Republican Party Congress - A storyteller for Trump: Vance gives the neighbors
In the aftermath of the heated and extreme speeches at the Republican Party convention in Milwaukee, J.D. Vance comes across as rather calm: In his first speech as Vice Presidential candidate, he does not raise his voice. When the audience interrupts him with applause, he waits patiently and smiles. For his speech, he dons the role of the storyteller, who once achieved success with the bestseller "Hillbilly Elegy" - and clings to his own family history among the working class to tell of an America that needs a strong Donald Trump to get back on track after Joe Biden's presidency.
"I grew up in Middletown, Ohio," says the 39-year-old Senator at the beginning of his speech, officially accepting the nomination as Trump's Vice President. The fact that he is now on this stage is mainly due to the fact that Trump promises to secure votes in the hotly contested "Swing States" and especially among industrial workers. And that's exactly what Vance is focusing on this evening. For him, it's the first test run at Trump's side in the Republican Party.
An American Tale
The audience is already inclined towards Vance, as that's just what Trump picks. In Milwaukee, it seems almost everyone is a Vance fan. The 34-year-old Thomas Lane, a lawyer from California, was his first choice for the role of Vice President, he says. Vance manages to make even someone like him believe, "that you can achieve anything if you work hard enough." From dishwasher to millionaire - the classic American tale.
He comes from a small town, "where people spoke their minds, made things with their hands, and loved God, their family, their community, and their country with all their hearts," Vance gushes about his hometown. But it was also a place that had been pushed aside and forgotten by the "ruling class" of America in Washington. Whether such a statement from a top politician with a law degree from Yale and an elite university is credible, whose campaign is financed by millions from a tech billionaire, ultimately depends on the voters.
Vance speaks of poverty in many parts of America, of despair and drug overdoses. He connects this with the difficult relationships of his own past, his mother's former alcohol addiction, who is in the audience and receives great applause when the cameras focus on her. For the anecdote about his deceased grandmother, who supposedly hid 19 guns in various places in the house, there are jeers and applause.
Muted applause for vegetarian and Indian food
The reactions to his wife Usha's speech, who stands on the stage to introduce him, are more reserved. The top lawyer with Indian roots is welcomed friendly, the people in the audience are polite and respectful towards her, they laugh when she makes a joke. But not all anecdotes land in the Trump supporter's "Make America Great Again" audience. When Usha tells how she introduced her meat-loving husband to vegetarian food and how her mother taught him to cook Indian food, there is only lukewarm applause.
In the story that Vance tells in the aftermath, there is a place for Usha and his children, his time in the military, and his student debts - but not his career in the financial sector. The "corrupt Washington," so the narrative, is Joe Biden and the Democrats.
The current US President, who is running for a second term, makes Vance the face of globalization and supporter of wars that Americans have suffered under. "Jobs were moved to other countries and our children were sent to war," says Vance at one point, referring to the Iraq War, which Biden supported as one of 77 Senators during his time in the US Congress. At another, "Many people, with whom I grew up, can't afford to pay more for food, gas, and rent." He holds Biden accountable for this.
Trump as a stubborn healer
He often comes back to speaking about Trump, who smiles approvingly at him from the podium. Trump, according to Vance, made amends for decades of betrayal by corrupt insiders in Washington during his time as US President. Biden is among them. Vance presents Trump as a man of political moderation.
Regarding the weekend's assassination attempt on Trump, Vance says about the presidential candidate, "In a moment, he can stand defiant against an assassin and call for national healing. He is a beloved father and grandfather." Trump called for national unity, "for peace and literally, after an assassin almost took his life away." Shortly after the assassination attempt, Vance held Biden responsible for the attack.
America First
In his speech, he promises Trump to help realize his extraordinary vision for the country. Just before that, he outlined in broad strokes what that could look like and presented a clear America-first policy in the spirit of Trump: "We will no longer buy energy from countries that hate us, but will directly obtain it from American workers in Pennsylvania and Ohio and all over the country," Vance announces. "We will no longer sacrifice supply chains for unlimited global trade."
At the end, Vance then - like every good storyteller - draws a bow back to where he began. To the people of Middletown "and all forgotten communities (...) and in all corners of our country," he promises, "I will be a Vice President who never forgets where I come from."
Vance mentions his roots in Middletown, Ohio, a place known for its hardworking individuals and deep patriotism. Despite his Yale law degree and backing from a tech billionaire, he accepts the audience's skepticism as a top politician from a forgotten community.
The Republican Party considers Thomas Lane, a lawyer from California, as their initial choice for Vice President, but ultimately, they select Vance. Vance's ability to inspire and his personal journey from a dishwasher to a millionaire resonates with their 'Make America Great Again' audience.
Vance underscores the struggles of many Americans, including drug overdoses and poverty. He connects his own life experiences, such as his mother's past alcohol addiction and his deceased grandmother's gun collection, with these challenges.
Usha, Vance's wife, receives a friendly but reserved welcome. Her introduction of her husband includes vegetarian and Indian cuisine, which does not fully captivate the Republican audience. However, they show respect towards her and her background.
Donald Trump supports Vance's nomination as Vice President, and Vance uses his speech to highlight the importance of securing votes in Swing States and among industrial workers. He refers to Biden's presidency as a time that pushed aside and ignored many American communities.
The audience applauds Vance's mother, whose past struggles with alcohol addiction are acknowledged during his speech. Vance makes references to his work in the military and his debts, while his career in the financial sector remains absent from his story.
Vance portrays Biden as a supporter of globalization and wars that have negatively impacted Americans. He criticizes Biden for contributing to job losses and the increase in living expenses, implying that he has failed the American people.
In his speech, Vance positions Trump as the solution to decades of corruption in Washington and the embodiment of political moderation. He highlights Trump's stance on domestic energy production, emphasizing the need for self-sufficiency and localizing supply chains.
After discussing his vision for America, Vance reiterates his commitment to his roots and the overlooked communities in the country. He promises to be a Vice President who will not forget the working-class Americans that shaped his life.
