A spokesperson for Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance is addressing a clip from a 2020 interview that has surfaced online, where Vance seemed to agree with a podcast host's statement about the role of postmenopausal females in raising children. This clip has sparked controversy due to Vance's personal history of being raised by his grandmother.
In the interview, Vance discussed his experience living in a multigenerational family with his wife's parents, who immigrated from India. He praised the positive influence of having loving grandparents in his son's life, emphasizing the benefits of such familial relationships.
During the conversation, the podcast host made a comment about the purpose of postmenopausal females in theory, to which Vance responded affirmatively before the host completed the sentence. Vance's spokesperson has since clarified that Vance's agreement was based on the assumption that the host was referring to spending time with grandparents, not endorsing the host's initial statement.
The spokesperson criticized the media for misrepresenting Vance's words and diverting attention from what they see as more pressing issues, such as holding Vice President Kamala Harris accountable for policies impacting the economy, border security, and drug overdose rates.
This incident has added a layer of complexity to Vance's public image, given his background detailed in his memoir 'Hillbilly Elegy' and his campaign messaging. It underscores the challenges of navigating nuanced discussions in the public sphere, especially in the context of political campaigns.
