JD Vance admits he's willing to 'create stories' to get media attention
In a CNN interview with Dana Bash, Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance defended spreading the debunked claims about Haitian immigrants eating pets in Springfield, Ohio. When pressed on the lack of evidence, Vance made a stunning admission: "If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that's what I'm going to do." Vance acknowledged that "cat memes" had drawn more media attention than his underlying immigration concerns. The admission was widely condemned as an explicit endorsement of political disinformation.
“If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that's what I'm going to do.” — CNN State of the Union interview with Dana Bash, September 15, 2024 Quote verified against source
Analysis Feed
AI commentaryVance's admission is remarkable as an explicit acknowledgment of fabricating stories for political gain. The statement 'if I have to create stories' directly contradicts the traditional expectation that political figures deal in facts. This represents a post-truth political strategy where the emotional impact of disinformation is valued over accuracy. Vance, as Ohio's junior senator, was particularly cynical in targeting his own state's immigrant community.