MSNBC guest Donny Deutsch expresses unexpected admiration for Republican Senate candidate JD Vance's conduct during his debate, despite initial expectations of a "despicable character."
Donny Deutsch, a frequent MSNBC guest, expressed surprise at the measured performance of Republican Senate candidate JD Vance during his recent debate. Deutsch, a former MSNBC host, appeared on "Morning Joe" Wednesday morning and admitted that Vance "was good" in the debate.
"He was good," Deutsch said. "I mean, he was too slick, maybe, but… he certainly was not the kind of despicable character that we’ve kind of seen clips of."
Donny Deutsch Surprised by JD Vance's Performance in Debate
Deutsch described the debate as a "draw" up until the discussion of the 2020 election and former President Donald Trump's refusal to concede defeat. Deutsch believes that Vance's stance on the election was "disqualifying."
"I think that that was disqualifying,"" Deutsch said. "I think that’s disqualifying in the election, if you can’t say that."
Donny Deutsch Surprised by JD Vance's Performance in Debate
Despite his reservations about Vance's election stance, Deutsch praised the overall tenor of the debate.
"I think the big theme of this thing was that it was very congenial, and it was not a blood sport," Deutsch said. "It was not UFC. It was more like boxing."
Deutsch acknowledges that the relatively tame nature of the debate may not appeal to some viewers, but he believes it reflects a growing desire for civility in political discourse.
"And if the American public — your intuition says, well, the American public is ready for that, they want that, but then I kind of said to myself, is there this sick, twisted thing that people are addicted to the sick entertainment value of Donald Trump, and that they were kind of disappointed?" Deutsch said.
"I was enjoying it, but they were disappointed: ‘No, that’s no fun. Are we going to go back to that?’ Now, my better angels in me say, no, people are ready for that. But it’s an interesting question," he added.
Deutsch concluded by speculating that Vance's strong performance may have irked Trump, who is known for his aversion to being upstaged.
"Donald Trump, you’re going to see, he’s going to be very dismissive of JD Vance in the coming weeks, but Donald Trump is not happy this morning because JD Vance showed himself to be a superior candidate," Deutsch said.
Deutsch's comments highlight the nuanced and sometimes surprising nature of political debates. Despite expectations of acrimony and personal attacks, candidates may occasionally surprise viewers with their conduct and demeanor. As the midterm elections draw near, it remains to be seen whether Vance's performance will have a lasting impact on his campaign and the broader political landscape.
