When confronted by hostile members of the liberal media, J.D. Vance has demonstrated an almost otherwordly ability to keep his cool and make his case cogently.
Witness Vance's performance on ABC's This Week. Host Martha Raddatz was attacking Trump, and by extension Vance, over statements Trump had made about apartment complexes in Aurora, Colorado being invaded by violent migrant gangs.
As Vance began to reply, Raddatz tried to cut him off, saying "I'm going to stop you. The incidents were limited to a handful of apartment complexes."
Bad move, Martha!
Retorted Vance:
"Martha -- do you hear yourself? Only a 'handful' of apartment complexes in America were taken over by Venezuelan gangs, and Donald Trump is the problem, and not Kamala Harris' open border? . . . You seem to be more focused with nitpicking everything that Donald Trump has said, rather than acknowledging that apartment complexes in the United States of America are being taken over by violent gangs."
It was game, set, and match. Raddatz should have cried "no mas" and cut her losses, but made the mistake of trying to score a point in ending the segment: "Let's just end that with they did not invade or take over the city."
Vance struck back with some savory sarcasm: "Just a few apartment complexes, no big deal."
Think Raddatz would have so blithely dismissed the problem of a "handful" of apartment complexes being invaded by violent migrant gangs if that handful included the complex . . . where she lives?
Rhetorical question.
In both this segment on Aurora, and the proceeding one regarding problems with getting aid to people affected by Hurricane Helene, Raddatz's approach toward Vance was combative to the point of belligerence. She seemed determined to establish her Kamala street cred -- but wound up with Vance taking her to the rhetorical cleaners.
Here's the transcript.
ABC
This Week With George Stephanopoulos
10/13/24
9:09 am EDTMARTHA RADDATZ: I want to -- we played some other comments about migrants, including in Aurora, in Colorado, where Trump said the city had been invaded and conquered by Venezuelan gangs. The Republican mayor of the city said flatly, the city and state have not been taken over or invaded or occupied by migrant gangs.
So do you support Donald Trump making those claims that the Republican mayor says were grossly exaggerated, and have hurt the city's identity and sense of safety? I understand what you're saying, that some people left behind, but he's making these statements that the mayor is flat out disputing.
JD VANCE: Well, Martha, just said the mayor said they were exaggerated.
RADDATZ: Grossly exaggerated.
VANCE: That means that there's got to be some element of truth here, and of course President Trump was actually in Aurora, Colorado, talking to people on the ground. And what we're hearing, of course, Martha, is that people are terrified by what has happened with some of these Venezuelan gangs.
RADDATZ: Senator, I'm going to stop you, because I know exactly what happened. I'm going to stop you. The incidents were limited to a handful of apartment complexes. And the mayor said, our dedicated police officers have acted on those concerns. A iihandful of problems.
VANCE: Only, Martha -- do you hear yourself? Only a handful of apartment complexes in America were taken over by Venezuelan gangs, and Donald Trump is the problem, and not Kamala Harris' open border?
Americans are so fed up with what's going on, and they have every right to be. And I really find this exchange, Martha, sort of interesting, because you seem to be more focused with nitpicking everything that Donald Trump has said, rather than acknowledging that apartment complexes in the United States of America are being taken over by violent gangs.
I worry so much more about that problem than anything else here. We've got to get American communities in a safe space again. And unfortunately, when you let people in by the millions, most of whom are unvetted, most of whom you don't know who they really are, you're going to have problems like this.
Kamala Harris, 94 executive orders that undid Donald Trump's successful border policies. We knew this stuff would happen. They bragged about opening the border, and now we have the consequences and we're living with it. We can do so much better, but frankly, we're not going to do better, Martha, unless Donald Trump calls this stuff out. I'm glad that he did.
RADDATZ: Okay, let's just end that with they did not invade or take over the city as Donald Trump said. I want to move on to --
VANCE: Just a few apartment complexes, no big deal.
