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🕒 7 Minutes
A Thrilling Honor Among Giants
On the fifth of July Vice President JD Vance stood before an intimate gathering in Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club to accept the Claremont Institute’s prestigious Statesmanship Award. As he looked out at the assembled crowd, he knew he was joining an extraordinary legacy—past recipients include President Ronald Reagan, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, and Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. Clearly, the weight of this honor was not lost on him.
With genuine warmth, Vance expressed his deep gratitude to the institute president, Ryan Williams, praising his leadership of an organization that captured Vance’s imagination during his maiden speech at a Claremont conference in 2021. That pivotal moment set him on a trajectory that would carry him to the Senate and vice presidency. The personal connection Vance feels to this institution runs deep—it represents the intellectual foundation that shaped his worldview and political philosophy.
I have enjoyed being a part of the greater Claremont Institute “family” and am a graduate (long ago) of their esteemed Lincoln Fellowship [ [link removed] ] program. What struck me most profoundly was how the Vice President had taken substantial time and care to prepare his remarks, which were unmistakably his own words rather than the product of a speechwriter.
Vance extended his appreciation to Charlie Kirk, who was there, praising Kirk for his dynamic work mobilizing young Americans, and how he echoes the bold leadership of Reagan and Thatcher, who reshaped nations with conviction. He warmly acknowledged his wife, Usha, whose steady presence anchors their family life. This heartfelt opening established the tone for a speech that would pulse with optimism while honoring the institute’s rich intellectual heritage, particularly the legacy of scholars like Harry Jaffa [ [link removed] ], who understood that America stands at the threshold of a new era of greatness. (My friend Keith Carlson, who is now on the Board of Directors of the Institute, and his wife, Amy, were seated with the Second Lady, introduced me to the works of Jaffa, for which I am thankful!)
A Nation Poised for Unity
Vance’s voice carried unmistakable urgency as he confronted the painful reality of diminished statesmanship in 2025. Authentic leadership—the kind Reagan demonstrated through his economic vision and Thatcher through her unwavering governance—has become increasingly rare. His frustration was palpable as he described how the political left remains adrift following their devastating 2024 electoral defeat, desperately clinging to failed policies like open borders that undermine the safety of ordinary Americans while refusing to embrace the constitutional clarity that Thomas and Alito bring to their judicial work.
He drew attention to the recent New York Democratic mayoral primary, where a 33-year-old far-left candidate—running openly as a socialist—pulled off a stunning upset victory over a well-funded, establishment-backed opponent. The result sent shockwaves through the political establishment and offered a revealing glimpse into the fractured Democratic coalition. Mondani drew his support overwhelmingly from young, highly educated, and predominantly affluent voters in gentrifying neighborhoods like Ridgewood and Bushwick. However, he struggled significantly among working-class voters, Black voters, and Asian-American communities outside his carefully cultivated ethnic base. This growing divide between elite urban progressives and the working-class majority echoes the realignment Reagan once faced—and ultimately navigated successfully.
Vance delivered a withering yet sharp critique. He presented Mondani’s campaign as a clear example of how the Democratic Party now relies on identity politics to assemble narrow, grievance-driven coalitions. Instead of tackling the genuine concerns of diverse communities, the campaign engaged in symbolic, performative outrage—launching attacks on foreign leaders like India’s Narendra Modi and making sweeping declarations about “globalizing the Intifada,” which Vance observed made little sense in Manhattan municipal governance. The campaign’s victory, he cautioned, reveals a troubling trend: a movement powered not by genuine service or principled leadership, but by elite resentment and ideological extremism disconnected from ordinary Americans.
Rejecting Division, Igniting Creation
With mounting conviction, Vance exposed the left’s destructive reliance on identity politics. This cynical strategy fragments the electorate into competing tribes through appeals that have nothing to do with local communities' real challenges. This approach contrasts with Thatcher’s unwavering focus on national sovereignty and shared purpose. He argued that this divisive strategy, driven by a fundamental hostility toward America’s founding values, barely conceals its contradictions—championing causes that often conflict with the interests of their supporters, yet somehow manages to galvanize a movement united primarily by what it opposes rather than what it hopes to build.
This destructive approach sharply opposes the principled constitutional stands taken by Thomas and Alito against judicial overreach. Vance countered with a rousing call for genuine statesmanship that builds rather than tears down, drawing inspiration from Reagan’s economic revitalization and Trump’s electrifying 2024 campaign, which energized voters with a positive, forward-looking vision. He highlighted bold policy initiatives like strategic tariffs to protect American workers and comprehensive tax reform to create dignified employment opportunities and economic vitality nationwide. This vision of creation and renewal, he declared with passion, represents a thrilling opportunity to ensure that all citizens can flourish, echoing the nation-building spirit that has defined every past recipient of this prestigious award.
Redefining Citizenship, Reclaiming Home
Vance’s passion peaked as he addressed America’s deepening cultural crisis, where weakened institutions struggle to foster the shared sense of purpose that healthy societies require—a challenge Reagan understood and addressed through his infectious cultural optimism. He made a compelling case for controlled immigration policies that would strengthen social cohesion by allowing neighbors to build genuine relationships through shared experiences in schools, churches, and community organizations. This approach would revitalize communities with an authentic sense of belonging, much like Thatcher’s emphasis on national identity and shared values.
At the heart of his speech was a vibrant call to redefine American citizenship beyond abstract ideals, insisting that faithful citizenship embodies practical sovereignty—defending our borders and reserving fundamental privileges like voting for actual citizens. Vance concluded with a deeply personal reflection on his family’s recent Fourth of July celebration, where his young daughter’s pure joy at discovering a simple dandelion in their yard captured the profound gratitude we owe to America—a nation that represents home, not contradiction, built by countless generations and now ready for its next bold chapter in the American story.
If you want to read the Vice President’s remarks in full, you can do that here [ [link removed] ]. I have embedded a video of his remarks below, if you want to watch them (you can decide if my take on it did it justice!).

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