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Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Monday backed his running mate, Senator JD Vance, over past comments about 鈥渃hildless cat ladies鈥� that have gone viral and become a political headache for their White House campaign.
Vance鈥檚 2021 comments criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris and other Democrats as 鈥渁 bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives鈥� resurfaced after Trump selected the Ohio senator as his running mate earlier this month.
The comments prompted a backlash and warnings from some political strategists that they could cost the Trump campaign valuable votes in a close election that could be decided in a handful of states by a few thousand voters. Harris is the likely Democratic Party presidential nominee for the Nov. 5 election following President Joe Biden鈥檚 decision to quit the race.
Trump said in an interview on Fox News he did not place a higher value on people with families.
鈥淵ou know, you don鈥檛 meet the right person, or you don鈥檛 meet any person. But you鈥檙e just as good, in many cases, a lot better than a person that鈥檚 in a family situation,鈥� Trump said.
Harris has two stepchildren with her husband, lawyer Doug Emhoff. Emhoff鈥檚 ex-wife has called such attacks 鈥渂aseless鈥� and described Harris as a 鈥渓oving, nurturing, fiercely protective鈥� co-parent.
Trump said Vance, who had a tough upbringing in Ohio and was largely raised by his grandmother, was simply trying to show how much he values family life.
鈥淗e grew up in a very interesting family situation, and he feels family is good. And I don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 anything wrong in saying that,鈥� Trump said.
In the Fox interview, Trump also did little to clear up questions over whether he will participate in a Sept. 10 debate with Harris. The event had been previously scheduled against Biden.
鈥淚鈥檒l probably end up debating,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淏ut I can also make a case for not doing it.鈥�