Vice President JD Vance demonstrated his comedic timing during what many assumed would be an ordinary White House press briefing, showcasing that he’s not only a man of principle who takes his job duties seriously, but also happens to possess the kind of charisma one needs to handle members of the press. Vance filled in for White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who is on maternity leave after having her second child.
During the press briefing, Vance joked that Leavitt should temporarily take over his role as the vice president when his wife, Second Lady Usha Vance, has their child, who is due to arrive sometime in July. “I told Karoline I would stand in for her today for the White House press briefing on the condition that when Usha has our baby in July, that she would be Vice President for a couple of weeks,” the vice president wisecracked.
A clip of the remark has started circulating on social media and showed that Vance can be both professional at the podium as well as charming. Reports noted that the vice president was well composed and restrained as he took on challenging questions from reporters. Secretary of State Marco Rubio filled in for Leavitt earlier in the week and went toe-to-toe with the press in a more confrontational manner.
According to Yahoo News, Vance, managing a crowded room, selected journalists at random and utilized a seating chart to determine who got to ask questions. He also asked reporters present at the briefing not to talk over one another. He also took a cue from Rubio and identified journalists according to the color of their clothing.
Vance cracked another joke, poking fun at his age — he’s 41-years-old — admitting he was having a difficult time reading the small print on the document given to him. He joked about using a cheat sheet so he knew “who to call on and most importantly who not to call on,” during the briefing. The vice president addressed a number of topics including the war in Iran, artificial intelligence, and a $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund created by the Department of Justice for Trump allies who were allegedly wrongfully targeted.
In the comment section of the clip on Facebook, one user said that Leavitt probably cracked a joke of her own in response, writing, “Karoline probably joked back, ‘Only if I get Air Force Two and dental.'” Someone else suggested a potential 2028 White House ticket featuring Vance and Leavitt, saying, “Vance/Leavitt 2028! Make Women VPs Great Again!”
Another user praised Vance’s humor, commenting, “That’s a good one VP Vance — that made me laugh. A sense of humor is so important in today’s society.” Someone else noted that many folks won’t get that his comment was just a joke and believe he’s making a serious suggestion. “I know he was joking…But there’s a lot of people that won’t realize he was joking.” One user said, “Karoline Leavitt as acting VP for two weeks would make headlines everywhere!”
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Featured Image: screenshot from embedded video