Vice President JD Vance floundered on stage at Naval Air Station Oceana, attempting to juggle a moral dilemma before launching into a nasty jab at former President Joe Biden.
His so-called humor fell flat, met with blank stares from the troops present, a clear sign that his attempt at wit was unwelcome.
Vance kicked off his speech with a disingenuous “It’s amazing to be here,” but quickly shifted gears to reveal his true thoughts.
“You know what I’m thinking as I’m coming down the steps is don’t fall and bust your ass in front of all of you and in front of all these cameras, because they would never let me live that one down,” he quipped, setting the tone for what was to follow.
He then referenced “the previous president,” claiming he was wrestling with his conscience: “I’m trying to be nonpartisan.”
Vance invoked the classic cartoon trope of an angel and devil on his shoulders, claiming, “You ever seen these old cartoons where you have the angel on the shoulder and the devil on the shoulder?”
He elaborated, “I’ve got the angel on my shoulder saying, ‘JD, don’t be partisan. We’re going to make this nonpartisan.’”
Then came the punchline: “And then I’ve got the devil on my shoulder who wants to talk about every time that Joe Biden fell up or down the stairs. And the media didn’t care about that. But if I did it one time, if I did it one time, it would be a major, major story.”
Vance’s attempt at humor was met with silence from the audience, a stark contrast to his expectations. The troops behind him remained largely expressionless.
Mediaite pointed out that while Biden has had a few missteps during his presidency, Vance likely referenced the 2023 U.S. Air Force Academy graduation when Biden tripped over a sandbag on stage.
Trump has also made jokes about Biden’s falls, but his own clumsiness has been highlighted in the past.
Vance’s jab at Biden did not resonate well on social media either, drawing criticism from various users.
One observer noted the irony of Vance’s remarks about angels and devils coinciding with his promotion of a new book detailing his late-in-life conversion to Catholicism.
