You can always tell when the White House knows it has a problem, when its allies are turning against it, and it has an awkward proposition to sell: It sends out the vice president.

“All right. Good morning, everybody. Nothing to talk about,” a beaming JD Vance said as he hopped onto the podium of the briefing room with the hopeful demeanor of a punt returner looking at the ball rather than the ton of meat bearing down on him.