LOS ANGELES (OC).–Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro blasted former Vice President and 2024 Democrat nominee Kamala Harris for twisting the reasons she picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate over Shapiro. Shapiro called Kamala’s book “107 Days” “between outrage and exasperation as I relayed the excerpts “ from Harris’s book. Harris said when she interviewed Shapiro, he dominated the conversation, demanding that as Vice President he would be involved in all presidential decision making. Quoted from “107 Days,” Harris said that Shapiro insisted on being in the room for all her presidential decisions, something Shapiro said didn’t happen. “She wrote that in her book,” Shapiro asked journalist Tim Alberta. “That’s completed bulls— I can tell you that her accounts are blatant lies,” Shapiro said, offended by Harris’s description of the events.
Kamala said in her book that Shapiro wanted to know the size of the Vice President residence at the Naval Observators, something Shapiro said never happened. Alberta asked Shapiro whether he felt betrayed by Kamala portraying him as self-centered and seeking power and control. “I mean she’s trying to sell books and cover her a–,” Shapiro told Alberta before walking back his remarks. “I shouldn’t say cover her a—“ Shapiro said “I think that’s not appropriate. She’s trying to sell books,” Shapiro said, realizing that he went too far. Shapiro knows that he could face Kamala in the 2028 Democrats primaries should either of them chose to run for the Democrat Party nomination. Shapiro showed for all to see that he’s not ready for prime time, not knowing how far to go in his interviews. Kamals said in “107 Days” picking Shapiro would have been risky.
Shapiro suspects that the real reason Kamala thought picking him was too risky because he was Jewish, something that makes no sense since Kamala’s married to Jewish Hollywood Attorney Doug Emhoff. Yet there may be some truth to the rumor about Kamala’s concerns about Shapiro. As it turned out, Walz was a bad choice because he wasn’t ready for prime time, making unending gaffes on the campaign trail. Walz described himself as a “knucklehead” for making controversial statements. Whatever the reasons, Shapiro would have outshined Kamala, leaving her insecure about being first on the ticket. Shapiro is one of the bright stars in the Democrat Party, yet finds himself in the unenviable place of tagged as a moderate. Moderates don’t really exist in a party where even Kamala has members of her party that outflank her on the left or progressive wing of the Party.
Shapiro won high praise for some within the Democrat Party for his open criticism of former President Joe Biden, for his lack of fitness to run for another term. While Harris and the Democrat Party made excuses and covered up Biden’s cognitive decline, Shapiro was refreshingly honest agreeing with Actor and Democrat activist George Clooney who was among the first to call for Biden to drop out of the 2024 race. Shapiro leads Pennsylvania, an essential swing state that could have gone either way in 2024. Pennsylvania eventually went for Trump largely because Kamala seemed wish-washy to many voters. Trump appeared decisive and charismatic, appealing to Pennsylvania voters. “I was direct with them,” Shapiro told sports raido host Stephen A. Smith. “I told them my concerns,” referring to Biden’s fitness to run for a second term.
Shapiro exposes Kamala as an opportunist politician hoping she’ll have better luck in 2028, selling herself as the best antidote for Trump. But Kamala can’t shake herself from his “word salad” responses to many pressing issues, giving Trump a leg up in the 2024 election. When Shapiro said Kamala wias “covering her a–,” he was brazenly telling the truth, only to walk back his remarks as too harsh. Shapiro knows if he wants to move up the ladder in the Democrat Party he’ll have to deal with the Black Caucus, someone he just offended. Shapiro may have less room to go in the future of a party that, for the momeny, has lurched to the progressive left, somewhere Shapiro isn’t comfortable. As a good old fashioned centrist running a purple state, Shapiro may be aced out of his Party’s future. Kamala exposes for all to see she’s looking for 2008 as her best revenge.
Shapiro didn’t like Kamala saying in her book that he dominated his running mate interview, unlike the obsequious Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, more willing to play the No. 2 role. Shapiro outshines Kamala in terms of his rhetorical style, more to the liking of past generations of charismatic Democrat leaders. Kamala’s fits more within the progressive wing of her Party, a place Shapiro feels out-of-place. Walking back his his harshest critique of Kamala makes Shaipior look weak, unable to speak his mind because he’s concerned about future repercussions. Well, it’s hard to walk back remarks that ring true for Kamala trying to minimize any PR damage to Shapiro. When it comes to 2028, Shapiro’s interview didn’t help his cause. If Sahpiro thought Kamala gaslighted the public about the reason she didn’t pick him in 2024, he should let his opinion stand not vacillate.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
