Vice President JD Vance has publicly labeled his controversial "childless cat ladies" comment as one of the most foolish statements of his political career, an admission detailed in his new memoir, "Communion," set to hit shelves on Tuesday. The book chronicles Vance's journey to Roman Catholicism and includes a chapter reflecting on the intersection of Christian conviction and political life, particularly the challenges of public discourse.
"One of the dumbest things I ever said came when I argued that ‘childless cat ladies’ across the Democrat Party were running our country into the ground." — JD Vance, Vice President
The original remark dates back to 2021 when Vance, then a political commentator, made the statement during an appearance on Fox News Channel’s "Tucker Carlson Tonight." His comments were directed at then-Senator Kamala Harris and other Democratic leaders. Vance stated, "We are effectively run in this country — via the Democrat [Party], via our corporate oligarchs — by a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made, and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable too." He further elaborated, "If you look at Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, AOC, the entire future of the Democrats is controlled by people without children."
For nearly three years, the comment remained largely unaddressed in a national political context. However, its significance dramatically increased in 2024 when Kamala Harris entered the presidential race after President Joe Biden's withdrawal, and Vance was chosen as President Donald Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket. The resurfacing of the old footage ignited a second, more intense political firestorm, drawing widespread criticism and renewed attention to Vance's past remarks.
In "Communion," Vance directly confronts the controversy. He writes, "One of the dumbest things I ever said came when I argued that ‘childless cat ladies’ across the Democrat Party were running our country into the ground." He further explains the impact, stating, "The comment caused two firestorms: the first when I made it, the second years later during a political campaign." Vance characterizes the remark as "a boneheaded comment, intentionally (and successfully) provocative rather than illuminating."
Beyond self-criticism, the Vice President acknowledges the broader implications of his words. He expresses regret for those his comments failed to consider, writing, "I could have made that point much more effectively, and with the benefit of showing a little charity to the many Americans who — for some reasons beyond their control — don’t have children." Vance attributes the sharpest part of his reflection to his Catholic faith, stating, "When I consider the Church’s admonition to respect the dignity of every life, this was a clear moment where I failed."
This current public reckoning contrasts with Vance's stance on the controversy during the 2024 campaign. In August 2024, during an appearance on NBC News’ "Meet the Press," Vance downplayed the remark, stating, "I have a lot of regrets … but making a joke three years ago is not at the top 10 of the list." Later that same month, Usha Vance, his wife, provided context for his remarks on Fox News, suggesting he "made a quip in service of making a point that he wanted to make that was substantive," framing the underlying message as one concerning the burdens of parenthood in America and policies that exacerbate those burdens.
The controversy gained further traction in September 2024 when pop superstar Taylor Swift publicly embraced the phrase "Childless Cat Lady" as a personal emblem while endorsing Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
"Communion" also delves into personal aspects of Vance's life, including his credit to Usha Vance, who does not share his Christian faith, as a rigorous editor for the book. He notes the irony that his "non-Christian wife helped lead me back to my own Christian faith, and then made it possible for me to discuss the journey on paper."
Vance, who won his Ohio Senate seat in 2022 before becoming Vice President, is an experienced memoirist. His 2016 bestseller, "Hillbilly Elegy," chronicled his upbringing in a struggling steel town in southeastern Ohio, his military service, and his time at Yale Law School, introducing him to a national readership.
