Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance is facing renewed scrutiny over comments he made in 2021, referring to women in positions of power, including Vice President Kamala Harris, as “childless cat ladies.” These remarks have resurfaced and ignited controversy as Vance steps onto the national stage.
In a 2021 appearance on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show, Vance criticized figures like Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, stating that the Democratic Party’s future was controlled by “childless cat ladies” who “want to make the rest of the country miserable too.” He specifically named Harris, now a leading contender for the Democratic presidential nomination, as embodying this group.
Kamala Harris at a press conference.
Facing backlash this week as the comments recirculated, Vance addressed the issue in an interview Friday on SiriusXM’s “The Megyn Kelly Show.” He dismissed the “childless cat lady” phrase as sarcasm, stating, “Obviously, it was a sarcastic comment. I’ve got nothing against cats.” Vance shifted blame to the media, accusing them of fixating on the sarcasm rather than the intended “substance” of his message.
Vance attempted to clarify his stance, claiming his criticism was not directed at individuals without children, but rather at the Democratic Party’s perceived shift towards being “anti-family and anti-child.” He accused the media of deliberately attacking him and wanting him to retract his statement. According to Vance, the real issue is that “the Democrats in the past five to 10 years… have become anti-family.”
The resurfaced comments have drawn sharp criticism from various quarters. Celebrities like Jennifer Aniston publicly condemned Vance’s words. Aniston took to Instagram, expressing disbelief that such remarks could come from a potential Vice President, and highlighted the potential impact of Vance’s views on reproductive rights, particularly regarding IVF.
Kamala Harris’s stepdaughter, Ella Emhoff, also responded to Vance’s remarks via Instagram. Emhoff challenged the “childless” label, referencing her and her brother Cole Emhoff’s relationship with Harris. “How can you be ‘childless’ when you have cutie pie kids like Cole and I?” she wrote, affirming her love for her “three parents.”
Ella Emhoff’s mother, Kerstin Emhoff, issued a statement to news outlets defending Harris’s role in their family. She described Kamala as a loving, nurturing, and present co-parent to Ella and Cole for over a decade, emphasizing the positive impact Harris has had on their blended family. The controversy surrounding Vance’s “childless cat lady” comments continues to unfold, adding another layer of complexity to the political discourse.
