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HereForTheParty

(568 posts)
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 09:59 AM Jan 25

Call me crazy - I see some good in Usha Vance

It's tempting to bundle anything semi-adjacent to Trump in a dirty bag, but she is not, say, Jenny Thomas.

Her conduct at the church service caught my eye. She seemed genuinely attentive and rebuffed JD's attempt to childishly whisper while the bishop was speaking.

I don't believe for a minute Trump and Melania are comfortable with this darker skinned woman. Melania's greeting to her was brief and dismissive. Yes, Usha has led a life of privilege and her immigration was much different than the desperate people we see at the southern border. But she is indeed an immigrant and that can count for something when you see other people trying to make a very different, but common journey.

Her Wiki page indicates she voted Democratic and independent before supporting JD. She worked for a progressive law firm in California. In summary, she's a recent convert to conservatism, driven largely by her husband's leanings and campaigns.

Does this matter? Not a great deal now. But should JD become president because Trump is unable to complete his term (ahem) I believe she would influence her husband toward a less destructive path.

I'm looking for any hope I can find right now.

Flame away.

64 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Call me crazy - I see some good in Usha Vance (Original Post) HereForTheParty Jan 25 OP
I noticed what you did obamanut2012 Jan 25 #1
That's a fair way to put it, thanks HereForTheParty Jan 25 #3
She was obviously paying attention obamanut2012 Jan 25 #21
People from India can range on racism as much as here. IbogaProject Jan 25 #45
You can't stay with that POS couch jumper and not be complicit JT45242 Jan 25 #2
Exactly. If she were truly "progressive" she would out herself as not one of them but a supportive spouse. Iris Jan 25 #47
Not leaving him after "she's the mother of MY children, so I guess I love niyad Jan 25 #48
I'll say about JD with my boyfriend used to say, Walleye Jan 25 #53
She's a republican woman who is married to a nasty fucking republican pig. THAT Autumn Jan 25 #4
Well ... Brahmin Indians have traditionally supported Democrats RandomNumbers Jan 25 #46
IF you can live with JD Vance then you are a tolerant person. That's the best I can do. walkingman Jan 25 #5
Fixed it for ya.... magicarpet Jan 25 #9
Thanks! 😃 walkingman Jan 25 #18
Usha is a birthright citizen. Melania is an immigrant. nt delisen Jan 25 #6
No, not crazy at all. Also, I have faith in Priscilla Chan, who is Mike 03 Jan 25 #7
I'll never understand why people pick out wives and family FSogol Jan 25 #8
Yep. Vance's wife sealed her image as a true piece of shit during the campaign when she chimed in on those issues. Hassin Bin Sober Jan 25 #19
Yep, she shushed him just to avoid bad pictures IbogaProject Jan 25 #49
So what? Even if true, it's immaterial. She doesn't have power of any kind . . . hatrack Jan 25 #10
If right wing women start sending out the vibe that right wing men are going too far, that's a good thing. CrispyQ Jan 25 #12
Collins' vote was theater and the outcome predetermined; Barrett left the cloister and was shocked, shocked! hatrack Jan 25 #13
Okay. Whatever. You just keep squashing people's hope & see where that gets us. CrispyQ Jan 25 #14
If you hope can be crushed by my online posts, then it's weaker than you might like. hatrack Jan 25 #28
I was referring to people's hope in general, although women more so, not me specifically. CrispyQ Jan 25 #37
I'll hang my hope on whatever I want. Elessar Zappa Jan 25 #17
One vote at a time! True Blue American Jan 25 #43
You may be right. She'll learn soon enough that she'll never really be a member of their club. CrispyQ Jan 25 #11
oh yeah nothing says progressive like clerking for Kavanaugh thebigidea Jan 25 #15
Thank you. 58Sunliner Jan 25 #34
I can't imagine being married to a MAGA. I was chatting with a woman I know who has been with her male Vinca Jan 25 #16
I don't believe she would have any influence on him. StarryNite Jan 25 #20
She worked for creepy Kavanaugh. And she seemed to have rehearsed certain looks for the camera JI7 Jan 25 #22
This new genre of post - Barron seemed classy, Usha seems good Prairie Gates Jan 25 #23
Maybe we need a "grasping at straws" forum? FSogol Jan 25 #24
Seriously Prairie Gates Jan 25 #25
Yesterday was the first time I heard that saying on a podcast. If there are 3 nazis at the table and you sit down tulipsandroses Jan 25 #31
Bookmark for when asked to prove online good citizenship. Kid Berwyn Jan 25 #27
Barron actually went to a young girls funeral. True Blue American Jan 25 #35
google "bo loudon and barron ##### vanity fair", and then tell us niyad Jan 25 #50
Don't delude oneself. Republican wives vote as their husbands dictate. /nt bucolic_frolic Jan 25 #26
Pretty sure Melanie is an equal opportunity... dchill Jan 25 #29
To bad Rebl2 Jan 25 #30
Congrats on your naivete NoRethugFriends Jan 25 #32
She complied and obeyed in advance. Raine1967 Jan 25 #33
No, she's now complicit. Don't try to gaslight us Arazi Jan 25 #36
Nero's wife won't stop him from feeding bronxiteforever Jan 25 #38
Nero didn't feed anyone to lions obamanut2012 Jan 25 #64
Remember when people thought Ivanka would have a moderating influence? N/T RockCreek Jan 25 #39
Looks to me like Jilly_in_VA Jan 25 #54
But she stuck out the whole 1st 4 crazy years. N/T. RockCreek Jan 25 #56
I noticed the exact same thing. S/V Loner Jan 25 #40
First of all, it is ginni thomas. Second of all, she is married to tailibilly, niyad Jan 25 #41
I agree. I think she has some good in her and my wife agrees too. LymphocyteLover Jan 25 #42
I saw here do that too Kali Jan 25 #44
Melania bromeando Jan 25 #51
Sorry but claudette Jan 25 #52
She's much more naturally beautiful than Melania AkFemDem Jan 25 #55
Post Trump, Since JD has no charisma Starbeach Jan 25 #57
I can take a litttle hope where ever thinkingagain Jan 25 #58
Didn't She Clerk For Conservative Justices? Deep State Witch Jan 25 #59
Yes, for Kavanaugh and John Roberts wishstar Jan 25 #62
She didn't sign up for this Dem4life1234 Jan 25 #60
She's only in her late 30's, quite young for a Second Lady Polybius Jan 25 #61
My Take Is Fascists Support Fascists. MayReasonRule Jan 25 #63

obamanut2012

(28,171 posts)
1. I noticed what you did
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 10:00 AM
Jan 25

I 100% do not think she is an ally, but like you, I think she is more complex.

IbogaProject

(4,007 posts)
45. People from India can range on racism as much as here.
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 12:41 PM
Jan 25

Many see their caste system as bad and others buy into their inside group. But interesting to see as we are likely to have a midterm switch to Vance.

JT45242

(3,087 posts)
2. You can't stay with that POS couch jumper and not be complicit
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 10:02 AM
Jan 25

She helped campaign. She attended photo ops.

Nope she is just as bad as the rest.

Iris

(16,230 posts)
47. Exactly. If she were truly "progressive" she would out herself as not one of them but a supportive spouse.
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 12:42 PM
Jan 25

At least that's honest.

niyad

(121,923 posts)
48. Not leaving him after "she's the mother of MY children, so I guess I love
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 12:48 PM
Jan 25

her", told me everything I needed to know about her, especially after she resigned from her law firm the day after he was announced.

Walleye

(37,442 posts)
53. I'll say about JD with my boyfriend used to say,
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 01:01 PM
Jan 25

He probably has a cute little way of getting on and off. Girls, never let yourself get impregnated by Republican.

Autumn

(47,174 posts)
4. She's a republican woman who is married to a nasty fucking republican pig. THAT
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 10:08 AM
Jan 25

tells me exactly what she is. Neither she nor the first porn star have a decent cell in their bodies, and neither has any influence on their husbands.

RandomNumbers

(18,381 posts)
46. Well ... Brahmin Indians have traditionally supported Democrats
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 12:41 PM
Jan 25

Because Dems have not threatened to shut down their cash pipeline / route to US jobs and citizenship (also known as the H-1B visa program). (Usha is a daughter of Indian immigrants who presumably immigrated on this program, based on their jobs. Wikipedia does not mention specifically how they came here, but does mention that they are Brahmins, which is meaningful in that it is the upper class of Indian society.)

I have noticed that of the women I've worked with from India, almost all are exceedingly deferential in their interactions with the team (which is mostly Indian men, with usually one token American - me - and possibly one or two Indian women).

ETA - posted too soon - the main point being that we can expect Usha to be deferential to her husband, IF she follows the stereotype that I have built from my experience. We shall see.

magicarpet

(17,514 posts)
9. Fixed it for ya....
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 10:23 AM
Jan 25

5. IF you can live with JD Vance then you are a insolent, impertinent,
and irrelevant
person. That's the best I can do.

Mike 03

(18,008 posts)
7. No, not crazy at all. Also, I have faith in Priscilla Chan, who is
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 10:15 AM
Jan 25

Zuckerberg's wife. While her position is not as crucial as Usha Vance, the hope is that she can inject humanity back into her husband and coax him to reverse the dangerous decisions he is making about Facebook and his other platforms.


On December 1, 2015, Chan and Zuckerberg posted an open Facebook letter to their newborn daughter. They pledged to transfer 99 percent of their Facebook shares, then valued at $45 billion, to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which is their new limited liability company that focuses on health and education.[6][26]

Chan handles the day-to-day operations at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.[27] Her charitable goals focus on education, healthcare, and science, which are closely tied to her personal background.[7] She is considered to have had a strong influence on the philanthropy of her husband.[6] She was one of six nominated for the San Francisco Chronicle's third annual Visionary of the Year award in March 2017. The award honors leaders who strive to make the world a better place and also drive change by employing new, innovative business practices.[31]


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priscilla_Chan

FSogol

(47,122 posts)
8. I'll never understand why people pick out wives and family
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 10:17 AM
Jan 25

Members of this shitty administration and pretend they'll be moderating influences. It happened with Ivanka and Jared, it happened with Barron, and now with Vance's wife. She spoke up in support of his Haitian pet eating lies. She is scum like all the rest.

Hassin Bin Sober

(26,841 posts)
19. Yep. Vance's wife sealed her image as a true piece of shit during the campaign when she chimed in on those issues.
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 10:53 AM
Jan 25

IbogaProject

(4,007 posts)
49. Yep, she shushed him just to avoid bad pictures
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 12:54 PM
Jan 25

She is keeping her options open in case she has to return to practicing law. And likely to help try and craft a response to the very kindly sermon end.

CrispyQ

(38,946 posts)
12. If right wing women start sending out the vibe that right wing men are going too far, that's a good thing.
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 10:40 AM
Jan 25

I posted below about Comey Barrett being appalled at the abortion stories out of Idaho & Senator Collins actually followed through with her "concerns" & voted no on Hegseth. It can't hurt for the nation to hear more & more people who supported Trump questioning his actions now.

hatrack

(61,662 posts)
13. Collins' vote was theater and the outcome predetermined; Barrett left the cloister and was shocked, shocked!
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 10:42 AM
Jan 25

Vanishingly thin reeds upon which to hang one's hopes.

CrispyQ

(38,946 posts)
14. Okay. Whatever. You just keep squashing people's hope & see where that gets us.
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 10:47 AM
Jan 25

Probably demoralized to the point we all retreat & isolate & give the goddamed fuck up. I'm about there myself, seeing the numbers of women who voted for that orange pile of shit.

hatrack

(61,662 posts)
28. If you hope can be crushed by my online posts, then it's weaker than you might like.
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 11:12 AM
Jan 25

For my part, I'm not out to crush anyone's hopes.

I'm just pointing out that evil, stupid, corrupt, sociopaths are running and financing and enabling our government, and will do whatever they want until they are stopped, and we have no idea if anyone is going to even try and stop them.

This is the reality that we need to start dealing with, and I've seen little evidence that anyone is starting to deal with it.

What possible good can flickers of swamp fire as cited above do? What possible influence can the Second Lady of the United States have on our movement down the greased shit-chute?

CrispyQ

(38,946 posts)
37. I was referring to people's hope in general, although women more so, not me specifically.
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 12:06 PM
Jan 25

Flickers of swamp fire are like lotto tickets. You probably won't win but you for sure won't if you don't play. I'll take every person who gets woke along the ride down the chute.

So what does "dealing with it" look like to you?

CrispyQ

(38,946 posts)
11. You may be right. She'll learn soon enough that she'll never really be a member of their club.
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 10:25 AM
Jan 25

I read that Amy Comey Barrett was appalled at the abortion stories she heard coming out of Idaho & I hope for some softening in her stance, so I understand grasping at any hope.

thebigidea

(13,461 posts)
15. oh yeah nothing says progressive like clerking for Kavanaugh
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 10:51 AM
Jan 25

This fanfic bullshit about Republican women being princesses locked in towers is insulting

Vinca

(51,513 posts)
16. I can't imagine being married to a MAGA. I was chatting with a woman I know who has been with her male
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 10:51 AM
Jan 25

partner for at least 20 years. I always thought he was a nice enough guy, but I haven't seen him in years. She told me he was full blown MAGA and went to a friend's house to watch the inauguration. She said they wept during Trump's inaugural speech. After I picked my jaw up off the floor, it was all I could do not to ask her why the hell she's still with him. She's as liberal as liberal can be. The partner, she told me, is a gun nut and his whole adoration of Trump has to do with keeping his AK. It will be interesting to see how hard he lands when things he depends on are taken away by the king. At least he can still fondle his gun.

StarryNite

(11,190 posts)
20. I don't believe she would have any influence on him.
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 10:55 AM
Jan 25

He's a misogynist and in his mind she is beneath him and should keep her mouth shut.

JI7

(91,259 posts)
22. She worked for creepy Kavanaugh. And she seemed to have rehearsed certain looks for the camera
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 11:01 AM
Jan 25

she probably doesn't feel comfortable that much and wanted to avoid anything controversial.

I she pushed the lies about Haitians that shows what type of person she is.

Prairie Gates

(3,932 posts)
23. This new genre of post - Barron seemed classy, Usha seems good
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 11:05 AM
Jan 25

is very People magazine. We shoul have a forum for "Fascist Trash: They're just like Us!"

Oh, sorry. That's US Weekly.

Prairie Gates

(3,932 posts)
25. Seriously
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 11:07 AM
Jan 25

Like the saying goes, there's no such thing as a dinner party with four Nazis and four non-Nazis. If you're at the table...

tulipsandroses

(6,665 posts)
31. Yesterday was the first time I heard that saying on a podcast. If there are 3 nazis at the table and you sit down
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 11:22 AM
Jan 25

at that table, then there are 4 nazis at that table.

It is really that simple.

The Germans post Hitler, did their darnedest to drive that message to rid themselves of that evil. We must do the same.

True Blue American

(18,351 posts)
35. Barron actually went to a young girls funeral.
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 11:56 AM
Jan 25

I am not going to judge him by his parents. I have seen him look embarrassed to many times,
Especially at how his Unclies funeral ended. His parents leaving his grivong aunt who could barely stand. Barron looked shocked. I think he will be the opposite of his father.

niyad

(121,923 posts)
50. google "bo loudon and barron ##### vanity fair", and then tell us
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 12:56 PM
Jan 25

how he will be the opposite of the fucking TRAITOR**/RAPIST/FELON34. And his torturing small creatures.

dchill

(41,114 posts)
29. Pretty sure Melanie is an equal opportunity...
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 11:14 AM
Jan 25

...brief dismisser. Who geevs a fock about it?

Raine1967

(11,625 posts)
33. She complied and obeyed in advance.
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 11:37 AM
Jan 25

Way before this election.

I look for hope also, but unlike you, I think this is not the place.

Arazi

(7,467 posts)
36. No, she's now complicit. Don't try to gaslight us
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 12:01 PM
Jan 25

Whatever influence you think she has is obviously long gone under his Christo-fascist domination.

Anyone can become submissive to a shithead partner if they’re browbeaten enough.

Anyone.

#Complicit

bronxiteforever

(9,830 posts)
38. Nero's wife won't stop him from feeding
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 12:07 PM
Jan 25

people to the lions.
I can’t wait to kick her and her husband out of Washington.

Jilly_in_VA

(11,476 posts)
54. Looks to me like
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 01:04 PM
Jan 25

Ivanjka has done washed her hands and left the party, as we said in Tennessee.

S/V Loner

(9,193 posts)
40. I noticed the exact same thing.
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 12:14 PM
Jan 25

I saw concern and even some guilt in her posture. The message seemed to be hitting home.

niyad

(121,923 posts)
41. First of all, it is ginni thomas. Second of all, she is married to tailibilly,
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 12:25 PM
Jan 25

who said, "she's the mother of my children, so I guess I love her" without smacking him into insensibility (redundant???). Third of all, she resigned from her law firm the day after couchhumper was announced, and nobody saw her til the national funeral ceremony . . excuse me. . .inauguration. tradwife cosplay.

Normalizing these people is actually quite harmful, completely ignoring reality, so please, just stop. I understand needing every atom of hope we can muster, but this isn't it.

LymphocyteLover

(7,214 posts)
42. I agree. I think she has some good in her and my wife agrees too.
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 12:25 PM
Jan 25

That being said, she married a horrible dude and it's hard to know how she put up with him.

Kali

(56,035 posts)
44. I saw here do that too
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 12:31 PM
Jan 25

it may be that she just has more class than the rest of that bunch and knows to look like she is paying attention and being "respectful". who knows what catty bullshit she engaged with her couch fucking mate behind closed doors? it is possible she admonished him for being a dick, but she just as easily could have gone along with the "outrage" at the jesus-like message they seem to all be feeling.

AkFemDem

(2,376 posts)
55. She's much more naturally beautiful than Melania
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 01:09 PM
Jan 25

(And FTR I think Melania is gorgeous in a very cold, robotic, Slavic way so I'm in no way saying she's ugly lol) but I think Usha's got a much warmer and more natural beauty and Melania is probably threatened by that- adds to the fact she's highly educated and has been very successful in a complex career, I get why the women wouldn't get along. Frankly, I find her marriage to JD perplexing and I do hope she can have some positive influence.

thinkingagain

(1,201 posts)
58. I can take a litttle hope where ever
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 02:08 PM
Jan 25

In this instance, all of a sudden, I remembered seeing in a scene of the television show Designated Survivor the newly formed congress where they were voting on something
and it was down to the last one vote and they’re like oh it’s a loss because that’s the wife of such as such who was a staunch against ( whatever they were voting for)
and then she voted in the positive for them and later she told him something along the line of
. I don’t know why people would think that I have to think just like my husband just because i was married to him.

Deep State Witch

(11,577 posts)
59. Didn't She Clerk For Conservative Justices?
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 02:42 PM
Jan 25

Wasn't she a clerk for one of the conservative justices - possibly Rapey McBeerface? If so, I don't trust her.

Polybius

(19,031 posts)
61. She's only in her late 30's, quite young for a Second Lady
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 03:09 PM
Jan 25

She has a lot of greys for 39, and it's rather unusual to not dye it at that young age (especially for conservative women, who tend to be all about plastic).

MayReasonRule

(2,095 posts)
63. My Take Is Fascists Support Fascists.
Sat Jan 25, 2025, 06:42 PM
Jan 25

My take is Usha is as complicit as Melania.

My take is they are each wholly complicit.

My take is those that support the same are the same.

They're the same.

Happy Saturday to ya' y'all!
Embrace what you love and don't let the bastards get ya' down!

May reason rule.

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