and instead said that he didn’t “bring a list of conservatives to denounce or to deplatform.”
Vance’s defense of Ramaswamy’s ad is just the latest example of his willingness to do whatever it takes to win. He’s not shy about it either, saying that “politics is a tough business” and that his fellow Republicans should “stop whining about an advertisement and go win the race.” It’s a pretty blunt assessment, but it’s not like we haven’t seen this kind of thing from him before.
I’ve got to wonder, though, what’s going on in the minds of the people who come up with these ads. Somewhere in Ohio, a campaign strategist thought that featuring a candidate’s estranged mother in an ad would be a good idea. It’s just baffling to me. And Vance’s defense of it is even more baffling. He’s basically saying that it’s okay to use someone’s family trauma as a political weapon, as long as it helps you win.
It’s not like Vance is alone in this kind of thinking, though. We’ve seen plenty of examples of politicians using questionable tactics to win elections. But Vance’s willingness to defend these tactics so openly is what’s really striking. He’s not trying to hide it or spin it; he’s just owning it and saying that it’s all part of the game.
As I’m reading through all of this, I’m reminded of Vance’s past comments on the importance of calling out evil and extremism, even when it’s in your own party. He used to be a lot more willing to speak out against questionable behavior, but now he seems to be embracing a much more zero-sum view of politics. It’s a shame, really, because I think he had some good points to make back in the day.
In the end, though, it’s all just politics as usual, I suppose. Vance is doing what he thinks it takes to win, and Ramaswamy is using whatever tactics he can to get ahead. It’s not pretty, but it’s the way the game is played, I guess. And who knows, maybe it’ll all work out for them in the end. But for now, I’m just going to sit back, sip my coffee, and shake my head at the whole thing. After all, as they say, “all’s fair in love and war” – and politics, apparently.
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
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