George Packer

You know, up until he entered politics and very specifically until he became vice president, he was a very eloquent speaker. The ability to speak in a way where people from different backgrounds and political ideologies could actually maybe hear some of what he was talking about. But since then, I mean, he has really said some very inflammatory things.

There's this Fox interview where his wife spoke in defense of him calling Democratic leaders childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices they've made. He actually points out that he believes that they don't have a stake in the country's future because of their lack of having biological children.

There's this Fox interview where his wife spoke in defense of him calling Democratic leaders childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices they've made. He actually points out that he believes that they don't have a stake in the country's future because of their lack of having biological children.

There's this Fox interview where his wife spoke in defense of him calling Democratic leaders childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices they've made. He actually points out that he believes that they don't have a stake in the country's future because of their lack of having biological children.

And I want to play a clip of Usha Vance making a statement about this on Fox in August of 2024. Let's listen.

And I want to play a clip of Usha Vance making a statement about this on Fox in August of 2024. Let's listen.

And I want to play a clip of Usha Vance making a statement about this on Fox in August of 2024. Let's listen.

That was J.D. Vance's wife, Usha Vance, on Fox in 2024 speaking about her husband's statements about childless cat ladies. George, how do you assess her role here? She's navigating and mitigating his words, the controversies around the things that he said. How do you assess that?

That was J.D. Vance's wife, Usha Vance, on Fox in 2024 speaking about her husband's statements about childless cat ladies. George, how do you assess her role here? She's navigating and mitigating his words, the controversies around the things that he said. How do you assess that?

That was J.D. Vance's wife, Usha Vance, on Fox in 2024 speaking about her husband's statements about childless cat ladies. George, how do you assess her role here? She's navigating and mitigating his words, the controversies around the things that he said. How do you assess that?

Some of the people that you talked to for this piece who are friends with Vance said that they still believe that he is motivated by his loyalty to the working class. But you show how many of his actions, repeating election lies, mocking marginalized groups, really contradict that. Who and what do you think he's actually loyal to?

Some of the people that you talked to for this piece who are friends with Vance said that they still believe that he is motivated by his loyalty to the working class. But you show how many of his actions, repeating election lies, mocking marginalized groups, really contradict that. Who and what do you think he's actually loyal to?

Some of the people that you talked to for this piece who are friends with Vance said that they still believe that he is motivated by his loyalty to the working class. But you show how many of his actions, repeating election lies, mocking marginalized groups, really contradict that. Who and what do you think he's actually loyal to?

George Packer, thank you so much for this article and for this conversation.

George Packer, thank you so much for this article and for this conversation.

George Packer, thank you so much for this article and for this conversation.

George Packer is a staff writer at The Atlantic. Coming up, TV critic David Bianculi reviews a new HBO movie from the creator of Succession. This is Fresh Air.

George Packer is a staff writer at The Atlantic. Coming up, TV critic David Bianculi reviews a new HBO movie from the creator of Succession. This is Fresh Air.

George Packer is a staff writer at The Atlantic. Coming up, TV critic David Bianculi reviews a new HBO movie from the creator of Succession. This is Fresh Air.

Jesse Armstrong, creator of the popular HBO series Succession, has a new drama, this time a comedy, about powerful and wealthy people vying for power and control. It's a made-for-TV movie called Mountainhead, and it centers on a quartet of very rich tech wizards who gather at a private home in a remote area of Utah to play some poker and also dream and scheme.