Gabbard Defends JD Vance While Taking Aim at Kamala Harris

Democrats wasted no time ramping up their attacks on Senator JD Vance (R-OH) following former President Donald Trump’s announcement naming him as his 2024 running mate. However, a notable former Democrat has stepped up in Vance’s defense.

Former Hawaii Representative Tulsi Gabbard, who left the Democrat Party just prior to the 2022 midterm elections, swiftly countered Vice President Kamala Harris’s criticism of Vance.

Gabbard began by quoting Harris, who claimed that Vance would “be loyal only to Trump, not to our country,” and then laid out her reasons for why Harris was wrong.

“@JDVance1 enlisted in the Marine Corps after 9/11 and deployed to Iraq in 2005, the same year I was there during the height of the war. He put his life on the line in service to our country,” Gabbard captioned a video she posted to X. “Was Kamala Harris ready to sacrifice her life for our country? Of course not. Once again, Kamala exposes her hypocrisy.”

Key Points:

• Gabbard highlighted Vance’s military service, contrasting it with Harris’s political career.

• Gabbard called Harris a "self-serving politician" driven by personal ambition.

• Harris’s attack on Vance is part of the broader Democratic strategy to undermine Trump’s newly announced running mate.

In the attached video, Gabbard criticized Harris’s audacity, pointing out Vance’s enlistment in the Marine Corps following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Gabbard accused Harris of hypocrisy, suggesting that Harris’s criticisms were politically motivated rather than based on genuine concerns for the country.

Gabbard rose to national prominence during the 2020 Democratic primary when she attacked Harris’s record on criminal justice as a prosecutor in California. Gabbard’s pointed critique at the time highlighted Harris’s controversial actions, including the prosecution of over 1,500 people for marijuana violations and blocking evidence that could have freed an innocent man from death row.

Additional Facts:

• Harris’s support plummeted after Gabbard’s 2020 primary debate critique, leading to her exit from the primary race in December 2019.

• Gabbard’s defense of Vance underscores the ongoing divisions within the Democratic Party and highlights her break from the party’s mainstream.

• Vance’s military background is a central point in Gabbard’s argument against Harris’s accusations.

Gabbard’s defense of JD Vance and her sharp criticism of Kamala Harris reflect her continued willingness to challenge her former party’s leaders. As the 2024 election approaches, these intra-party conflicts and public defenses are likely to shape the political landscape.

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