Sen. J.D. Vance Lacks Originality and Humor, Says Debate Prep Insider Ahead of National Debate
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Sen. J.D. Vance may believe he’s witty and clever, but according to Danny O’Conner, an Ohio Democrat who once portrayed him in debate preparation, the Ohio senator is far from it. O’Conner, who prepped former Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) for debates against Vance in the 2022 election, shared his insights with Politico on Thursday, ahead of a high-stakes national debate on October 1 featuring Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
In his conversation with Politico, O’Conner didn’t hold back when describing Vance’s personality and debate style. “There’s not really much in terms of original thought,” he said, calling Vance “one of the most dishonest human beings I’ve ever encountered.”
The debate, which will air on CBS News at 9 p.m. ET, will pit Walz against Vance in what promises to be a tense 90-minute showdown. As O’Conner described it, Walz can expect a performance where Vance attempts to come across as the “smartest person in the room,” but with little success.
“He’s just going to try and be smart and funny, and it just doesn’t work, because he’s not really that funny or smooth,” O’Conner said, suggesting that Vance’s attempts at humor tend to fall flat.
O’Conner also predicted that Vance’s response to criticism—particularly on policies that affect working families—will be dismissive, portraying him as disconnected from the struggles of everyday Americans. “Vance will laugh it off like it’s something that really doesn’t matter and that everyone should be indifferent about,” O’Conner explained. “He has a remarkable lack of sense of where voters are and what people are looking for out of their leaders.”
The Ohio senator’s lack of a cohesive policy vision, according to O’Conner, mirrors former President Donald Trump’s own tendency to avoid specific plans. O’Conner suggested that Vance, a close ally of Trump, may struggle to present clear policy points during the debate, instead resorting to dismissive laughter when challenged on key issues.
“If someone were to say, ‘Senator Vance, you’ve supported a national ban on abortion in the past,’ I guarantee he’ll laugh at that and say that’s not true, and then say why he doesn’t support it,” O’Conner predicted. “Generally, he’ll laugh if something is absolutely true.”
O’Conner’s comments highlight a broader criticism of Vance’s debate style: rather than engaging thoughtfully on critical issues, he deflects or resorts to humor that misses the mark. For Gov. Walz, this presents an opportunity to challenge Vance on his record, particularly on matters important to voters like economic hardship and family welfare.
As the national debate approaches, O’Conner’s insights offer a preview of what to expect from Vance—a performance heavy on arrogance but light on substance. According to O’Conner, Vance’s tendency to brush off serious concerns could ultimately backfire, revealing a disconnect between the senator and the voters he seeks to represent.
