Vance: the election was about the war and Israel
J. D. Vance is intent on putting daylight between himself and the policies that led to Tuesday’s results. He’s been hinting for a long time at being Tucker lite, and his comments were in line with that: he blames the Iran war for the loss.
As discussed at Legal Insurrection, he conveniently leaves his own role out:
I would argue that Vance’s overriding faith in diplomacy left him naive about the terrorists who run Iran. The administration pursued negotiations with people who either had no intention of honoring their commitments or lacked the authority to speak for the IRGC leaders calling the shots.
I believe that had the U.S. and Israel stayed the course militarily, the war would have ended by now. Instead, the diplomatic approach Vance championed has, in my judgment, prolonged the conflict.
I would agree with that analysis.
Plus, from what I’ve seen regarding exit polls, the economy was a far more important factor than the Iran war in driving the dismal results of the election. Now, it’s true that gas prices – which affect other prices – rose as a result of the war (although not solely the war). But that’s not really upset about the war itself, although that exists too especially in those who consider that Trump promised that even a military action such as the one against Iran would not be happening.
Vance also said we need to “change our relationship to Israel.” He certainly doesn’t mean to get closer to Israel. I see this as a winning proposition with the Buchanan-esque Tucker-esque part of the right as well as the left, but Vance certainly isn’t going to win elections by appealing to leftists. He seems to think this is his best approach, however.
I can only imagine that the mullahs and the IRGC are as happy as clams over this election and over Vance’s remarks. Some people think Trump has some sort of mop-up operation in mind before the new Congress is installed. I tend to doubt it, but it’s certainly possible.
It seems to me that another message Vance gives is that the US isn’t going to fight any wars. The Iran war isn’t like any other US war of which I’m aware: virtually no troops and almost no casualties. If we can’t tolerate a “war” like that, we have become a fangless nation.
I suppose if there were to be an actual literal invasion of the US, or if a nuclear weapon destroyed a US city, we’d fight. But I don’t think that sort of “invasion” or war is likely. No, I think we’re seeing the invasion already and we will continue to see it. The border will become permeable again. And we will have more elected officials like El-Sayed and the leftists who are united with him.
We have descended to the level of children. No courage, no beliefs, no culture. We seem to be incapable of knowing there are wars that have to be fought (Iran, Islam), and, wars that should not be fought or fought in a different way (Iraq, Afghanistan). We will suffer accordingly.
America has entered into a long, slow, inexcorable decline. It has had a very long run, as democracies go, but it is badly in its twilight. The evidence is all around us.
“He didn’t listen to me on Iran or Israel” may be Vance’s attempt to survive Trump’s impeachment and possible removal by the revenge-ocrats.
I have been resisting the idea of identifying Vance with Tucker Carlson too closely, but with this statement, he’s making that a lot harder. I have seen analyses of the Republicans having a Vance vs. a Rubio/DeSantis wing. I side with the latter. The threat of Islam is existential to the U.S., and to Christian and Jewish believers here, as is the threat of the Marxist left.
He continues to choose unwisely. He is long past his pull date.
Vice Presidents can be dumped, JD.
J D Vance has become a negative. The VP is supposed to support the POTUS not the other way around. I am glad President Trump didn’t listen to a one term senator with delusions of wisdom or value. At least Pence didn’t undermine the President Trump when they were both serving in the first term.
Rubio or DeSantis in 2028. JDV? Nope, nada.
crasey:
Removal would take 11 Republicans in the Senate to vote for it. I don’t think that will be happening.
Of course, there are other ways to remove someone.
But if Vance thinks these statements will save him, I think he’s mistaken.
The war with Iran started in 1980 when the dictatorship took over Iran. It has involved several military attacks on Americans. President Trump is working to end the war
It won’t be a mop-up operation. Trump is going to bring the heat with major bombing and a targeted invasion to seize oil assets. Bomb Pick Axe Mountain.
Trump has to act now before the Dems are the majority and can pass a War Powers Act resolution.
And if the CIA hasn’t smuggled major amounts of weapons into Iran, then we need to get rid of the CIA.
And the Crown Prince needs to lead an Iranian invasion force.
Trump was a complete fool to think he could negotiate with the Iranians. In his own mind, he’s the King of the Deals. But you can’t deal with people who have no intent to follow the deal.
And I say we start this Saturday! Right at the time of the first Call to Prayer.
And note the silence of Marco.
If the GOP primary was today, I’d vote for Marco unless Ron showed me plenty.
If JD is any sort of Jew hater, he’s dead to me. And any alliance with Tucker is poison to me.
Vance’s latest remarks after the midterms put paid to my doubts about him.
He seems to be playing for a 2028 run. Who knows what he really believes. But he’s not loyal and he won’t be much help to the Trump administration from here on out.
I’ll be interested to see how Trump treats Vance now.
First, I agree with virtually everything said here.
Second, I doubt that Trump has any mop up plan. I have said, and I believe, that Trump suffers from McNamara syndrome; i.e. he thinks he is the smartest guy in town and underestimates adversaries and situations. If I have to eat crow on this, I will happily take it charbroiled.
Third, Vance was sold as a near genius. If so, he is one of those idiot geniuses who view the world upside down.
Fourth, there is some irony that at this particular moment, Trump says no more aid to Israel, and Netanyahu says they have to be self sufficient. I have no doubt the they can be; and I will not be surprised if they now unleash fury like we have never seen on Iran and its attack dogs. To put it in Trumpesque terms.
Finally, if you think you are unhappy, get in line. I just finished some kitchen remodeling with a company run by two Iranian expats. The on the job scene guy left 25 years ago. Lovable guy. He was 12 when the revolution occurred. Still has family in Iran. He knows.
He loves America, and he doesn’t want it to change because he knows what mindless change can bring. I told him this morning that I was glad he didn’t shoot himself yesterday; but I think that like most with his experience, he also knows that you deal with situations according to individual strengths.
A bucket of warm “spit” or was it “p*ss?” Was the historical analogy for the office of Vice President. J D Vance is undermining President Trump, now, because blind ambition? He should not get any more chances for higher office.
I am done with him.
huxley:
Funny thing is that Vance used “loyalty”
as his excuse for not breaking with Tucker.
”Funny thing is that Vance used ‘loyalty’ as his excuse for not breaking with Tucker.”
I’m beginning to suspect that it may be that Vance is a fellow traveler with Tucker and it’s not just personal loyalty that binds them.
When the Germans moved into the Rhineland in 1936, one of the reasons why the French did not react militarily was that politicians ‘did not want to interfere with the economic recovery’
A French military operation would indeed have been economically disruptive..apprently, the only plan that existed was for total mobilization…but the costs of *not* doing it turned out to be a whole lot more than the costs of the mobilization would have been.
And the costs to the US of the Iran war are pretty trivial by comparison, but evidently too much for a high % of the American population.
Similarly, regarding data centers…data centers are pretty friendly compared to most industrial facilities…build a steel mill and even if it’s an electric arc furnace, you’re still going to get a lot of traffic, probably a rail spur, new power lines, and noise. Similarly for lots of other plant types. If we can’t build data centers because of public objections, then what reindustrialization projects would really be possible at all?