JD Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee, may have earned some side-eyed glances in Philadelphia on Monday after he asked workers at Pat’s King of Steaks why they didn’t serve Swiss cheese on their sandwiches. Vance, who was in Philadelphia campaigning, made the pilgrimage to the famous steak sandwich joint on Monday after a speech at a waste management facility. Pat’s, alongside its South Philly cross-street rival Geno’s Steaks, is one of the most famous steak sandwich shops in the City of Brotherly Love, and a frequent campaign stop for presidential candidates.
“I don’t like Swiss cheese either, but everybody says it’s insulting,” Vance asked at the Pat’s register. “Why do you guys hate Swiss cheese so much?” Both Pat’s and Geno’s only serve steaks with American, provolone, and cheez whiz.
“We don’t hate it, we just don’t use it. We usually use cheez whiz,” a Pat’s employee taking the Ohio senator’s order said.
Kerry went on to lose the election to George W Bush, getting 48.3 per cent of votes.
Although stopping at Pat’s or Geno’s has become a right of passage for presidential candidates, it has also led to at least one major gaffe in the past. Vance was likely referencing Sen. John Kerry’s infamous cheesesteak incident on the campaign trail in 2003—when the then-Massachusetts Senator ordered his sandwich with Swiss cheese.
Some locals were incensed with Kerry’s faux pas. “Swiss cheese, as any local knows, is not an option,” wrote Craig LaBan, the Inquirer’s food critic, in 2003. “The Massachusetts Democrat may as well have asked for cave-aged Appenzeller. But even when Kerry was given a proper cheesesteak hoagie, he made matters worse by delicately nibbling at it as if it were tea toast.”
However, the staff at Pat’s told their local food critic that they planned to create a Swiss cheese special for the Massachusetts Senator—but only if Kerry won the election.
Kerry won the Democratic nomination, but eventually lost the 2004 presidential election to the incumbent, former President George W. Bush. However, the former Massachusetts senator did manage to carry Pennsylvania.
“Today, in my beloved city of Philadelphia,” Democrat Philadelphia representative Brendan Boyle posted on X.
“JD Vance committed a crime against humanity,” he added, along with the hashtag #WorstVPpick.
Meanwhile, Republicans against Trump simply but damningly wrote: “Trump just lost Pennsylvania.”
“He sunk his battleship,” another person chimed in.
“He’s weirder than we thought,” added another, playing off the line first coined by Tim Walz that Republicans are “weird”.
The cheesesteak saga comes as Donald Trump and his running mate are fielding several controversial comments and bizarre moments as they ramp up their campaign for the White House.
One day earlier, Vance raised eyebrows when he likened Vice President Kamala Harris to late pedophile Jeffrey Epsteinin a wild interview on Fox News Sunday.
“Giving Kamala Harris control over inflation policy, it’s like giving Jeffrey Epstein control over human trafficking policy,” Vance told host Shannon Bream – before launching into claims that polls showing him and Trump trailing Harris are “fake.”
This comes after he continues to face backlash for his comments about women.
In a Fox News interview in 2021, which has resurfaced since he was tapped as Trump’s running mate, Vance claimed that the US was being run by “a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives.”
The comments – directed at Harris and other Democrats – prompted outrage with the ex-wife of Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and Hollywood star Jennifer Aniston weighing on the matter.
Vance then came under further fire when an unearthed 2020 podcast also came to light, revealing the Ohio senator agreeing with the notion that raising grandchildren was “the whole purpose of the postmenopausal female.”
Republicans are said to be mulling whether Vance may have been a bad running mate choice for Trump, with polls now showing he is the least popular vice presidential candidate in modern history.
Overall, national polls have shown that Harris pulling away from Trump on a 2.5 point lead, going into the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week.
The convention got under way on Monday night, with President Joe Biden passing the Democratic party’s torch to Harris.
“Are you ready to vote for freedom?” he asked the crowd. “Are you ready to vote for democracy and for America? Let me ask you, are you ready to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz?”
Vance's Cheesesteak Controversy Highlights Political Gaffes
The controversy surrounding Vance's cheesesteak order in Philadelphia highlights how a seemingly harmless question about food can have unintended political consequences. As seen in past campaigns, the choice of a cheesesteak or the way it's ordered can be perceived as a sign of understanding or a lack of understanding of local culture. In the case of Vance, the question about Swiss cheese, a cheese not traditionally used on Philadelphia cheesesteaks, drew criticism and was interpreted by some as an attempt to appeal to a particular segment of the electorate, but inadvertently backfired.
Vance's Trip to Philadelphia: More Than Just Cheesesteaks
“We believe that if we make more stuff in America, Pennsylvania workers, Pennsylvania families are going to benefit,” Vance said.
While his cheesesteak order became a headline grabber, Vance's focus on economic issues demonstrates a broader strategy to appeal to voters in Pennsylvania, a state that has been pivotal in recent presidential elections.
Is Vance a Liability for Trump?
The controversies surrounding Vance's comments about women and his comparison of Kamala Harris to Jeffrey Epstein have raised questions about whether he is a liability for Trump's campaign. With polls showing him as the least popular vice presidential candidate in modern history, some Republicans are questioning whether Vance was the right choice for Trump's running mate.
Vance's cheesesteak gaffe, while seemingly insignificant on the surface, adds to the growing list of controversies surrounding him and further fuels speculation about his impact on the Trump campaign. As the election draws closer, Vance's ability to avoid further missteps and unite the Republican base will be crucial to the success of the Trump-Vance ticket.
The Cheesesteak's Political Legacy: Beyond the Bun
The humble cheesesteak, a Philadelphia staple, has become a symbol of local identity and pride. In the realm of politics, the cheesesteak has taken on a life of its own, becoming a source of both camaraderie and controversy. From John Kerry’s Swiss cheese debacle to Vance's questioning about the absence of Swiss cheese, the cheesesteak has become a cultural touchstone, often serving as a gauge of political savvy and cultural understanding.
While the cheesesteak itself may be a simple sandwich, its political significance extends far beyond the bun. It serves as a reminder that even the most seemingly trivial actions can have far-reaching consequences in the highly charged world of politics.
The Cheesesteak's Political Legacy: Beyond the Bun
The humble cheesesteak, a Philadelphia staple, has become a symbol of local identity and pride. In the realm of politics, the cheesesteak has taken on a life of its own, becoming a source of both camaraderie and controversy. From John Kerry’s Swiss cheese debacle to Vance's questioning about the absence of Swiss cheese, the cheesesteak has become a cultural touchstone, often serving as a gauge of political savvy and cultural understanding.
While the cheesesteak itself may be a simple sandwich, its political significance extends far beyond the bun. It serves as a reminder that even the most seemingly trivial actions can have far-reaching consequences in the highly charged world of politics.
