Vance Addresses Michigan Event Behind Bulletproof Glass, Criticizes Harris

Republican vice presidential nominee Senator JD Vance took the stage in Big Rapids, Michigan, on Tuesday, speaking behind bulletproof glass for the first time at his own campaign event. This heightened security measure follows a trend established at former President Donald Trump’s outdoor rallies, particularly after an assassination attempt during an event in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July.

While Vance had previously spoken behind bulletproof glass in Asheboro, North Carolina, last week, that event was a joint appearance with Trump.

During his remarks focused on the economy and jobs at a local farm, Vance criticized the Labor Department for allegedly overstating its monthly job growth figures and accused the Biden-Harris administration of manipulating job numbers to mask the country’s economic challenges.

“Last week, the biggest heist in American history happened right under Kamala Harris’ nose,” Vance declared. “Somebody stole 818,000 jobs that she and Tim Walz had been bragging about. Did y’all see that? Where did they go?”

He further alleged that the administration was “cooking the books” to obscure the true state of the economy under Harris’s leadership.

Vance didn’t stop there; he also questioned Harris’s sincerity and understanding of her own beliefs. “In some ways, I feel bad for Kamala Harris,” he remarked. “… But I’m not sure that this is a woman who knows what she actually believes.”

Harris, who laid out her economic strategy earlier in the month, is still defining her positions on several critical voter issues. She has already distanced herself from some of the views she expressed during her 2020 presidential campaign.

Addressing a recent statement by Harris at the Democratic National Convention, where she mentioned potential “consequences” of reinstating Trump as president, Vance questioned her authority in the role. “Is she the vice president or the vice principal?” he asked rhetorically.

After his speech, Vance shared his thoughts with reporters, expressing skepticism about Harris’s warnings. “I don’t think that’s persuasive to most Americans and warning them about voting for the wrong person is just, I think it’s ridiculous,” he stated.

The backdrop of Vance’s comments reflects the ongoing political climate as the election cycle heats up, where both parties are utilizing rallies to galvanize support.

Amid heightened security and charged rhetoric, Vance’s campaign appearance underscores an evolving landscape in American politics, where safety and perceptions of economic integrity are increasingly pivotal to voter sentiment. Whether these dynamics will resonate with the electorate remains to be seen as the campaigns progress.