The elephant is the symbol of the Republican Party, but the Democrats have a giant elephant as their vice presidential candidate: Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s religion.
He is in many ways the ideal political strategist for Kamala Harris’ presidential candidacy. To be sure, Shapiro is a strong governor; Collapsed section of I-95 rebuilt in 12 daysNot for months or years, A whopping 61 percent Pennsylvania is a battleground state that Democrats absolutely need to win the White House.
Shapiro is strong in front of the camera, a skill that will come in handy for a candidate running for vice president in 2024. His speaking style has even been likened to Democratic icon Barack Obama.
But some left-wing progressives who revere Obama’s presence in the White House are openly trying to block Shapiro from becoming a presidential candidate. After all, to a very small but very vocal group of Democrats, Shapiro has one negative that outweighs it all: Josh Shapiro is Jewish.
Political pundits and television reporters have written negatively about the Gaza issue, and some Democrats fear its impact on Arab and Muslim voters in the battleground state of Michigan.
Their concerns are politically misguided, as President Biden’s landslide victory in the Michigan primary proved. “Irresponsible” after a big signaling effort on Gaza Only a few percent win That’s more than Obama received when he ran in 2012.
But the code words and unspoken meanings make it clear that Shapiro’s open Jewishness continues to cause anxiety among some perennially anxious Democrats.
Moreover, Shapiro has not been able to appease his small but vocal far-left supporters by simply condemning Israel and condoning the deadly acts of Hamas terrorists. He has also criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But Pennsylvania governor braves anti-Semitic protests on college campuses It’s a state where some Jews are afraid to attend prestigious universities.
in Radical Chic To some in progressive Democratic circles, this is an unforgivable crime against humanity. So they “Genocide Josh” Campaign To prevent candidates from engaging in political activities.
These are the same people who brought us the “Genocide Joe” campaign, openly accusing President Biden of all but supporting Israel’s devastating response to Hamas terrorists following the atrocities of October 7. But Harris also reiterated that she “unequivocally” supports Israel’s right to defend its own security when it comes to attacks from Lebanon.
Other reported Democratic vice presidential candidates also tend to support Israel’s self-defense, which makes Harris and her running mate all but certain to fall under the “Zionist” label feared by the far left, as they support the right of the Jewish state to exist.
But there is no “Genocide Mark” slogan for Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, the other reported front-runner. There is no “Genocide Andy” slogan for Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear. There is no “Genocide Tim” slogan for Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. No, not for any of the other candidates.
“All the candidates except Shapiro are pro-Israel.” Congressman Ritchie Torres (DN.Y.) “Why is he being treated differently than other people? Anti-Semitism.”
And despite the pro-Hamas slogans and threatening protests that block streets, college campuses, highways and airports, most Americans support Israel’s right to exist, and always have.
Attacking police, desecrating monuments with Hamas symbols, and pulling down the American flag for a Palestinian one is simply anathema to ordinary voters of all political stripes.
Harris might do better if she ran alongside another candidate, regardless of religion.
But even critics of Israel, Jewish and non-Jewish, feel that Josh Shapiro’s religious litmus test goes too far: “It’s unacceptable to question the governor’s position in a different way just because he’s Jewish.” Rep. Jake Auchincloss declared. (Democrat, Massachusetts).
Shapiro’s religion is not a factor in the America of 2024. It’s not only morally despicable, it’s politically unwise.
Foreign policy considerations not related to the U.S. war have never been a deciding factor in recent presidential elections. Even the younger generation, who are said to be very concerned about U.S. support for Israel, are not in favor of Gaza. Far below It is listed in the voting priority list.
Without Pennsylvania, where Mr. Shapiro might win, the Democrats’ vaunted “Blue Wall” would crumble, losing a large base of support in the Electoral College to a small number of far-left Democrats who feel threatened by the possibility of a Jew in high office.
There are plenty of arguments for and against the potential nominee: Kerry is a borderline moderate who is a positive force in mainstream politics but at odds with the left-wing philosophy of the Democratic Party.
His wife, former Arizona Democratic Rep. Gabby Giffords, has become a symbol of courage after being seriously injured in an assassination attempt, but she is also Jewish, which can unsettle the anti-Israel left.
As is often the case, Harris’ campaign has a number of strong lobbying players over her choice of home state, including Shapiro, the governor of Illinois, J.B. Pritzker, who is eloquent and less likely to provoke the far left than Shapiro, but who is also Jewish.
It’s unsettling enough that Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is attracting controversy because he’s gay, or that Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, another key supporter of the Blue Wall, is raising concerns by fielding two women as candidates.
But in other areas that once seemed overcome in society, we appear to be going backwards.
Before he became a famous president, war hero John F. Kennedy Pledge allegiance to the Vatican Joe Biden is the second president to have a country with more Catholics than his own country.
In the 2000 election, Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman was asked how he would govern on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath. But his running mate, Al Gore won the popular vote.
You might think religion doesn’t matter in 21st century America. It’s never been a personal concern for Kamala Harris: Not only is her husband, Doug Emhoff, Jewish, but he has also served as a leader in the administration’s fight against anti-Semitism.
As a candidate, Harris has expressed empathy for the suffering of the Palestinian people and their peaceful protests. But she has also said:Abhorrent… Pro-Hamas graffiti and rhetoric“At the recent demonstration in Washington, I said: ‘Let’s be clear: anti-Semitism, hatred and violence of any kind have no place in our country.'”
Nor does it have any place in the political process. Let’s hope that those who criticize religion get the message.
I wrote a book.My name is Geraldine Ferraro.“It took 37 years for Kamala Harris to break the vice-presidential glass ceiling,” it said of the first woman to be nominated by a major party. And she might just break it again — unless Democrats sabotage their chances with a faraway war.
There is religious turmoil in the Middle East right now, just as there has been for thousands of years. Let’s not bring that into the mix here. We have many issues that are more directly relevant to us.
But we also need to reinforce a very American idea: Anyone can run for public office — Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist — of any religion or no religion.
Make your choice by focusing on what the candidate brings to the campaign, not how they will worship you.
Lee Michael Katz is an award-winning journalist and author who has reported in more than 60 countries. He is a former senior diplomatic correspondent for USA Today and international editor for the UPI news agency, and his work has been syndicated worldwide by the New York Times Syndicate.
