Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has just canceled his participation, this weekend of August 3 and 4, in three events taking place in the Hampton Islands in the State of New York. A suspicious change of schedule that raises questions, as Kamala Harris prepares to choose the running mate who will accompany her in the quest for the Oval Office. “Shapiro is announced among the best placed to campaign alongside her. “Many speculate that this is a sign that he will be vice president,” wrote Michael Kempner – organizer of an event in which the governor was supposed to participate – in a note to his network announcing the cancellation, seen by the New York Times. “Although it has not been confirmed, I still believe he is the best person for the job,” he continued.
In this same article, the New York Times nevertheless specifies that Kamala Harris has asked the other candidates expected to be running mate to lighten their schedules. The choice of running mate is based on several criteria. In a joint interview with the New York Times led by columnist Frank Bruni, Jim Jordan – representative of the 4th district of Ohio – and Beth Myers – responsible for selecting Mitt Romney’s running mate in 2012 – are particularly interested in the “geographical” origin of the running mate and the “ideological balance” that the ticket would form.
Josh Shapiro is at the helm of a swing state – a state that could be won by both Republicans and Democrats. “Given the uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the electoral college [NDLR : aux Etats-Unis, ce sont les grands électeurs qui élisent le président]I will suggest [à Kamala Harris] to choose a strong candidate from a swing state“, advises Beth Myers. However, the presence of a heavyweight from a swing state does not always guarantee victory. “For example, in 2004, Kerry chose Senator John Edwards and still lost North Carolina by about 12 points,” Jim Jordan recalls. As a reminder, Pennsylvania was won by the Democrats in 2012 and 2020, with victories for Barack Obama and Joe Biden, but gleaned in 2016 by the Republicans and Donald Trump.
Shapiro, for identity parity
Governor since 2023, Josh Shapiro is at the head of the state from which President Joe Biden is from. On the question of representation, he “could be useful in rallying the votes of the states of the Rust Belt or rust belt in French, the region of the north-east of the United States ravaged by deindustrialization”, as reported by the New ObsIndeed, beyond its white skin color which contrasts with Kamala Harris’ Indian and African origins, it represents a less dynamic region than California, where the Democratic candidate comes from.
“The choice of running mate says a lot about the candidate. By turning to Paul Ryan [NDLR : colistier de Mitt Romney en 2012]we were hoping to conjure up the idea of a duo that was able to wield power, that was comfortable with issues of government,” recalls Beth Myers. By choosing Josh Shapiro, Kamala Harris could send the message of a candidacy that speaks to a maximum number of Americans in a country fractured on economic and identity issues.
Yet the Financial Timespoints to Josh Shapiro’s “Jewish origins” as a hindrance to this narrative by composing a tandem with “the first African-American candidate.” The tensions surrounding the Pennsylvania governor’s confession are so great that an “anonymous website, NoGenocideJosh.orginvites visitors to sign a petition urging Kamala Harris to choose someone else,” reports an article in the Wall Street JournalThe Israeli question divides Democrats, many of whom are outraged by Joe Biden’s historic line of supporting the Hebrew state and its military operation in the Gaza Strip.
Still according to the article of the Wall Street JournalShapiro is “the new punching ball of the left”. The American media outlet assures that this smear campaign is orchestrated by the “extreme left” and aims to “present Jews as the authors or accomplices of a genocide”. However, the newspaper recalls that other candidates for the post of vice-president have also given public support to Israel, such as Mark Kelly – senator from Arizona – or Andy Beshear, governor of Kentucky.