JD Vance let slip his secret envy with 'self-admission' to Joe Rogan: analysts

Vice President JD Vance's interview with Joe Rogan revealed several insights, including the notion that he could be longing for the cool factor — and jealous that his own party might not have it, two political insiders explained on Friday.

The Bulwark's publisher Sarah Longwell and managing editor Sam Stein discussed in a Substack video how Vance could have alluded to this feeling when he sat down with Rogan earlier this week — and what motivated the sit-down.

"He thinks this is how this kind of Joe Rogan type audience and his ability to hang is the key to his electoral future," Longwell said. "But there were some notable things that came out of it. One of them was Vance saying that Republicans are still kind of embarrassing, like they're not cool."

Longwell suggested that Vance could be signaling, "Well, I'm cool, but the rest of the party's not that cool."

Stein suggested it was "self-admission" from Vance, who could be thinking, "'Oh man, these people who hang out with Hollywood actors and sports stars and they're doing fun stuff, hanging in cities and going to breweries. I kind of want that. But I can't say it, but I kind of want that.' That's how I viewed it."

Stein described why that might be on Vance's mind, especially after experiencing the popularity around his book and the film based on it: "Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis."

"Because he got a taste of that," Stein said. "He was in Silicon Valley for a little while, so he was hanging out. And he had the Netflix movie made on his life and his book and all that stuff. So I think he knows, it's kind of fun, honestly, and it is cool. And I think he's a little jealous or envious."

That, compared to Republican-aligned performers and the GOP's cultural reach, is a sharp contrast, Longwell added.

"I think it's tough when at some point your only cultural cachet is Kid Rock and Vanilla Ice or whatever. And even the remaining member of Milli Vanilli won't come play your concerts anymore."