Reality: The portrayal of Nicole Shanahan’s TV interview as incoherent and nonsensical is both misleading and dismissive of her thoughtful responses. The media’s selective reporting failed to capture the full context of her comments and the full context of the question. After gaining the needed background on the topic, why aren’t more people talking about semiconductors and batteries?
The Media’s Game
Following Nicole Shanahan’s first television interview as Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s vice-presidential pick on June 20th, several media outlets published articles that portrayed her responses as baffling and off-the-rails. The Daily Beast claimed, “Nicole Shanahan Lists Reasons She’d Be a Good Prez—And They Make No Sense” , while The New York Post described her explanations as “baffling” and questioned her understanding of foreign policy and technology.
Here is what the Chair of the DNC had to say along with one of their operatives:
The Full Context
Contrary to these characterizations, Shanahan’s interview was coherent and demonstrated a deep understanding of critical issues. When asked why she would make a good vice president, she articulated her motivations clearly:
“I want to be vice president because I want to take my learnings of being a mother in today’s America, being somebody who has really looked at our healthcare issues, who understands deeply our AI challenges and the technology landscape of this country, and I want to bring it to the White House” .
Shanahan emphasized her commitment to bringing a youthful, capable mindset to address the country’s challenges, reflecting her broader vision for the role.
Foreign Policy Expertise
The media also misrepresented her views on foreign policy. When asked about her foreign policy understanding to be commander-in-chief in a worst-case scenario, Shanahan responded with a detailed explanation of her qualifications and the importance of understanding global commerce, semiconductors, and world religions:
“I think that I have a very sophisticated view on foreign affairs due to my previous work both in intellectual property law. I understand how global commerce works. I understand how we build batteries around the world. I understand the importance of semiconductors… I’ve spent most of my spiritual life studying world religions, and I think it’s really important right now for us to understand and respect each other’s religious alignment and understand the depths and the nuances of it” .
Shanahan’s comments highlighted the significance of semiconductors in global politics, particularly concerning U.S.-China relations over Taiwan, a crucial center for semiconductor production.
Why aren’t more People Talking about Semiconductors?
Let’s talk batteries 😉 pic.twitter.com/i6leuooLXc
— Nicole Shanahan (@NicoleShanahan) June 21, 2024
Following the interview, Shanahan took to X (formerly Twitter) to clarify her remarks, emphasizing the vital role of semiconductors in modern life and their strategic importance in foreign policy:
“From your smartphone to your home medical device, to the car you drive, your home appliances, the airplanes we all travel on, you name it, most devices and services we rely on today depend on semiconductors and batteries” .
She further explained the geopolitical stakes, noting that 70% of the world’s semiconductors and 90% of the world’s most sophisticated chips are produced in Taiwan. The potential Chinese takeover of Taiwan could disrupt global supply chains, highlighting why understanding semiconductors is critical for anyone involved in foreign policy. Read more about the China, Taiwan, and US relations here.
The real question is, why aren’t more people talking about semi-conductors and batteries?
Conclusion
Shanahan’s comments on semiconductors and global commerce were taken out of context and reduced to sound bites that misrepresented her comprehensive understanding of foreign policy.
In defending herself and explaining her rationale, Shanahan demonstrated her commitment to bringing informed and thoughtful leadership to the table. The media’s attempt to undermine her qualifications by focusing on out-of-context remarks does a disservice to public discourse. It is no secret why the mainstream media is experiencing the lowest trust by viewers of all time. As voters, it’s crucial to seek out the full context. Issues as big as foreign policy cannot be dwindled down to 10 second sound bites.
