JD Vance’s Controversial Proposal: Interstate Travel Ban for Abortions

In a resurfaced soundbite that has reignited controversy, Ohio senator and vice presidential candidate JD Vance suggested that the federal government should intervene to penalize individuals who travel across state lines to obtain abortions. The brief 48-second clip, featuring the bestselling author discussing a “Federal response” to Ohioans traveling to California for reproductive healthcare, was recorded in January 2022. This was before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade later that summer and before Vance assumed his Senate seat. However, with Vance now in the national spotlight as a vice-presidential hopeful, the implications of his statements have become even more alarming.

During the interview with the “Very Fine People” podcast, Vance painted an almost dystopian scenario. The podcast’s title appears to nod to former President Trump’s controversial remarks about having “Very fine people on both sides” of the Charlottesville white nationalist rally in 2017. In his discourse, Vance conjured a conservative fever dream, invoking George Soros, a favorite boogeyman of the right. He speculated on a future where Roe v. Wade is overturned, and Ohio bans abortion by 2022 or 2024. In this imagined situation, Soros supposedly sends a 747 to Columbus daily to transport disproportionately Black women to California for abortions, which Vance claimed the left would celebrate as a victory for diversity.

The podcast hosts responded with glib comments about liberal talking points on reproductive and racial justice, spurring Vance to double down on his stance. He mused about the necessity of a federal response to prevent such scenarios, labeling them as “really creepy.” Vance expressed sympathy for the idea and hoped that Ohio’s abortion bans would be respected even in other states, ultimately advocating for a nation where states like California would have to adhere to Ohio’s restrictive abortion laws.

CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski reported on these comments, highlighting Vance’s subsequent assertion in the same interview that he would like to see abortion made illegal nationwide. Although Vance’s office later attempted to soften the statements by emphasizing his more recent recognition that “People do not want blanket abortion bans” and his support for certain exemptions, the podcast remarks reveal a distinct mindset when speaking to an audience he perceived as allies.

The timing of these comments, surfacing now as Vance vies for the vice presidency, has added fuel to the already heated debate on reproductive rights in the United States. The juxtaposition of Vance’s earlier fervent remarks with his more restrained current stance raises questions about his consistency and true intentions regarding abortion legislation.

In the broader context of his political career, Vance’s statements on the “Very Fine People” podcast are a testament to the complexities and contradictions that often characterize political rhetoric. Whether these resurfaced comments will significantly impact his vice-presidential campaign remains to be seen, but they certainly provide a revealing glimpse into the ideological battlegrounds shaping contemporary American politics.