Kamala Harris has reportedly narrowed down her possible picks for a running mate to four or five people and one man on the list is Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.
Progressives in her party are urging her not to choose Shapiro. Why do you suppose that is?
The Hill offers one laughable reason:
Progressives urge Harris to consider Beshear, Walz for VP, not ShapiroA group of progressive leaders is urging likely Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris to consider Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) or Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) as her running mate and rule out Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D), as the party seeks to consolidate its base ahead of November.Close to 50 progressive leaders hailing from states ranging from California to Kentucky — including the originator of the coalition efforts, California Democratic Party Progressive Caucus Chair Emeritus Amar Shergill — signed onto a letter released Tuesday telling Harris that they “whole-heartedly” endorsed her campaign while noting that “it is difficult to overstate the importance of your decision in selecting a Vice-Presidential running mate.”…The letter noted in particular that they both “represent and connect with” rural areas and would be the “perfect candidates” to allow the party to bring those voters back into the fold in November.At the same time, the progressive argued that while Shapiro is a “valued member of the Democratic coalition,” he has become known for his “shortcomings as a national candidate,” including “controversial policy decisions” like his backing of school vouchers.
Really? School vouchers? That’s why the progressive left is against Shapiro as a choice and nothing else?
In a recent article at The New Republic, David Klion came right out and said it:
The One Vice Presidential Pick Who Could Ruin Democratic UnityThis is a hopeful moment for the whole left-liberal coalition. The vibes, for once, are good. Almost every leftist I know is excited about Harris and thinks Trump is beatable. With a newly united party behind her, there are only so many ways Harris can screw it up, but one seems all too plausible: She could select Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro as her running mate…Unfortunately, Shapiro also stands out among the current field of potential running mates as being egregiously bad on Palestine. It’s not just that he, like many Democrats, is an outspoken supporter of Israel—though he certainly is, having championed Israel’s war against Hamas consistently and without any apparent concern for Palestinian civilians. Shapiro has, moreover, done far more than most Democrats to attack pro-Palestine antiwar demonstrators, in ways that call into question his basic commitment to First Amendment rights.In his previous role as Pennsylvania attorney general, Shapiro championed the state’s constitutionally dubious anti-BDS (boycott, divestment, sanctions) law against Ben & Jerry’s after the ice cream maker refused to license its product for sale in Israeli settlements…Shapiro is an observant Jew with personal ties to Israel; on October 7, he tweeted, “Our family has shared many special moments in Israel and our hearts break for those living this horror now.”
We’ll soon know if Harris is listening to these voices in her party, but she is apparently holding an event with her choice of running mate next Tuesday in Philadelphia. Why would she hold the event there if it wasn’t Shapiro?
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