J.D. Vance Addresses ‘Cat Ladies’ Comment: ‘I Don’t Think We Should Back Down from It, I Think We Should Be Honest About the Problem’

[Excerpt Kelly As the ░░░░░░░░ Party ousts President Joe ░░░░░░░░ and elevates Vice President ░░░░░░░░ Harris to the top ░░░░░░░░ its ticket without a ░░░░░░░░ vote having been cast ░░░░░░░░ her in that role ░░░░░░░░ just a matter of ░░░░░░░░ the media suddenly turning ░░░░░░░░ of its focus seemingly ░░░░░░░░ Senator J D Vance ░░░░░░░░ s running mate Donald ░░░░░░░░ s number two coming ░░░░░░░░ intense criticism for comments ░░░░░░░░ made three years ago ░░░░░░░░ quote childless cat ladies ░░░░░░░░ this is what Americans ░░░░░░░░ can t pay their ░░░░░░░░ care about Senator Vance ░░░░░░░░ here to respond to ░░░░░░░░ controversy But first we ░░░░░░░░ to start by walking ░░░░░░░░ through how it all ░░░░░░░░ Going back now to ░░░░░░░░ 2021 Mr Vance had ░░░░░░░░ launched his campaign for ░░░░░░░░ in the great state ░░░░░░░░ Ohio and he gave ░░░░░░░░ speech to a conservative ░░░░░░░░ called the Intercollegiate Studies ░░░░░░░░ This was a speech ░░░░░░░░ about declining birth rates ░░░░░░░░ they re bad by ░░░░░░░░ way in the United ░░░░░░░░ They re at a ░░░░░░░░ year low and they ░░░░░░░░ to go in the ░░░░░░░░ direction And what it ░░░░░░░░ for the future of ░░░░░░░░ country Mr Vance talked ░░░░░░░░ how he wanted to ░░░░░░░░ the Republican Party as ░░░░░░░░ pro family party He ░░░░░░░░ the importance of children ░░░░░░░░ brought up the fact ░░░░░░░░ many top Democratic leaders ░░░░░░░░ t have any kids ░░░░░░░░ what kind of a ░░░░░░░░ the party as a ░░░░░░░░ is sending to young ░░░░░░░░ Take a listen Clip ░░░░░░░░ Vance I want to ░░░░░░░░ aim at the left ░░░░░░░░ the childless left because ░░░░░░░░ think the rejection of ░░░░░░░░ American family is perhaps ░░░░░░░░ most pernicious and most ░░░░░░░░ thing that the left ░░░░░░░░ done in this country ░░░░░░░░ all of the next ░░░░░░░░ of the Democrat Party ░░░░░░░░ names are obvious They ░░░░░░░░ well known people Kamala ░░░░░░░░ Mayor Pete Buttigieg who ░░░░░░░░ now the secretary of ░░░░░░░░ Cory Booker AOC Think ░░░░░░░░ of these people They ░░░░░░░░ different They come from ░░░░░░░░ walks of life different ░░░░░░░░ of the country What ░░░░░░░░ the one thing that ░░░░░░░░ every single one of ░░░░░░░░ Not a single one ░░░░░░░░ them has any children ░░░░░░░░ a lot of people ░░░░░░░░ unable to have kids ░░░░░░░░ very complicated and important ░░░░░░░░ There are people of ░░░░░░░░ for biological reasons medical ░░░░░░░░ that can t have ░░░░░░░░ The target of these ░░░░░░░░ is not them It ░░░░░░░░ important to point that ░░░░░░░░ It is one thing ░░░░░░░░ recognize that there are ░░░░░░░░ who don t have ░░░░░░░░ it s one thing ░░░░░░░░ recognize that there are ░░░░░░░░ who don t have ░░░░░░░░ through no fault or ░░░░░░░░ of their own But ░░░░░░░░ s something else to ░░░░░░░░ a political movement invested ░░░░░░░░ in the future of ░░░░░░░░ country when not a ░░░░░░░░ one of them actually ░░░░░░░░ any physical commitment to ░░░░░░░░ future of this country ░░░░░░░░ are the ultimate way ░░░░░░░░ we find healthy people ░░░░░░░░ least I think self ░░░░░░░░ in life We should ░░░░░░░░ this as a crisis ░░░░░░░░ this country And we ░░░░░░░░ send the signal to ░░░░░░░░ culture that we are ░░░░░░░░ pro family party and ░░░░░░░░ re going to back ░░░░░░░░ up with real policy ░░░░░░░░ Clip ends Kelly Now ░░░░░░░░ Mr Vance named names ░░░░░░░░ his speech it caused ░░░░░░░░ headlines at the time ░░░░░░░░ because Vice President Harris ░░░░░░░░ not a mother of ░░░░░░░░ own biological children but ░░░░░░░░ s a stepmother At ░░░░░░░░ same time Secretary Buttigieg ░░░░░░░░ not have any children ░░░░░░░░ about a month later ░░░░░░░░ adopted twin babies So ░░░░░░░░ few days after those ░░░░░░░░ back in 2021 Mr ░░░░░░░░ went on Tucker Carlson ░░░░░░░░ show on Fox to ░░░░░░░░ some of the blowback ░░░░░░░░ that s when he ░░░░░░░░ the comments about the ░░░░░░░░ cat ladies Watch Clip ░░░░░░░░ Vance We re effectively ░░░░░░░░ in this country via ░░░░░░░░ Democrats via our corporate ░░░░░░░░ by a bunch of ░░░░░░░░ cat ladies who are ░░░░░░░░ at their own lives ░░░░░░░░ the choices that they ░░░░░░░░ made and so they ░░░░░░░░ to make the rest ░░░░░░░░ the country miserable too ░░░░░░░░ it s just a ░░░░░░░░ fact You look at ░░░░░░░░ Harris Pete Buttigieg AOC ░░░░░░░░ entire future of the ░░░░░░░░ is controlled by people ░░░░░░░░ children Clip ends Kelly ░░░░░░░░ the Harris team recirculated ░░░░░░░░ comments this week leading ░░░░░░░░ and the media the ░░░░░░░░ media currently rewriting history ░░░░░░░░ tell us Kamala Harris ░░░░░░░░ never the border czar ░░░░░░░░ immediately pile on on ░░░░░░░░ On Tuesday Hillary Clinton ░░░░░░░░ it on X and ░░░░░░░░ wrote What a normal ░░░░░░░░ guy who certainly doesn ░░░░░░░░ hate women having freedoms ░░░░░░░░ your husband has been ░░░░░░░░ of repeated sexual assaults ░░░░░░░░ take a seat madam ░░░░░░░░ Wednesday actress Jennifer Aniston ░░░░░░░░ in writing I truly ░░░░░░░░ t believe this is ░░░░░░░░ from a potential VP ░░░░░░░░ the United States and ░░░░░░░░ Senator Vance to think ░░░░░░░░ his own daughter hoping ░░░░░░░░ she might never need ░░░░░░░░ which she accused Mr ░░░░░░░░ of being against which ░░░░░░░░ we pointed out yesterday ░░░░░░░░ not true And it ░░░░░░░░ not end there Watch ░░░░░░░░ starts Goldberg How dare ░░░░░░░░ You never had a ░░░░░░░░ Your wife had a ░░░░░░░░ You know who else ░░░░░░░░ t have kids George ░░░░░░░░ the father of our ░░░░░░░░ Like Kamala he raised ░░░░░░░░ s children Reid Because ░░░░░░░░ invalidate even the idea ░░░░░░░░ women who use IVF ░░░░░░░░ get pregnant or women ░░░░░░░░ don t have children ░░░░░░░░ women who are stepmoms ░░░░░░░░ None of those are ░░░░░░░░ women to them Those ░░░░░░░░ don t matter They ░░░░░░░░ trying to reinforce this ░░░░░░░░ that the only valid ░░░░░░░░ of America is the ░░░░░░░░ where white women didn ░░░░░░░░ leave the home BRZEZINSKI ░░░░░░░░ kids are older Does ░░░░░░░░ make me childless I ░░░░░░░░ to qualify UNKNOWN FEMALE ░░░░░░░░ is falling into the ░░░░░░░░ of Donald Trump offending ░░░░░░░░ offending minorities RYAN So ░░░░░░░░ you have stepkids J ░░░░░░░░ Vance is saying that ░░░░░░░░ should not have as ░░░░░░░░ rights as everybody else ░░░░░░░░ this is a person ░░░░░░░░ and the former president ░░░░░░░░ want to control women ░░░░░░░░ did not have children ░░░░░░░░ Clip ends Kelly Joining ░░░░░░░░ now GOP vice presidential ░░░░░░░░ J D Vance J ░░░░░░░░ senator welcome back to ░░░░░░░░ show It s great ░░░░░░░░ see you Vance Good ░░░░░░░░ see you Megyn Thank ░░░░░░░░ Kelly So Jesus didn ░░░░░░░░ have kids Therefore you ░░░░░░░░ wrong What are you ░░░░░░░░ to say Vance I ░░░░░░░░ they re comparing Kamala ░░░░░░░░ to Jesus I don ░░░░░░░░ know That doesn t ░░░░░░░░ a ton of sense ░░░░░░░░ me Megyn But look ░░░░░░░░ know the media wants ░░░░░░░░ attack me and wants ░░░░░░░░ to back down on ░░░░░░░░ Megyn But the simple ░░░░░░░░ that I made is ░░░░░░░░ having children becoming a ░░░░░░░░ becoming a mother I ░░░░░░░░ do think it changes ░░░░░░░░ perspective in a pretty ░░░░░░░░ way This is something ░░░░░░░░ course we ve recognized ░░░░░░░░ hundreds of years in ░░░░░░░░ country that human civilization ░░░░░░░░ always recognized But there ░░░░░░░░ a deeper point here ░░░░░░░░ It s not a ░░░░░░░░ of people who don ░░░░░░░░ have children And I ░░░░░░░░ said in my remarks ░░░░░░░░ the fact the media ░░░░░░░░ lied about this that ░░░░░░░░ is not about criticizing ░░░░░░░░ who for various reasons ░░░░░░░░ t have kids This ░░░░░░░░ about criticizing the Democratic ░░░░░░░░ for becoming anti family ░░░░░░░░ anti child We have ░░░░░░░░ ask ourselves Megyn why ░░░░░░░░ we have masking of ░░░░░░░░ years after the pandemic ░░░░░░░░ Why do we have ░░░░░░░░ Harris campaign coming out ░░░░░░░░ very morning Megyn and ░░░░░░░░ that we should not ░░░░░░░░ the child tax credit ░░░░░░░░ lowers tax rates for ░░░░░░░░ of young children It ░░░░░░░░ because they have become ░░░░░░░░ family and anti kid ░░░░░░░░ I m proud to ░░░░░░░░ up for parents And ░░░░░░░░ hope that parents out ░░░░░░░░ recognize that I m ░░░░░░░░ guy who wants to ░░░░░░░░ for you I want ░░░░░░░░ fight for your interests ░░░░░░░░ want to fight for ░░░░░░░░ stake in the country ░░░░░░░░ that is what this ░░░░░░░░ fundamentally about The Democrats ░░░░░░░░ the past five 10 ░░░░░░░░ Megyn they have become ░░░░░░░░ family It s built ░░░░░░░░ their policy It s ░░░░░░░░ into the way they ░░░░░░░░ about parents and children ░░░░░░░░ it s time that ░░░░░░░░ call that out I ░░░░░░░░ t think we should ░░░░░░░░ down from it Megyn ░░░░░░░░ think we should be ░░░░░░░░ about the problem Kelly ░░░░░░░░ s what s crazy ░░░░░░░░ s not just Senator ░░░░░░░░ D Vance Republican and ░░░░░░░░ mate to Donald Trump ░░░░░░░░ that Just recently there ░░░░░░░░ a long piece June ░░░░░░░░ 2024 in The New ░░░░░░░░ Times and another one ░░░░░░░░ The New Yorker highlighting ░░░░░░░░ book that s called ░░░░░░░░ Are Children For On ░░░░░░░░ and Choice in which ░░░░░░░░ authors leftists liberals got ░░░░░░░░ into this very problem ░░░░░░░░ chastised their own side ░░░░░░░░ the reluctance to have ░░░░░░░░ and the messaging to ░░░░░░░░ women about priorities It ░░░░░░░░ not just a Republican ░░░░░░░░ The honest liberals will ░░░░░░░░ themselves that somehow the ░░░░░░░░ are running away from ░░░░░░░░ as one of their ░░░░░░░░ old core values I ░░░░░░░░ just give you a ░░░░░░░░ of excerpts from The ░░░░░░░░ York Times piece by ░░░░░░░░ two authors Anastasia Berg ░░░░░░░░ Rachel Wiseman Again this ░░░░░░░░ a month ago They ░░░░░░░░ For progressives waiting to ░░░░░░░░ children has become a ░░░░░░░░ of ethical imperative They ░░░░░░░░ on to say The ░░░░░░░░ narratives of modern liberal ░░░░░░░░ leave little room for ░░░░░░░░ a family They say ░░░░░░░░ is not just a ░░░░░░░░ for unhappiness It also ░░░░░░░░ a deep confusion And ░░░░░░░░ go on to write ░░░░░░░░ follows The question of ░░░░░░░░ ultimately transcends politics In ░░░░░░░░ whether to have them ░░░░░░░░ confront a philosophical challenge ░░░░░░░░ life however imperfect and ░░░░░░░░ challenging however fraught with ░░░░░░░░ disagreement and disaster worth ░░░░░░░░ So this is not ░░░░░░░░ I could go on ░░░░░░░░ mean The New Yorker ░░░░░░░░ had the similar point ░░░░░░░░ ve seen it from ░░░░░░░░ We ve seen it ░░░░░░░░ the hardcore environmentalists on ░░░░░░░░ left in particular urging ░░░░░░░░ not to have children ░░░░░░░░ they don t see ░░░░░░░░ future for the country ░░░░░░░░ the world Vance Yeah ░░░░░░░░ And I think it ░░░░░░░░ profoundly weird and dangerous ░░░░░░░░ As you know I ░░░░░░░░ most parents would say ░░░░░░░░ achievements whether you re ░░░░░░░░ mom or dad all ░░░░░░░░ stuff eventually fades away ░░░░░░░░ thing that you re ░░░░░░░░ proud of is having ░░░░░░░░ What your kids do ░░░░░░░░ relationship that you have ░░░░░░░░ your family that is ░░░░░░░░ I think brings the ░░░░░░░░ meaning to life is ░░░░░░░░ not all these weird ░░░░░░░░ accomplishments and degrees and ░░░░░░░░ else right It s ░░░░░░░░ that really brings the ░░░░░░░░ meaning to our lives ░░░░░░░░ Megyn this comment that ░░░░░░░░ made was actually motivated ░░░░░░░░ part by a conversation ░░░░░░░░ had with my wife ░░░░░░░░ you know she at ░░░░░░░░ time had two babies ░░░░░░░░ hadn t yet had ░░░░░░░░ third and she was ░░░░░░░░ about how she felt ░░░░░░░░ incredible professional pressure to ░░░░░░░░ have kids because it ░░░░░░░░ back her professional advancement ░░░░░░░░ what a weird society ░░░░░░░░ we ve set up ░░░░░░░░ moms who want to ░░░░░░░░ the thought that a ░░░░░░░░ of them are having ░░░░░░░░ I can t have ░░░░░░░░ babies because it s ░░░░░░░░ to be bad for ░░░░░░░░ career How about we ░░░░░░░░ the workplace more accommodating ░░░░░░░░ working moms and working ░░░░░░░░ so that we can ░░░░░░░░ a real culture of ░░░░░░░░ And you started your ░░░░░░░░ Megyn talking about how ░░░░░░░░ have the lowest birth ░░░░░░░░ basically in our history ░░░░░░░░ this country What our ░░░░░░░░ moms and dads are ░░░░░░░░ us is they don ░░░░░░░░ feel comfortable in this ░░░░░░░░ bringing new life into ░░░░░░░░ world That is a ░░░░░░░░ problem And it s ░░░░░░░░ when I raised this ░░░░░░░░ about we don t ░░░░░░░░ enough babies a lot ░░░░░░░░ liberals and a lot ░░░░░░░░ people on the left ░░░░░░░░ say well we can ░░░░░░░░ replace American children with ░░░░░░░░ immigrants Well look there ░░░░░░░░ nothing against immigrants Obviously ░░░░░░░░ m married to the ░░░░░░░░ of immigrants but if ░░░░░░░░ society is not having ░░░░░░░░ children to replace itself ░░░░░░░░ is a profoundly dangerous ░░░░░░░░ destabilizing thing You look ░░░░░░░░ history that s a ░░░░░░░░ problem So I just ░░░░░░░░ that we have to ░░░░░░░░ Megyn having kids is ░░░░░░░░ Being a parent changes ░░░░░░░░ perspective on the world ░░░░░░░░ is not a bad ░░░░░░░░ to stand up for ░░░░░░░░ In fact it s ░░░░░░░░ best thing If our ░░░░░░░░ isn t standing up ░░░░░░░░ parents then what the ░░░░░░░░ are we doing Megyn ░░░░░░░░ All right I m ░░░░░░░░ you The New Yorker ░░░░░░░░ This is a the ░░░░░░░░ was from The New ░░░░░░░░ Times Here s The ░░░░░░░░ Yorker How liberals talk ░░░░░░░░ children by Jay Caspian ░░░░░░░░ This is from June ░░░░░░░░ is a month ago ░░░░░░░░ it ends with the ░░░░░░░░ He talks about how ░░░░░░░░ person Jay talks about ░░░░░░░░ the messaging from leftists ░░░░░░░░ children is all about ░░░░░░░░ economic value how much ░░░░░░░░ re going to cost ░░░░░░░░ kind of a burden ░░░░░░░░ re going to be ░░░░░░░░ opposed to the goodness ░░░░░░░░ bring into the world ░░░░░░░░ our lives And the ░░░░░░░░ ends as follows We ░░░░░░░░ talk about them as ░░░░░░░░ universal and immutable good ░░░░░░░░ that s exactly what ░░░░░░░░ did Vance Yes Kelly ░░░░░░░░ those remarks J D ░░░░░░░░ I understood it completely ░░░░░░░░ I think even the ░░░░░░░░ if they re honest ░░░░░░░░ that piece of it.”