JD Vance’s 'philosophical' Obama-era blogs are a shocking contrast to the MAGA firebrand he is today

13 August 2024

These days, journalist and former George W. Bush speechwriter David Frum is a scathing critic of 2024 GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump.

But back in the early 2010s — even before he wrote his 2016 book "Hillbilly Elegy" — Trump's now-running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), was a blogger for Frum's FrumForum. And in those days, Vance championed a more traditional conservatism and had yet to become the MAGA firebrand he is today.

In an article published by Politico on August 13, journalist Derek Robertson notes the sharp contrast between the in-your-face tone Vance favors today and the more cerebral writing style he brought to his old FrumForum blogs during the Barack Obama years.

"To be candid," Robertson observes, "the content of the blogs themselves is not very interesting. But the mind on display in them — and still to this day, in Vance's bestselling memoir, 'Hillbilly Elegy,' and various op-eds and essays — is one that clearly relishes political ideas in their own right. As Trump's running mate, however, Vance has entered a political arena where the main weapons are popularity, style and charisma — not proving his political-philosophical chops."

Robertson adds, "His awkwardness on the trail so far illustrates that his approach to politics, honed in the world of elite colleges and intellectual cliques, doesn't really translate to the national stage."

Robertson stresses that being a conservative political blogger is radically different from being Trump's presidential running mate.

"Any blogger with a sense of intellectual pride is bent on seeking out, and persuading others of, political truths, no matter how arcane or even downright unpopular they may be," the journalist explains. "Candidates, on the other hand, are supposed to sell people on an inspiring political message, avoiding issues that could turn off voters."

Robertson adds, "One job is about being right; the other is about winning."

In July, Frum discussed Vance during an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour.

Frum praised the younger Vance he worked with during the Obama years as someone of great intellect, but the Never Trumper was clearly disappointed with his decision to become a full-fledged Trumpster and embrace the far right.

Read Politico's full article at this link.

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