Many have wondered at Vance’s transformation. How did the man who once called Donald Trump “cultural heroin” become the one who, on national television, berated the president of Ukraine on Trump’s behalf? Was Vance’s change rooted in cynical opportunism, or was it a genuine change of heart? Author and journalist George Packer says it isn’t possible to know for sure. But his new profile of J.D. Vance offers revealing perspectives, like the well-known professor who encouraged Vance to write his life’s story; the girlfriend and, later, wife, who taught him how to succeed in elite circles; and the pessimistic venture capitalist, Peter Thiel. who nurtured Vance’s own disillusionment. George Packer joins us to talk about his article, “The Talented Mr. Vance.”
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George Packer |Author and staff writer for The Atlantic. His story, “The Talented Mr. Vance,” appears in the July edition of the magazine.
Airdate: Thurs. July 17, 2025 at 9 a.m. and Sat., July 19, 2025 at 11 a.m.