In contrast to the scattered, angry, erratic, openly demagogic man at the top of the ticket, Sen. JD Vance was calm and clear and presentable in Tuesday night’s debate against Gov. Tim Walz, Kamala Harris’ choice to be a heartbeat away from the presidency. Vance probably even won on points, if you judge these things like a high school debate meet; Walz served up a few word salads.

But presentable doesn’t mean fundamentally truthful. In answering what is perhaps the most important litmus-test question of this election, Vance fell flat on his face.

Did Joe Biden steal the 2020 election from Donald Trump? The facts shout hell no. Georgia’s Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Republican Gov. Brian Kemp counted and counted and counted again, but Biden still came out ahead there — which is why Donald Trump had to try to pressure Raffensperger to “find 11,780 votes,” as egregious an attempt to subvert an election as we’ve ever seen in these United States, unless you count the Civil War.

Biden also won Arizona by more than 10,000 votes. Michigan, by more than 150,000. Nevada, by more than 33,000. Pennsylvania, by more than 80,000. Wisconsin, by more than 20,000. In each case, Trump spread some ridiculous conspiracy theory about imaginary ballots stuffed by dark Democratic forces. Republicans on the ground used every conceivable pathway to challenge suspect ballots and count and recount and recount legitimate ones — but nothing moved the needle. The counts were right; the results were real. Biden won.

Walz asked Vance to admit that the 2020 election was legitimate. Vance dodged the question by talking about Harris “censoring” speech during COVID, answering weakly, “Tim, I’m focused on the future.” But the future is one in which Trump is just as likely to refuse to accept defeat this time around, unleashing his minions again to do even worse than what the hordes did on Jan. 6, 2021.

And about that fateful day: Vance said “It’s really rich for Democratic leaders to say that Donald Trump is a unique threat to democracy when he gave over power,” Vance said.

What a joke. Trump only “gave over power” because every illegal attempt to do the opposite failed: the pressure put on Georgia, the fake electors plot, junk lawsuits that clogged the courts, and a fusillade of lies to add fuel to every flame. The system held by Scotch tape. Then, like a baby, Trump boycotted Biden’s inauguration and proceeded to call the rioters “patriots” who he’d pardon if he got back into power, as clear a signal as it gets that he doesn’t respect the will of the people.

Vance’s dishonest attempt to sanitize all that makes him hardly any better than the thief-in-chief. At another point in the debate, he criticized Harris for falling short in doing the job “the American people gave her three-and-a-half years ago.” So deep down, he seems to know Biden actually won the election — but he can’t or won’t say it because the head of the man who picked him would promptly explode.

Trump’s first running mate knew the truth and acted on it, prompting Trump’s mob to chant “Hang Mike Pence!” That Vance knows the truth but must hold his tongue says a lot about him. The polished author and senator may be easier to swallow, but it’s Trump who calls every last shot and Vance meekly accepts it.

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