When Your Vice President Becomes a Hack: JD Vance's Press Briefing Proves Democracy's Got a Serious Problem
When Your Vice President Becomes a Hack: JD Vance’s Press Briefing Proves Democracy’s Got a Serious Problem Right, let’s have a proper chat about what’s become of the American press briefing, shall we? Because JD Vance hosting a White House briefing isn’t just a bit of theatre—it’s a bloody masterclass in how to hollow out democratic institutions while everyone’s scrolling TikTok. Look, I’m not one to bang on about “the good old days” like some doddering old codger complaining about the price of a pint. But there was a time when the press briefing meant something. It was the place where journalists could ask the people running the country actual questions, and those people had to stand there, sweating under the lights, and give actual answers. It wasn’t perfect—politicians have been dodging questions since questions were invented—but there was at least a pretense of accountability. A theatre, sure, but one with rules. ...