Senator J.D. Vance joined me today for 20-25 minutes. I welcomed that amount of time as it is roughly the same amount of time as Vice President Harris and Governor Walz spent with CNN’s Dana Bash last week:

Audio:

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Transcript:

HH: Joined by J.D. Vance. Senator Vance, of course, on the ticket to become vice president of the United States. Good morning, Senator. Welcome back.

JDV: Good morning, Hugh. How are you?

HH: I am good. My first question goes to the tragedy and the horror of this weekend. Six hostages executed by Hamas, one of them, American Hersch Goldberg-Polin. What is your reaction to what Sinwar ordered his terrorists to do?

JDV: Well, obviously, first our hearts go out to the innocent people who are affected, especially an American citizen. I think it’s despicable. It’s also frankly entirely predictable. We know who Hamas is. We know the problems they have. We know the fact that they felt emboldened by Kamala Harris’ policies, and we know they’ve been enriched by Iranian money that has flown to them because of Kamala Harris. So this is not unexpected, and it’s going to keep on happening unless we fix this.

HH: Second question, Senator. The same question I asked you was asked of Governor Walz at the Minnesota State Fair. He was answering questions. He had answered two questions, and the third question was his reaction. Not only did he not answer, he turned and walked away. What does that tell you about Tim Walz?

JDV: Well, I think it tells us that he’s a little too close to Hamas. This is something we’ve known about Tim for a long time, that he hosts Hamas-sympathetic people in this state. He clearly is terrified of alienating the pro-Hamas wing within his own party. And this is a guy who I think is terrified of expressing real condemnation of what Hamas has done, because he knows that if he does so, he might alienate a lot of important voters for his constituency. And I’m proud to stand with the Republican ticket, of course led by Donald J. Trump, where we can express clear moral condemnation and not worry about the political consequences of saying terrorists are bad guys.

HH: When you say he’s a little too close to Hamas, that’s very provocative. How big do you think the pro-Hamas wing of the Democratic Party is, as opposed to, say, the pro-Palestinian wing?

JDV: Well, look, I think that they’re clearly a large segment of the Democrats’ base. Is it 2%? Is it 5%? It’s certainly far bigger than it should be that has expressed explicit sympathy with Hamas. And of course, it’s more common in certain important battleground states. And given the margin of those states, it’s sometimes a half a percent, one-and-a-half percent. I think they do feel like they can’t cross that Hamas-sympathetic wing of their own party. Now I also think there are a lot of people who are just willfully blind to what’s going on in Gaza, willfully blind to Israel’s interests and of course, America’s national interests. But I actually do think there are some people who have expressed explicit sympathy to Hamas. We ought to call that stuff out and be cognizant of it, because it is unfortunately a growing and not a shrinking force in our politics.

HH: There is another problem with Governor Walz. He made 30 trips to China. There are in this morning’s news, this very morning’s news, two stories – Washington Post – How China Extended Its Repression Into An American City, and in the New York Post, Ex-Hochul and Cuomo Aide and Husband Worked As Foreign Agents For China, Splashed Out Millions On Mansion, Hawaii Condo, and Ferrari, Say the Feds. Do we need to know the details of Governor Walz’ trips and his relationship with the CCP?

JDV: Hugh, I think we do. I mean, look, over 30 trips to China. He’s the guy who do his honeymoon in China, and of course, echoed some CCP talking points in his instruction materials after he returned from China. So look, I don’t know if the guy just had a soft spot for China. I don’t know if there’s financial interests there. But as you know, Hugh, anybody who’s been to China that many times is absolutely targeted by Chinese intelligence. Whether they were ultimately successful, I’m not going to say they were, but we ought to ask some difficult questions about why Tim Walz seems so preoccupied with China. And look, what he’s said publicly is far worse than any suspicion we might have about what he’s done privately, because this is guy who’s expressed a view that China is not an adversary, that we should get closer to them. And this is, of course, over a time period where China has built its entire industrial base by stealing good, middle-class manufacturing jobs from Americans, making America less self-reliant, making us more reliant on our chief adversary. I’m less worried about what Tim Walz has done in his private life in China, and much more worried about the fact that he and Kamala Harris are pursuing policies that will make China more powerful, which of course, will make our own country weaker.

HH: Now Senator, we had house guests this weekend, and they’re very smart. And they asked me why I was so concerned about Vice President Harris becoming President, and my answer was I believe that if she is president for four years, the United States will lose its superpower status as a peer to the CCP. We are not near peers. We are peers. They have more navy ships than we do. They have hypersonics, etc, etc. Do you fear China that much, or am I an alarmist?

JDV: No, I think you’re exactly right, Hugh. I mean, look, they have pursued a very aggressive, and let’s be honest, a very smart strategy of building natural resource relationships all over Africa and Latin America. They, of course, have pursued a very robust technology and manufacturing policy, and they recognize something that frankly, a lot of American Democrats forgot, that military power is downstream of economic power. And if you destroy the industrial base of this country, we’re not going to be able to win the war of the future, God forbid, when and if it comes. So yes, I think China has about 31% of world manufacturing GDP. America has about 19% of world manufacturing GDP. They are on the rise, and America has to change course. And I don’t think that we can survive eight years of Kamala Harris while still being the world’s superpower. I do think that at best, we will be a peer with China after eight years of Kamala Harris, and maybe worse.

HH: Now I was on earlier with Matt Continetti, who I believe to be maybe one of the most significant rising intellectual figures in the United States on the conservative side. I asked him what would he ask you, and he wanted to know if you are frustrated at your message not getting out. You are very good at delivering the message, but it does not seem to get out. Are you frustrated? And why do you think it’s not getting beyond the interviews? I mean, you’ve been everywhere. You’ve talked to everyone. But it doesn’t seem to get out. Are you frustrated? Is that legacy media? What do you think?

JDV: No, it’s a good question, but I’m not frustrated, Hugh. I mean, look, we recognize that the mainstream media is never going to be fair to me and Donald Trump. That’s why we give the interviews that we do, is because we want to go everywhere and talk to everybody, and that includes long-form podcasts or hostile CNN interviews. But if you look at the numbers, and frankly the internal numbers are a little bit better, Kamala Harris’ momentum has clearly stalled. The American people are slowly waking up to the fact that she’s a San Francisco liberal who wants to take soft on crime, ban fracking policies nationwide. And we have 63 days to carry that message out there and to get it out there. I’m not frustrated, because I’ve always recognized the media’s going to be dead set against us. But this is why we have a campaign, and this is why we go and do the things we do, because we believe the American people are smart. We believe that we can be honest with them about Kamala Harris’ lack of a vision. And if we are, they’re going to elect us and give us the opportunity to fix the country’s problems.

HH: Now Senator Vance, Dana Bash is my friend. I worked with her on four debates in 2016. I recommended her to the RNC when Salem and CNN jointly presented for debates this year. And I assured them that Dana could be fair. I was very disappointed by the interview that she did with Kamala Harris and Governor Walz, and especially when contrasted with the interview she did with you. Do you believe that was Dana? Or do you believe that was CNN’s editorial process? What happened there, because Kamala and Walz got underhanded softballs, and she was throwing fastballs at your head.

JDV: Yeah, you know, look, I certainly blame Dana for that, Hugh, and I agree with you about her. I like her. I respect her. But I think she really missed an opportunity to follow up on some very important questions, right? She asked Kamala why did she change her mind on pretty much every issue, and then she gave her a multiple-choice answer instead of pushing, like what actually changed, what have you learned, what have you sort of understood in leadership? Like actually explain to the American people why you wanted to ban fracking, defund the police, open the border, and now you allegedly don’t want to do any of those things just after a few years. I also think she missed an opportunity, Hugh, to really push Kamala on why aren’t you doing the things that you want to do right now, because you’re the vice president of the United States. You could be pursuing these policies immediately, but you’re not. And I think she really let Kamala off the hook and really run away from the fact that Kamala isn’t just running to be president. She is the sitting vice president, and has been for three-and-a-half years.

HH: There were obvious questions that should have been asked that weren’t asked. I’m going to ask you now. Number one, that interview, the Bash-Harris-Walz interview, occurred five days or so after Israel preemptively struck Lebanon and took out many, many Hezbollah launchers before they fired. Did Israel have the right to do that, Senator Vance?

JDV: Well, look, Israel’s being attacked repeatedly, often from Lebanon, Hugh. It has the right to defend itself, and I certainly think it has the right to strike sites where the rockets are being launched against its citizens. So yes, I do. And I think there’s a bigger and broader issue here, which is what is in America’s best interests? And I think it’s really important for us to rebuild the Abraham Accords peace process, that if it comes to fruition, Hugh, it will serve as a counterbalance to a rising Iran acting as a regional hegemon. That’s, you talk about focusing on China, what we want is for Israel and the Gulf states to be able to provide their own check on Iran. And unfortunately, what Kamala Harris’ policies lead to is a war that weakens Israel, that prolongs Hamas as a fighting force, and doesn’t allow Israel to build the diplomatic process that will empower not just Israel, but America’s interests in the region.

HH: Iran is the head of the snake in the region. Does Israel have the right to strike Iran preemptively as they did Hezbollah if they see Iran forming up a second strike on, directly at Israel as happened in April?

JDV: Well, Hugh, here’s how I think about this. Whether Israel has the right, to me, it’s not something I focus on, on international affairs. I focus on what is Israel’s interests? What is in America’s best interest? And Israel is our ally. And if they choose to take an action that they perceive is in their best interest, that’s ultimately their decision. It’s not our job as the United States to police what they do for their own security. I’ve never liked the language of rights under international affairs. If Israel feels like it has to strike to protect its citizens, I’m much more likely to defer to Israel than to Iran. Of course, the details matter here, but I don’t think we need to be policing Israel’s behavior and how they defend their own people.

HH: Stand by, America. I’m going to talk with Senator Vance during the break and then play it immediately afterwards. We’ve got more tough questions coming right at him here on the Hugh Hewitt Show. Stay tuned.

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HH: Welcome back, America. I’m still joined by Senator J.D. Vance. Senator Vance, I want to ask you about the Arlington Cemetery visit by President Trump with the Gold Star families. I believe it was appropriate. I believe it’s been cynically manipulated by the media. What do you think?

JDV: Well, I agree with you, Hugh. But let’s step for a second. The main thing that Donald Trump allegedly did wrong is that he appeared in images where there were gravesites at Arlington. So has Joe Biden done the exact same thing? Yes. Did John McCain do the same thing when he was running for president? Yes. So I think this is a scandal that has been made up by the media to cover for the fact that Kamala Harris didn’t show up, that the Gold Star families are pissed at her, and they have every right to be angry at her because their loved ones are dead. No one has been fired because of it, and Kamala Harris bears the responsibility both for the lack of accountability, but the underlying disaster.

HH: I also believe it’s appropriate to ask you now, Senator. You were a Marine. There is a recruitment crisis in the United States. It’s updated today at NewsItems. It’s staggering how far three of four services are missing their marks. And the Marines made their mark, largely because they’ve downsized the Marines. Will you and the former President be able to reverse that recruitment crisis? And if so, why. Could Kamala Harris do so as well?

JDV: Well, we’re going to have to, Hugh, and I certainly think it’s going to be a goal of President Trump’s and mine. I don’t think Kamala Harris can do it, because we have a recruitment crisis for two reasons. First of all, people don’t want to put on the uniform and potentially sacrifice their lives for diversity, equity, and inclusion. They’ll do it for the United States of America. And I think they’re focused on progressive politics at the expense of what unites us as Americans, has actually alienated a lot of working and middle-class kids from the mission of the military. The second thing, Hugh, is they fired thousands of dedicated veterans for refusing to take the COVID vaccine, even though COVID, of course, was not dangerous at all to a 21-year-old Marine who’s in great shape. So I think if we get some leadership back in there, and we cut out the ridiculous progressive crap in the military, we can reinspire that patriotic sentiment that motivates people to join the military. But it’s not going to be easy.

HH: Let me ask you know two more questions. In terms of the, of Kamala Harris, do you think she has the minimum skill set necessary to be president? I wasn’t, I was worried that if Hillary won, she would have ruined the Supreme Court forever. But now, I’m worried Kamala Harris does not have the minimum skill set. As Abe Greenwald of Commentary said, interviews are her kryptonite. Do you think she has the minimum skill set to be president?

JDV: No, I don’t, Hugh, and I think this is a critical problem for her. Two points. One, she’s obviously terrified of interviews. She can’t speak off-the-cuff, because she doesn’t have her own set of values, her own set of idea about how to govern the country. And so she goes off-script, and it becomes a disaster. But there’s actually a deeper issue, Hugh, which is that she can’t keep good staff. A president, the presidency is bigger than any one person. You have to staff an entire federal government. She has 92% turnover as the vice president, way, way higher than Donald Trump, way higher than even Joe Biden. How can we trust her to staff a government if she can’t even staff her own office as vice president of the United States?

HH: Now Senator, we are at our limit, and I’ve got to go back on the show. And you promised me 20 minutes, and I don’t keep people longer. I’m curious, I want to ask you if we’re in a Constitutional crisis. Do you have a moment to stay longer, to ask about that?

JDV: Please.

HH: Okay.

JDV: Go ahead.

HH: Okay. We’ll rejoin the network, and I’ll come back with Senator Vance right after this.

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HH: Welcome back, America. I’m Hugh Hewitt. I still have Senator Vance live. I will play for you the interview that we taped during the break. But we lost contact there, so he’s generously granted me a couple extra minutes, and I have two more questions, Senator. Are we in a Constitutional crisis, because I believe President Biden is incapacitated?

JDV: Well, I think we’re in a Constitutional crisis in two ways, Hugh. First of all, we increasingly see evidence that bureaucrats in the Biden administration have promoted censorship of their political opponent. But you also, of course, have a president who clearly can’t do the job. I mean, he went on a 40-day vacation, shows up to give one speech with a teleprompter at a rally with Kamala Harris, and I think frankly scared everybody, Democrat or Republican, about whether he can actually do the job. This is a real scandal, Hugh, and it implicated Kamala Harris directly. Why did she lie to the American people for three-and-a-half years about whether this guy could do the job? She saddled the United States with a president who is unable to do what is necessary to discharge his Constitutional responsibilities. If that isn’t a Constitutional crisis, I don’t know what the term means.

HH: I agree. Last question. Kamala Harris wants to go after price gouging. I hear price controls. I don’t know how it’s going to work. I don’t know what she’s thinking about. How do you react to her proposals on price gouging and price controls?

JDV: Well, we’ve heard price controls before in this country and everywhere else. It fails every time it happens. It means you don’t, you’re not able to buy flour. You’re not able to buy eggs in the grocery store. That’s what price controls do. Now Hugh, I don’t, I’m under no illusion that every American corporation is somehow an angel. Sometimes, corporations don’t always do the right thing. The way to solve that issue, Hugh, is competitive markets. And what Kamala Harris has done with her green policies that favor certain industries over others, is actually destroyed the competitive marketplace that keeps some of our businesses from doing the wrong thing. She has caused this inflation crisis with her policies, and now she wants to fix it by waving the magic wand. The only thing we need to do is boot her out of office, bring back common-sense energy and economic policies. That will solve inflation. Competitive markets solve inflation. You don’t solve inflation by having a government bureaucrat determine what price you’re allowed to sell something for.

HH: Well said, and thank you, Senator, for the extra time. I appreciate you sticking around. Press on and come back soon.

JDV: Thanks, Hugh. Take care.

End of interview.