Misstep or Joke? JD Vance Inquires About the Dislike of Swiss Cheese at a Philadelphia Cheesesteak Shop
The Republican vice presidential candidate has stirred debate online, with some asserting he made a mistake in Philly, while others believe it was a nod to John Kerry’s infamous Swiss cheese order.
Ohio Senator JD Vance surprised many locals when he visited a well-known cheesesteak shop and asked the staff why they had such a strong aversion to Swiss cheese.
Vance made his visit to Pat’s King of Steaks on Monday as part of his trip to North Philadelphia, where he addressed a small audience of supporters at the warehouse of a medical waste management business.
Upon arriving at the restaurant, he probed the workers about their cheese preferences.
“I don’t like Swiss cheese either,” Vance stated to several staff members while speaking through the restaurant’s window, according to CBS News. “But people claim it’s offensive. Why do you all dislike it so much? What’s the reason?”
An employee at Pat’s responded, “We don’t hate it; we just don’t use it,” as reported by the outlet.
Vance eventually ordered a “whiz wit,” which is a cheesesteak topped with Cheez Whiz and fried onions, CBS News noted. Afterward, he signed autographs for fans waiting nearby and took a few pictures with the employees.
John Kerry’s Swiss Cheesesteak Order in 2004
Vance isn’t the only political figure to discuss Swiss cheese in a Philly cheesesteak shop. Back in 2004, during his run for president, then-Democrat nominee John Kerry asked a Philadelphia establishment to make his cheesesteak with Swiss cheese rather than the customary Cheez Whiz.
“Don’t come to Philadelphia trying to win us over by ordering Swiss cheese, which no one does here,” stated Ed Rendell, the former governor of Pennsylvania and mayor of Philadelphia, during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Democratic Congressman Brendan Boyle from Philadelphia criticized Vance’s remarks in a post on X, declaring that Vance had “committed a crime against humanity.” Right-wing media figure Graham Allen commented beneath Boyle’s post, suggesting that Vance’s inquiry was “a jab at John Kerry, who was ridiculed for asking for Swiss in the city.”
‘JD Vance Appears Utterly Shocked’
Many users on social media reacted to Vance’s cheesesteak encounter, analyzing whether he intended to mock Kerry, his post-order photo opportunities, and his overall expression when confronted with Cheez Whiz.
