Awkward: CNN Interview Derailed By Tech Issue — Just As Anchor Pressed JD Vance About Trump Abortion Gaffe
Trump running mate Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) had an awkward moment as CNN anchor John Berman pressed him on Trump’s abortion ban cleanup — and Vance suddenly couldn’t hear him.
The Trump campaign went into cleanup mode after Trump said he would vote against Florida’s six-week abortion ban,
On Friday morning’s edition of CNN News Central, Berman spent several minutes pressing Vance on the issue — until Vance fell silent because he couldn’t hear Berman:
DONALD TRUMP: I am going to be voting that we need more than six weeks.
JOHN BERMAN: So the campaign then put out a statement that said Trump has not yet said how he will vote on the ballot initiative in Florida.
With me now is former President Trump’s running mate, Republican vice presidential nominee Senator J.D. Vance. Great to have you with us.
You can help us clear this up. How can you vote for more than six weeks without voting for the amendment?
SEN. JD VANCE: Well, I think all the president is saying, and of course he’s going to make his own announcement on how he’s going to vote on the Florida bill, is that he thinks that there should be more than six weeks. And he’s been very consistent in that.
He says he doesn’t like just six weeks. He obviously doesn’t like late term abortion. I think like a lot of Americans, the president is sort of somewhere else on this issue.
And he’s also said that he wants abortion policy to be made by the states themselves, individually and not by the national government.
I think that’s the most important thing here, is that he’s, of course, opining on this as a Florida resident. But when it comes to national policy, John, President Trump has been extremely consistent that he wants abortion policy to be made by the states, Florida, California, Ohio. They’re going to have different approaches. That’s okay.
What he wants is to focus on eliminating inflation, bringing down the cost of groceries and housing, and closing down that southern border that Kamala Harris opened up. That’s where he’s focused, and that’s where we’ll continue to focus for the remainder of the campaign.
JOHN BERMAN: He said he was going to vote for more than six weeks. So what’s your understanding of how he will do that?
SEN. JD VANCE: Well, I think what he’s saying is that he doesn’t like doing it at just six weeks. Obviously, he’s going to make his own judgment on how he ultimately votes on the amendment. I think he’s probably making an argument about how he feels about the issue. He’s not making some proclamation about how he’s going to vote on the amendment.
And, of course, they clarified afterwards that he wasn’t making an explicit determination of how he’s going to vote or announcing anything. Look, the president, I’m sure, will tell the American people how he’s going to vote on it eventually. But he wasn’t making an announcement last night.
JOHN BERMAN: So it was a grammar thing.
SEN. JD VANCE: Sorry. Could you repeat that, John?
JOHN BERMAN: It was a grammar thing. It was a speech thing. It was. It was somehow some confusion in the words that you chose.
(SILENCE).
Senator Vance, can you hear me?
SEN. JD VANCE: Super staticky.
JOHN BERMAN: Senator Vance, I may be super staticky. You may not be hearing the the loud baritone of my voice here. Senator, can you hear me? All right, Senator Vance
SEN. JD VANCE: A little bit, but it’s. Sorry, could you just. Could you could you just repeat.
JOHN BERMAN: All right, Senator, we’re gonna take a quick break, figure it out. Be right back.
SEN. JD VANCE: Maybe. Maybe.
Berman went on to apologize repeatedly for the technical issues.
Watch above via CNN News Central.
Have a tip for us? tips@mediaite.com