Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance toyed with frustrated reporters waiting outside Kamala Harris’ Air Force Two airplane after it landed in Wisconsin for a campaign event on Wednesday.
Visiting the state for a campaign event of his own, Vance walked over to the reporters hoping to catch a glimpse of Harris when she departs her plane – and playfully commiserated with them about their lack of access to the Democrat vice president and presumptive 2024 presidential candidate.
“Guys, how are you? Hi. I know you’re covering the vice president here,” Vance said, musing that the reporters “might be lonely” without Harris to answer their questions:
“I also thought you guys might be lonely, because the vice president doesn’t answer questions from reporters, hasn’t for 17 days.”
“Has she given you guys an explanation for why she won’t take questions from reporters? No? Nobody? Okay. Great,” Vance said, telling the reporters that he hopes Harris changes her mind about talking to them – for their sake:
“Well, I hope that she changes her mind because it would be good for people and I think it would be good for you all if she actually ran a real campaign, instead of one from the basement and a teleprompter. So, have a good one, guys. See you.”
When asked what questions he’d like Harris to answer, Vance cited the vice president’s flip-flop on issues after becoming a candidate for president and her immigration policies responsible for the current border crisis.
Later, while talking with a different group of reporters, Vance said that he was just having fun with Harris’ reporters and that he was glad he did:
“I thought that the press gaggle following her might get a little lonely. I at least have enough respect for you all, and for the American people you report to, to come and talk to you and to answer some questions. And so, I thought her reporters might actually benefit from that as well.
“So, I had a little bit of fun. I don't think the vice president waved at me as she drove away, but I'm glad to have done it.”
“And I'm glad to be here in Wisconsin actually trying to persuade people to vote for us, as opposed to just giving another scripted speech,” Vance added.