During a heated interview on CNN with Dana Bash, JD Vance appeared to acknowledge that he is prepared to “create stories” to advance a political agenda. Bash challenged Vance on his claims that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were resorting to cannibalism, labeling them as “baseless” and harmful assertions that incite racial violence. Vance retorted, “If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do.”
Such statements from a politician are striking, particularly when defending against accusations of spreading falsehoods. Critics interpreted his comments as a clear admission, while some supporters argued they were taken out of context, suggesting he was merely talking about highlighting true narratives to draw attention to the struggles of working-class white Americans.
However, the broader context of Vance’s remarks undermines this interpretation. His claims about Haitian immigrants are false, with local leaders like Springfield Mayor Bob Rue and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, a Republican, condemning both Vance and Trump for disseminating dangerous fabrications.
A closer analysis of Vance’s interaction with Bash emphasizes that he is consciously distorting the truth. The critical exchange included Vance stating, “The American media totally ignored this stuff until Donald Trump and I start talking about cat memes.” His reference to “cat memes” was an inappropriate euphemism; typically, cat memes evoke lightheartedness, while the stories of pets being harmed invoke serious and maligned accusations against vulnerable communities.
Throughout the discussion, Vance inaccurately labeled Haitians in Ohio as illegal immigrants and defended his claims with “firsthand accounts” from his constituents, which remain unverified and lack credible evidence. In truth, the Haitians threatened by Vance’s remarks are also his constituents, yet he seems reluctant to acknowledge this.
Moreover, Vance’s repeated assertion that 20,000 Haitians have settled in Springfield is grossly exaggerated, with Trump claiming an inflated number of 32,000. However, census data suggests the true figure is closer to 5,000, demonstrating that both Vance and Trump manipulate statistics when it suits their narratives.
Given that Vance’s primary assertions have been proven false, his attempt to clarify his comments about “creating stories” does not hold weight. Rather than a simple expression, his remark could be seen as a revealing slip of the tongue, suggesting an internal acknowledgment of wrongdoing.
In this context, Vance seems to emulate his political idol, Donald Trump, known for his deceptive rhetoric. Philosophically, this reflects a difference outlined by Harry G. Frankfurt between lying and “bullshitting”: while a liar is aware they are not telling the truth, a bullshit artist, like Trump, may not recognize the difference between truth and falsehood.