Hillbilly Elegy author and future failed GOP Senate candidate J.D. Vance is now parroting Tucker Carlson’s pro-Russia talking points. During an interview with festering boil Steve Bannon, Vance wondered why America should care that a hostile nation (Russia) that’s attacked our own elections (also Russia) might invade Ukraine (our ally, a democracy).
The guy who wants to be Ohio’s next senator said, “I think it’s ridiculous that we are focused on this border in Ukraine. I got to be honest with you, I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine one way or the other.”
"We did not serve in the Marine Corps to go fight Vladimir Putin because he didn't believe in transgender rights." 1. No American is being sent to fight Vladimir Putin. 2. Our issue with Putin is not transgender rights. 3. No hillbilly would believe any of this demagoguery.pic.twitter.com/CjlDYwRawK
— Bill Kristol (@Bill Kristol) 1645299374
That's just sociopathic and shortsighted, which would be an ideal title for Vance’s next book. He’s making a more focused appeal now for Donald Trump supporters, we guess, after internal polling shows him tanking with the MAGA electorate. Trump promoted an isolationist foreign policy that was especially convenient for Vladimir Putin’s ambitions.
REMEMBER?: Donald Trump Tells Best Bud Vladimir Putin, Sure, Go Ahead And Keep Crimea. You Earned It!
Michigan State University professor of history Matthew Pauly, who unlike Vance is an actual expert on Russia and Ukraine, told ABC News, "Ukraine is a democracy, it's the only really functioning democracy of the few in the former Soviet space." He added, "Although democratization has had sort of a challenging path in Ukraine, it's hard to argue that it is not a democracy. Democracy in Ukraine is worth protecting. Democracy is our best guarantee against war and best assurance of peace.”
Hyping his backstory as a former Marine, Vance boldly declared that “we did not serve in the Marine Corps to go fight Vladimir Putin because he didn't believe in transgender rights. Which the State Department is saying is a major problem.” Yes, the Russian government’s transgender policies are almost worse than Florida’s, but that has nothing to do with the current crisis. Vance is just playing along with current conservative dogma that the US military is overly “woke."
Retired four-star Army General Barry R. McCaffrey tweeted Saturday that “J.D. Vance is a shameful person unsuitable for public office. His comments are those of a stooge for Russian aggression.” Although that’s probably one of the nicest things anyone’s said about Vance recently, it was not an endorsement. Naturally, Vance picked a fight with the general.
Your entire time in military leadership we won zero wars. You drank fine wine at bullshit security conferences while thousands of working class kids died on the battlefield. Oh, by the way, how much do you stand to gain financially from a war with Russia, Barry?https: //twitter.com/mccaffreyr3/status/1495113050382209025 …
— J.D. Vance (@J.D. Vance) 1645300383
"Your entire time in military leadership we won zero wars. You drank fine wine at bullshit security conferences while thousands of working class kids died on the battlefield. Oh, by the way, how much do you stand to gain financially from a war with Russia, Barry?"
You’d think a former Marine (who worked in Public Affairs) or, well, anyone with proper home training, would refer to McCaffrey as “General” and not “Barry,” but J.D. Vance is leaning into his Trump-inspired asshole persona. The “conservative populism” that’s seemingly critical of the military-industrial complex is not a potential area of agreement with the Jill Stein far left. No, Trump has reportedly been confused by military leaders and troops, because they made personal sacrifices he never would. They abide by a code of honor that would make his brain melt.
We guess McCaffrey is one of the military leaders Carlson and other right-wing commentators have now decided to lump into the liberal "elite" they hate so much. Vance should ask Steve Bannon how much “fine wine” he’s enjoyed while "working-class kids died on the battlefield.”
Anyway, General McCaffrey earnedthree Purple Hearts andtwo Silver Stars. He commanded the 24th Infantry Division in Desert Storm,which I didn’t know Republicans now considered a failure.
REMEMBER?: Everybody Hates J.D. Vance
Iraq War veteran Fred Wellman immediately whaled on Vance.
You piece of shit. He nearly lost his arm in Vietnam. He led the 24th ID in our massive assault into Iraq in Desert Storm. You…were briefly a fucking PAO in an air wing. I can’t wait to see your loser ass absolutely shamed on election day. Coward.
— Fred Wellman (@Fred Wellman) 1645315087
"You piece of shit. [McCaffrey] nearly lost his arm in Vietnam. He led the 24th ID in our massive assault into Iraq in Desert Storm. You…were briefly a fucking PAO in an air wing. I can’t wait to see your loser ass absolutely shamed on election day. Coward."
McCaffrey later pointed out that two of his kids served abroad and two of his grandkids are also serving. He doesn’t drink wine, either. Vance is not very good at this.
It’s possible Ohio is so MAGA-ed up right now that bashing military heroes is an effective political strategy. However, most polls indicate Vance won’t even make it out of the GOP primary. Once he loses, he might try to assume a more respectable posture.
Don’t let him. This is who J.D. Vance is.
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Yeah, I'm sure that'll help.
I must have missed when the Russians moved troops into Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Moldova, when did that happen?