Vice President JD Vance reflected on his rise from Middletown, Ohio, to the nation’s second-highest office during an appearance on Mike Rowe’s podcast, The Way I Heard It, saying he believes his late grandmother would be proud of his accomplishments while also reminding him to remain humble.
Vance discussed the influence of his grandparents, who raised him and later became central figures in his best-selling memoir, Hillbilly Elegy. His grandmother, Bonnie Vance, whom he affectionately called “Mamaw,” died in 2005.
During the conversation, Rowe asked Vance what he believed his grandparents would think if they could see where life had taken him today.
“What in the world would she say today, assuming she’s looking down — and Papaw, for that matter?” Rowe asked.
Vance said he hopes both of his grandparents would be proud of him but quickly added that his grandmother would likely have a straightforward message.
“Well, you know, you never know. I think and hope they’d be proud of me,” Vance said. “I think that what Mamaw would say in particular is, ‘Don’t get too big for your britches.’”
Rowe jokingly expanded the phrase by adding an expletive before “britches,” prompting Vance to laugh and agree.
“That’s right. That’s right,” Vance replied.
The vice president said his grandmother always maintained high expectations for him, and while his life has changed dramatically over the past decade, he believes she would be most concerned about ensuring that success did not change his character.
According to Vance, the transformation in his daily life has been so significant that it sometimes feels surreal.
He explained that he no longer does many of the ordinary tasks that once filled his routine. Instead of making trips to the grocery store himself, others now shop for him. While he said he enjoys cooking—particularly baking and preparing meals for his children on special occasions—he noted that he no longer has to cook because there are people available to prepare his food.
Vance also pointed to the realities of serving as vice president, saying his travel arrangements have changed dramatically as well.
“My life is so weird,” he said, describing flying aboard a Boeing 757 and no longer having to wait in Transportation Security Administration screening lines with his family.
Despite those privileges, Vance said he is conscious of the danger that comes with becoming accustomed to an extraordinary lifestyle.
He acknowledged that repeatedly experiencing those conveniences could lead someone to develop a sense of entitlement if they begin to internalize them as normal.
Vance said that possibility is something he actively worries about and believes his grandmother would have been especially determined to guard against.
Rather than viewing the perks of public office as something he deserves, Vance said they should be seen as a blessing that also carries significant duties and responsibilities.
He said he believes Mamaw would have been proud of what he has achieved, but she also would have insisted that he remain grounded regardless of his position.
For Vance, the lesson his grandmother taught him years ago remains just as relevant today: appreciate the opportunities that come with success, but never allow them to foster a sense of entitlement or cause him to forget where he came from.
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