Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday said the attacks against his wife, Usha, were racist ramblings from people who are not on the same level as her.
A partial transcript follows:
Carl: There’s been a lot of discussion about racism and stuff. You’ve been really bad. I saw Nick Fuentes, who is, of course, an openly white supremacist, say, “What kind of man would marry someone named Usha? Clearly he doesn’t value his racial identity or heritage.” I mean, this is just racism crap.
Vance: That’s right.
KARL: But this is also the guy who dined with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago during the campaign.
VANCE: Well, Donald Trump doesn’t know anything and frankly doesn’t care. But, well, my attitude to people who attack my wife is, she’s beautiful and she’s smart. What kind of man would marry Usha? A very smart man, a very lucky man. That’s the point.
Carl: Yes, that’s right.
VANCE: And my view is this: If they want to attack me, or attack my opinions, or my policies, or my character, attack me, but don’t attack my wife. She’s beyond your control.
Karl: But that dinner that Trump had was, of course, orchestrated by Kanye West, who praised Hitler. That was a year and a half ago, and Trump still hasn’t fully condemned the guy. He said some nasty things, but he said he was a white supremacist.
VANCE: President Trump has spoken out on this a number of times. And my favorite thing about it is,
Carl: But it’s not Fuentes’. Yes.
Vance: One of the things I like about Donald Trump, John, is that he’ll actually talk to anybody. But just because he talks to somebody doesn’t mean he endorses their opinions. And Donald Trump has spent a lot of quality time with my wife. Every time we meet, he hugs her, tells her she’s beautiful, and they have a little joke.
I’m not worried about Donald Trump at all. I worry about these ridiculous attacks sometimes. But again, this is normal when you go into politics. I hope people keep their eye on me. But anyway. They’re going to say what they want to say. My wife is tough enough to handle it. That’s a good thing.
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