Maggie Haberman Flattens J.D. Vance’s Absurd Claim Trump Didn’t Endanger VP: ‘Secret Service Would Disagree’

Tommy ChristopherMay 2nd, 2024, 10:16 am

New York Times correspondent and CNN analyst Maggie Haberman and CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins called BS on Trump VP prospect Sen. J.D. Vance’s (R-OH) claim that ex-President Donald Trump didn’t endanger then-Vice President Mike Pence on January 6.

On Wednesday night’s edition of CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins, Collins followed up her intense interview with Vance by playing part of it for Haberman.

In the clip, Collins points out that being Trump’s VP can result in throngs of Trump fans chanting for your death, and Vance — reportedly in line for the job — says he’s “extremely skeptical that Mike Pence’s life was ever in danger.”

Collins disagreed during the interview, and Haberman disputed the claim as well:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: The last time I checked, President Biden wasn’t approval — approving of the chants to hang his vice president, and did not call his vice president, when their life was in danger, on Capitol Hill, something that Mike Pence himself has testified to.

So my question is does it give you any pause to be his vice president, given how he has treated Mike Pence?

VANCE: Kaitlan, I’m extremely skeptical that Mike Pence’s life was ever in danger. I think politics — in politics, people like to really exaggerate things, from time to time. I know a lot of folks, in the Democratic Party–

COLLINS: I think Mike Pence would disagree with that, Senator.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

…

COLLINS: On J.D. Vance, he is someone who is, you know, there are a lot of names always swirling around, for Trump’s potential vice president. But J.D. Vance is usually on the top of the list, when you talk to these people, in Trump’s orbit.

MAGGIE HABERMAN: 100 percent, there’s a lot of people who think that ultimately it will be Vance.

Now, to be clear, we have no idea what Trump is going to do.

COLLINS: Yes.

HABERMAN: And it’s a real fool’s errand to try to predict who he’s going to choose for anything.

But Vance is very clearly a top choice. And part of it is because of what we just saw in that interview. He is really effective in defending Trump on television.

Now, I think the Secret Service would also disagree that Mike Pence’s life was not in danger. But that’s a separate issue. Vance is communicating the message that Trump wants, both on the legal cases and against the media.

And so, there are — there are a lot of reasons, including Trump’s own personal comfort and chemistry. You know this as well as anybody. For Trump, so much of what he does with personnel comes down to chemistry and interpersonal relationships. And he really likes Vance.