During CNN’s “Inside Politics” broadcast Thursday, CNN host Brianna Keilar argued that Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), the 2024 Republican vice presidential nominee, “may be a flawed communicator” in criticizing claims about military service made by 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee Gov. Tim Walz (D). Keilar acknowledged that Sen. Vance holds the title of “combat correspondent,” but argued that “that title gives kind of a different impression” that he has seen combat.
Keeler said, “One of the things I think about is, at what point did military service become a disadvantage? That’s one of the things that comes to mind when I think about this case. I also think that J.D. Vance may be an imperfect communicator of this case, because like you introduced him as a combat correspondent, that was his title. But when you dig a little deeper, he was a public relations professional, he wasn’t someone who had been in combat. Certainly, the title of combat correspondent gives off a different kind of vibe. So he may be an imperfect communicator of this case.”
She continued, “But at the same time, there seems to be a debate going on about whether you’ve really served your country unless you get shot. I think it’s a very uncomfortable situation because there’s a lot of service and sacrifice that comes with being in the military. Anybody who has been in the military or values the military will tell you there’s a lot more to it than just the risks. And here we are arguing over what are supposed to be assets that each party brings to the candidate.”
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