Ronald Reagan had many nicknames. The Gipper, Dutch, and Ronnie were among them. He was also referred to as “The Great Communicator.” I was eight years old when he left office, and frankly, I don’t remember much of his presidency, but if you were old enough to remember or have seen clips of him speaking, you know why that was one of his nicknames. Since then, we haven’t had someone to match his persuasive speaking style. George H.W. Bush? Nope. George W. Bush? Obviously not. Donald Trump? He’s definitely got style, but I wouldn’t put him on the same level as Reagan.
But, JD Vance sure does come close.
Vance participated in Thursday’s White House press briefing, and he sure was on fire when he spoke. And the way he handled the media was just so on point.
When the questions turned to Renee Nicole Good, the 37-year-old leftist who was killed after trying to run over ICE agents in Minneapolis, he handled it masterfully and unapologetically.
.@VP calls out CNN's TRASH headline on the Minneapolis story:
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) January 8, 2026
"Many people in this room have been lying about this attack. She was trying to ram this guy with her car. He shot back. He defended himself." pic.twitter.com/pvwnRToTrs
For example, NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell pressed Vance on whether he was jumping ahead of an ongoing investigation by labeling Good a “deranged leftist” and drawing firm conclusions so early.
“Are you preempting a thorough investigation by drawing such conclusions? And have you received any information beyond the videos we’ve seen publicly about this individual, her specific acts that has informed your point of view?” she asked.
“Well, first of all, the Department of Justice is going to investigate this. The Department of Homeland Security is already investigating this,” he replied, before adding, “But the simple fact is, what you see is what you get.”
He then walked through the undisputed facts as shown on video. “In this case, you have a woman who is trying to obstruct a legitimate law enforcement operation. Nobody debates that,” Vance said. “You have a woman who aimed her car at a law enforcement officer and pressed on the accelerator. Nobody debates that.”
Without minimizing the loss of life, Vance framed the outcome as a consequence of deliberate actions and the broader political climate created by the left. “I can believe that her death is a tragedy, while also recognizing that it’s a tragedy of her own making and a tragedy of the far left who has marshaled an entire movement, a lunatic fringe against our law enforcement officers.”
ICYMI: You Should See What a Family Member of the ICE Attacker Had to Say About Her
Vance closed by drawing a sharp contrast between lawful political dissent and dangerous incitement, challenging Democrats to rein in their rhetoric. “You don’t have to agree with our immigration policies. You don’t have to agree with what the President or the Vice President believe about immigration enforcement,” he said. “But why don’t you take this to the ballot box? Why don’t you vote? Why don’t you organize?”
Instead, he warned, some activists are crossing a line. “What some of them are doing, what some of them are doing, is encouraging people to get violent with our law enforcement officials. It’s disgraceful. And it’s got to stop.”
NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell: “Is there a risk with you describing her as a deranged leftist, talking about very specific facts of these events when an investigation is just beginning? Are you preempting a thorough investigation by drawing such conclusions? And have you received any… pic.twitter.com/dOi24X5MEV
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) January 8, 2026
Another reporter asked Vance if being a part of Antifa justified being shot.
“Well, being part of the network doesn’t justify being shot. But ramming an ICE officer with your car. That’s what justifies being shot. It’s not a good thing, by the way, but when you force somebody to engage in self-defense, it’s almost a preposterous question.”
He continued, “I’m not saying that funding some of this stuff justifies capital punishment. Nobody would suggest that. The reason this woman is dead is because she tried to ram somebody with her car, and that guy acted in self-defense.”
.@VP BLASTS Reporter for asking PROPSTEROUS question.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 8, 2026
Reporter: How does being apart of [Antifa] justify being shot?
VP: Being part of [Antifa] does NOT justify being shot...but ramming an ICE officer with your car, that's what justifies being shot.
These people have lost it. pic.twitter.com/AXjIqn6Hth
I can’t post every clip, but I have to say, JD Vance really shines when he’s addressing a hostile media, and he is truly proving himself to be the next Great Communicator for the GOP.
