Former President Donald Trump's running mate J.D. Vance sure sounded like he was slamming Trump when asked for a response to a speech Maryland Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin made on the first day of the Democratic National Convention.
In his speech, Raskin ridiculed Vance by making light of the very reason Donald Trump was in the market for a vice presidential candidate in 2024.
Namely:
"They tried to kill your predecessor."
Indeed, Pence could have been killed on January 6, 2021, the day a mob of Trump's supporters stormed the United States Capitol on the false premise that the 2020 election had been stolen, angry that he certified the results, as was his constitutional duty.
Video footage from that day shows the angry mob chanting "Hang Mike Pence!" and "Bring out Pence!" as they search for him through the halls of the Capitol. And just outside, the mob had set up a makeshift gallows.
But a visibly annoyed Vance scoffed at Raskin's remarks, telling CNN's Jake Tapper:
"I just don't understand a person in American politics in 2024 who is whining about what happened to them instead of using their leadership and influence to make the lives of American citizens better."
You can hear his remarks in the video below.
Did Vance realize that he was inadvertently criticizing the man at the top of the GOP ticket?
The same man who has spent years lying about the integrity of the 2020 election and was recently convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels to illegally influence the 2016 election?
The same man who has falsely claimed that President Joe Biden is behind his prosecution in the election interference case and that he is the victim of a "witch hunt"? The same man who says he is entitled to personal attacks against his political opponents and suggested they be tried before military tribunals?
How about the man whose persecution complex is so encompassing that he openly panders to evangelicals and white nationalists by casting himself as a Messiah figure?
The same man Vance backs with no sense of irony?
No, Vance didn't seem to realize this at allâand Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign issued a snarky response when it posted the footage of Vance's remarks along with a simple emoji.
Vance was swiftly mocked.
Vance continues to flounder as Tim Walz, Vice President Kamala Harris' VP pick, rises in popularity.
According to a poll released Wednesday by The Associated Press-NORC Research Center, Walz is viewed more favorably than his Republican counterpart.
The survey revealed that 36 percent of Americans have a positive opinion of Walz, compared to 27 percent for Vance.
Despite this, both vice presidential candidates remain relatively unknown to many voters. The poll indicated that about 4 in 10 Americans are unfamiliar with the Minnesota governor, while 3 in 10 expressed the same about the first-term Ohio senator.
Vance faces a higher level of unfavorable opinions, with 44 percent of respondents holding a negative view of him, significantly more than the 25 percent who view Walz unfavorably.
Walzâs stronger favorability rating aligns with a recent survey by ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos, which found that 39 percent of respondents had a positive view of the Minnesota governor, compared to 32 percent for Vance.
