We are in what is often called the lazy, hazy days of summer. So, instead of focusing on serious topics this week, let’s delve into the bizarre happenings surrounding the Republican presidential ticket. Believe me, since Vice President Kamala Harris has become the presumptive Democratic candidate, things have become crazier than you can imagine.
Last week, the internet was abuzz with rumors about newly minted Trump vice-presidential candidate JD Vance allegedly engaging in “sexual couch surfing” during his youth. The Associated Press even investigated and published a fact sheet on the matter. However, they had to retract it because Vance’s campaign did not deny the allegation, making it impossible to confirm or refute. The rumor persisted and was even mentioned on CBS’s “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” and HBO’s “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.” Both shows reached out to Vance’s campaign for comment, and once again, there was no denial.
The word most associated with the Republican ticket for president and vice president now seems to be “weird.” This same week, an old video surfaced of JD Vance saying, “We are effectively run in this country … by a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made, and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable, too.” He also gave a speech where he mentioned his preference for Diet Mountain Dew and suggested that Democrats might find that racist—an attempt at humor that fell flat. It was not a good week for Vance.
A friend alerted me to another odd aspect of these two candidates. The Republican party, known for its strong stance against drag queens, is being represented by a candidate who wears more orange makeup than any drag queen and a vice-presidential candidate known for his heavy use of eyeliner. This raises an interesting question: If someone paints their face for a performance and dances, does that qualify as drag? Trump is known for his heavily made-up appearance and his dancing at rallies, sometimes to the Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” So, could Trump be considered a drag queen? And if so, shouldn’t Republicans follow their own advice and protect children from drag performances? Why, then, do people bring their children to see Trump in drag? Do they think they’re bringing their child to see Ronald McDonald? So goes another week.
