DISCLAIMER: This article was first published on August 25, 2024
Just when you thought JD Vance couldnโt be any more awkward in his public comments, he goes and says something like this: โMy wife has three beautiful children.โ Yes, you read that right. In his latest Meet the Press interview with Kristen Welker, Vance was asked to respond to backlash over his โchildless cat ladyโ comment. Instead of engaging with the substance of the critique, Vance chose a bizarre defense that, as usual, revolved around his wife, Usha. But this time, it wasnโt just awkwardโit was downright strange.
Letโs start with the obvious question: Why would a father refer to his children as if they belong solely to his wife? This weird phrasing feels detached, almost as if Vance sees himself as a bystander in his own family. Itโs not only tone-deaf but also further fuels the perception that heโs disconnected from the very โfamily valuesโ he loves to preach about.
Kristen Welker gave Vance a prime opportunity to walk back his 2021 comments that referred to childless womenโspecifically, โcat ladiesโโin a dismissive, joking manner. Instead of reflecting on how harmful such a remark could be to millions of women who donโt have children (whether by choice or circumstance), Vance doubled down, insisting his words had been โwillfully misinterpreted.โ And once again, rather than addressing the valid concerns of women who felt marginalized by his statement, Vance resorted to a story about his wife, a working mother of three children, as though that alone could shield him from any criticism.
Itโs weird that JD Vance wonโt apologize for his โchildless cat ladyโ comments, but itโs weirder that he continually refers to his own children as belonging solely to his wife: โMy wife has three beautiful children.โ pic.twitter.com/l6OmNAhK6m
โ Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) August 25, 2024
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The problem with this strategy, aside from being a deflection, is that it makes Vance look like heโs using his wife and children as props to justify his rhetoric. And that bizarre lineโโMy wife has three beautiful childrenโโonly adds to the disconnect. Most fathers, when talking about their kids, would say โwe have three beautiful children.โ The fact that Vance framed the comment that way reveals something unsettling about how he views family dynamics. Itโs as though he sees himself as outside the equation, which is ironic for someone running on a platform centered around โfamily values.โ
This isnโt the first time Vance has made uncomfortable comments about his wife. In a previous defense of Usha after she was subjected to racist attacks, Vanceโs response was equally bizarre. Instead of directly condemning the racism, he said, โObviously, sheโs not a white personโฆbut I love Usha, sheโs such a good mom.โ How is that an appropriate response to racism? He seemed more interested in reinforcing her role as a mother than addressing the real issue at hand.
All of this begs the question: Why does JD Vance keep bringing up his wife and children in these awkward, disjointed ways? Is it a tactic to shield himself from criticism, or does it reveal something more deeply problematic about his understanding of family and gender roles? Whatever the reason, itโs not working. His comments feel like a smokescreen, designed to distract from his failure to answer real questions about his views and policies.
Welker pressed Vance several times, giving him multiple opportunities to express any regret or acknowledge the offense caused by his โcat ladyโ remark. Instead, he stuck to his guns, insisting that heโs just a โreal personโ who says things people might disagree with. But being a โreal personโ doesnโt give you a free pass to be offensive or dismissive, especially when your words impact millions of women across the country.
When finally asked if he regrets making the comment, Vance delivered the most telling line of all: โI have a lot of regrets, Kristen, but making a joke three years ago is not in the top ten.โ If thatโs the case, then perhaps JD Vance needs to reevaluate his priorities. Because for many women, the joke was more than just a flippant remarkโit was a gut punch.
At the end of the day, Vanceโs refusal to take responsibility for his words speaks volumes about the kind of leader he would be. Instead of engaging with the concerns of the women heโs supposed to represent, he hides behind his wifeโs accomplishments and his familyโs โbeauty.โ Itโs weird, itโs tone-deaf, and itโs not what America needs right now.