Progressives Warn Kamala Harris: PA Gov Shapiro a VP Non-Starter
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (D), who previously served as that state's Attorney General, is reportedly on Kamala Harris's shortlist for her running mate. Shapiro would seem to bring some significant things to the table: executive experience, popularity in a key swing state, and support from unions.
But progressive groups are nevertheless warning Harris away from Shapiro.
One letter signed by nearly 50 progressive leaders pointed to Shapiro’s “shortcomings as a national candidate” and urged the vice president to consider Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) instead.
“With the compressed timeline ahead of us to defeat the Trump-Vance-MAGA threat, we simply cannot afford any setbacks,” the letter said.
A letter from another progressive group, known as “VP Unity,” said Harris’s consideration of Shapiro has “set off alarm bells” among young voters, Muslims, Arab Americans and activists.
Take a look at those categories. "...young voters, Muslims, Arab Americans, and activists."
From this, we can conclude with reasonable certainty that the "young voters" and "activists" are those who either conducted or are in sympathy with those who held "peaceful protests" in favor of wiping out Israel on college campuses across the country. And were we to draw one of Kamala Harris's beloved Venn diagrams of "Muslims" and "Arab Americans," there would likely be an almost complete overlap.
The quiet part they aren't saying out loud? Governor Shapiro is Jewish. And he supports Israel, although he has been critical of Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Some progressive critics of Shapiro say his response to the pro-Palestinian protests in Pennsylvania, which they labeled as “heavy handed,” could impact a Harris-Shapiro ticket more negatively than his views on the Israel-Hamas war more generally.
The governor has been a vocal supporter of Israel in the months since the Oct. 7 attacks, but has also been critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his handling of the war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
It looks like the governor is trying to divide the baby here.
Granted, it's very likely that should Harris pick Shapiro as her vice presidential candidate, the act will alienate a significant number of voters in the Democrats' antisemitic wing, which is not inconsiderable. While it's unlikely in the extreme those people will cross the Rubicon and vote for Donald Trump, they may well decide to either abstain or vote for some third-party candidate, which is essentially the same thing; no matter what, Kamala Harris loses votes.
Note that the Constitution specifically prohibits a religious test for public office. Note also that Josh Shapiro would, by almost every measure, be a pretty good choice. In fact, if we may be perfectly honest, he would make a better president than Kamala Harris; but then, one can look at the displays in any taxidermy shop and find exhibits that would make better presidents than Kamala Harris.
But again, the quiet part they aren't saying out loud: Governor Shapiro is Jewish.
It's a shame that so much of the Democratic Party has been co-opted by antisemitic types, to the point where party agitators are complaining about a potential VP pick being Jewish. While VP picks don't generally bring a whole lot to the table, in the case of Kamala Harris' candidacy, any running mate with any relevant experience, skill, or even the minimal complement of gray matter between his or her ears would be a big leg up for the campaign, as Kamala Harris possesses none of these things in any detectable amount.
That is, however, where we would seem to be — and that's too bad. But if the Democrats' ongoing internal strife and antisemitism lead to a Trump/Vance victory in November, that is a gift horse we should look anywhere but in the mouth.
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