Vance says "childless cat ladies" dig "not at the top" of his regrets

• It's also become a rallying cry for women that Democrats have seized on.

Driving the news: Vance, who has made several recent television appearances as the GOP campaign shapes its strategy against Harris, was pressed yet again on the comment, telling NBC News' Kristen Welker he made "a joke" in "the service of a real substantive point."

• "This country has become too anti-family," he said. "It's too expensive to afford a house. It's too expensive to afford groceries."
• Pressed on the backlash sparked by the resurfaced comment and whether he has regrets given the outcry from women offended by it, Vance said, "I think that it's much more important for me to just be a normal human being who sometimes says things ... people disagree with."
• He added: "I have a lot of regrets, Kristen, but making a joke three years ago is not at the top ten of the list."
• "I'm going to say things from time to time that people disagree with. I'm a real person, I'm going to make jokes, I'm going to say things sarcastically," Vance said. "And I think that what's important is that we focus on the policy."

Between the lines: The upcoming election has increasingly been viewed through a "boys v. girls" lens, as gender becomes one of the starkest dividing factors in politics.

• Earlier this month, Vance argued the point he was trying to make with his now-infamous jab was a push for more family-friendly policies, like expanding the child tax credit.

Zoom out: Also during the interview with Welker, Vance did not directly answer whether Trump's immigration policy would lead to the separation of families, saying, "I think that families are currently being separated," and adding, "You're certainly going to have to deport some people in this country."

State of play: He also was repeatedly pressed on whether he acknowledged Trump's tariff propositions would cost consumers — ultimately replying "No, I don't," contending, "Economists really disagree about the effects of tariffs."

• But Trump's proposed trade strategy — which includes 10% across-the-board tariffs and 60% on Chinese imports — has sparked economists' concerns.

Go deeper: Behind the Curtain: Trump's "caught on tape" women problem