The gymnast won a second Olympic all-around title on Thursday in Paris, three years after stepping away from competing because of a mental health issue.
By Neil Vigdor in the NYT (thanks to Ann M.)
Senator JD Vance of Ohio, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, is drawing renewed scrutiny over his past remarks that the American gymnast Simone Biles, who won another Olympic all-around gold medal on Thursday, showed weakness when she withdrew from the previous Games because of a mental health issue.
Mr. Vance, during an appearance on Fox News in 2021, questioned why Ms. Biles was receiving acclaim for stepping away from the competition at the Tokyo games.
“I think it reflects pretty poorly on our sort of therapeutic society that we try to praise people, not for moments of strength, not for moments of heroism, but for their weakest moments,” Mr. Vance, who was running for the Senate, said at the time.
Democratic operatives were eager to call attention to the remarks now that both Mr. Vance and Ms. Biles are back in the spotlight. Aida Ross, a spokeswoman for the Democratic National Committee, said on Thursday that Mr. Vance was in “no position to be talking about anyone’s else’s ‘weakest moments.’”
“While the rest of the country is celebrating the U.S.A. women’s gymnastics team’s performance at the Olympics, JD Vance is facing his weakest moment amid a gaffe-filled rollout that has left him as the most unpopular V.P. pick in decades,” she said. (continued)