The political evolution of J.D. Vance
Consider This from NPR
NPR
4.2 • 6.2K Ratings
🗓️ 16 July 2024
⏱️ 11 minutes
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Summary
Vance first drew the national spotlight in 2016 with the publication of his memoir "Hillbilly Elegy." The book served as a biography of his upbringing in America's Rust Belt and social commentary on the white working class at a time when many were trying to understand those voting for Donald Trump.
On the press tour for that book Vance had a lot of negative things to say about Donald Trump. He said Trump was unfit for the nation's highest office, and in unearthed private messages, he compared Trump to Adolf Hitler.
J.D Vance went from New York Times bestselling author, to senator, to Vice Presidential candidate. That political journey has brought him closer and closer to a presidential candidate he once professed to despise.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | When it comes to Donald Trump, JD Vance has made his opinion clear. |
| 0:04.4 | The simple fact is, he's the best president of my lifetime. |
| 0:08.4 | Or has he? |
| 0:09.9 | I'm a never Trump guy. |
| 0:11.4 | I never liked him. |
| 0:12.4 | That was Vance speaking to Charlie Rose back in 2016. |
| 0:16.3 | At the time, Vance had entered the national spotlight |
| 0:19.2 | because of the success of his memoir Hill Billy Elegy, |
| 0:22.4 | which served as both biography of his memoir Hillbilly Elegy, which served as both biography of his upbringing in America's |
| 0:25.6 | Rust Belt and social commentary on the white working class. |
| 0:30.6 | And on his press tour, he had a lot of negative things to say about Donald Trump. |
| 0:35.0 | Here he was speaking to Fresh Airs Terry Gross. |
| 0:37.6 | I can't stomach Trump. I think that he's noxious and is leading the white working class to a very dark place. |
| 0:44.4 | In public, Vance said that Trump was, quote, unfit for our nation's highest office. |
| 0:50.4 | In unearthed private messages, he compared Trump to Adolf Hitler. |
| 0:55.0 | So how did the JD Vance of 2016 become Donald Trump's 2024 running mate. |
| 1:03.3 | Well, just listen to Vance talk about the 2020 election. |
| 1:07.1 | Was the election in 2020 free and fair? |
| 1:10.2 | Was it above board? |
| 1:12.2 | And my answer is no. I really don't think that it was or listen to Vance talk about the many criminal cases against Donald Trump. |
| 1:19.0 | This is not about prosecuting Trump for something that he did. |
| 1:23.6 | It's about throwing him off the ballot because Democrats feel they can't beat him at the ballot box, |
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