We live in a cynical age, and politics is an inherently cynical business. So it is easy to assume these days that whenever a publicity-hungry junior Republican politician seeks an extended interview, the reason is either to advance in the ranks of Trumpism or announce the sudden and scandalous end of his career. (See, for example, Nancy Mace — liable to do both — whose emotional register by her own private confession is forever set to “Notice me, senpai!”)
But although summer 2024 seems like suspicious timing for his in-depth interview, it has always felt as though Ohio senator J. D. Vance is cut from a different cloth than most in the world of MAGA-friendly politics, and it is not just because of his (admittedly impressive) personal biography. It is because he is a manifestly intelligent and self-reflective person — his memoir alone demonstrated that — something that gets lost in his halting attempts at retail politicking but might come through in extended conversation. Hence last week’s lengthy sit-down, with none other than the Gray Lady herself, the New York Times, which I unreservedly recommend that you take the time to read regardless of your opinion of Vance, Donald Trump, or the current state of the Republican Party writ large.
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