J.D. Vance showed up in Philadelphia on Tuesday ahead of Kamala Harris, slamming her as a “disaster” who has avoided doing press events and painting her newly announced running mate, Tim Walz, as a radical lefty.
“Tim Walz was the guy who let rioters burn down Minneapolis and Kamala Harris was the one who bailed the rioters out of jail,” Vance said before a crowd of about 150 supporters before taking reporters’ questions.
Seeking to portray Democrats as flakey, he hinted the party could pull yet another last-minute “switcheroo.”
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“I don’t even know if we’re going to get Tim Walz out of this campaign,” Vance said.
Vance said he nonetheless called Walz to offer his congratulations and that he planned to debate the Midwestern governor. Apart from that courtesy, he quickly went on the attack, saying, “Kamala Harris has bent the knee to the far left wing of her party, which is what she always does.”
The Trump campaign itself hit the Minnesota governor hard on Tuesday morning, labeling him “dangerously liberal.” Vance suggested Harris didn’t select Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro as her running mate because of antisemitism.
“I genuinely feel bad,” about what happened to Shapiro, Vance told the Philadelphia crowd. “The fact that that race, the vice presidential race on the Democratic side, became so focused on his ethnicity, I think is absolutely disgraceful.”
The comments came in response to questions from reporters, who Vance called “the fake news” yet graciously allowed them “a few questions.” He drew a contrast between himself and the vice president, accusing her of being unavailable to the media while the Trump campaign goes everywhere.
“For sixteen days and counting, the American media has been unable to ask her a question,” Vance said. “We will answer any question because we think we owe it to the American people to try to persuade them instead of running from them.”
Framed by screens declaring “Kamala Chaos,” the Republican VP contender blasted Harris’ policy record and introduced “everyday Americans” who have been affected by opioid addiction.
“It is normal people who suffer when Kamala Harris refuses to do her job,” Vance said.
A Secret Service agent told the Daily Beast he believed the event was limited to invited guests. Outside the venue, one vendor hawked Trump merchandise while a smattering of protestors criticized the small crowd size and reminded Vance of his recent viral labels and memes.
One held up a sign that read: “Hey J.D. The Couch Didn’t Consent. Weirdo.”
Indeed, less than a month after an assassination attempt against Donald Trump, police cars appeared to outnumber members of the public as the show went on inside.
