In 2021, Atlantic staff writer Tom Nichols described US Senator JD Vance (R-) in an op-ed ahead of his 2022 election victory, writing, "Instead of a truth-teller in his own community, Vance as a candidate has become a contemptible and cringe-inducing clown. His attempts at authenticity are so grating because they are so blatantly artificial."
Now, the Ohio lawmaker has risen to the top of Donald Trump's potential running mate list.
During a conversation with CBS News' Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan Sunday, Vance attempted to list his legislative accomplishments over the last year and a half.
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"You are 40 years old," Brennan said, speaking to the MAGA senator. "You've been in the Senate for less than two years. You haven't held elected office before this. If you are selected alongside a nominee who is 78 years old, you will be a heartbeat from the presidency. What do you think your biggest accomplishment in the Senate has been to date?"
Vance replied, "In 18 months, Margaret, we've done a lot of good work for our constituents," the Ohio lawmaker replied. "We've got hundreds of millions of dollars to the Great Lakes. We've done a lot to help the people of East Palestine deal with the terrible train disaster."
Vance continued, "And, of course, we've done a lot of work on making sure that Ohio has gotten defense resources that make not just Ohio, but our country stronger. So there's a lot we can hang our hat on, but I like being a senator. I'm not trying to leave the United States Senate. That's where I expect to be in six months, that's where I expect to be in a few year."
When the US Senate voted "to invest $1 trillion in the nation's infrastructure" in August of 2021, according to NPR, Vance had not yet been elected.
Several journalists and political experts called Vance out on his false claim.
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Law Dork publisher Chris Geidner wrote: "This is not a serious person, example 17368."
The Dispatch editor-in-chief Jonah Goldberg said: "Maybe my friend @michaelbd [National Review senior writer Michael Brendan Dougherty] is right that Vance *is* the defining figure of the GOP these days."
Former PoliticsUSA editor Sean Colarossi added: "@JDVance1 is such an embarrassment"
Watch the video below or at this link.
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