Ohio Sen. JD Vance is still catching flak for his response to Taylor Swift calling him out for his 2021 remarks deeming Democrats “a bunch of childless cat ladies” in an interview with then-Fox News host Tucker Carlson when he was a Senate candidate.
Swift announced her backing of the Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, immediately after the Sept. 10 presidential debate. In an Instagram post featuring a picture of herself with a cat, she signed the endorsement “Taylor Swift, Childless Cat Lady” to her 238 million followers on the platform.
“I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election,” she stated in the caption of her post.
“I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them,” Swift added. “I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos.”
A video of Vance’s Sept. 11 appearance on Fox News’ “The Story” with a snappy response to Swift’s endorsement has now resurfaced, with many viewers roasting the Republician for explanation of why he didn’t feel her announcement would move the needle much on who voters are standing behind in the election.
“We admire Taylor Swift’s music, but I don’t think most Americans, whether they like her music or are fans of hers or not, are going to be influenced by a billionaire celebrity who I think is fundamentally disconnected from the interests and the problems of most Americans,” Vance stated.
“Look, when grocery prices go by 20 percent, it hurts most Americans,” Vance continued. “It doesn’t hurt Taylor Swift. When housing prices become unaffordable, it doesn’t affect Taylor Swift or any other billionaire. It does affect middle-class Americans all over our country.”
Users on X, formerly known as Twitter, shared responses in which they jokingly claimed to be confused about his statement and who he was referring to.
“Self-awareness is not his strong suit,” an account stated. Another asked, “Is he talking about Trump or Musk?”
“The hypocrisy is mind-numbing,” someone else added. “He is an idiot.”
Before Swift made her post, Vance had already tried to defend his “cat ladies” quip, saying it was just a “sarcastic remark” and that “a lot of people took it the wrong way” in an attempt to deflect charges of misogyny and redirect fire at his running mate, Walz, back in August, The Guardian reported.
Walz was flattered by Swift’s support, saying in a post-debate interview held on MSNBC that he was “incredibly grateful” to Swift for the superstar boost.
“I say that as a cat owner, a fellow cat owner. That was eloquent, and that was clear,” he stated after host Rachel Maddow read him Swift’s Instagram. “And that’s the type of courage we need in America to stand up.”
