Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro would be the wisest choice for Kamala Harris' VP pick, says Jeffrey Sonnenfeld.
  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
    132·
    3 months ago

    Maybe their internal polling is saying it’s a bad idea, but I really think this is the perfect opportunity for an all-woman ticket. Select Warren or Ocasio-Cortez as VP.

    • fukhueson@lemmy.worldOP
      71·
      3 months ago

      While I could get behind the feat, I think it’s important to remember how sexist this country has the capacity to be. Sadly, it may be prudent balancing her ticket with a man. To be fair, polls may still be premature.

      https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-has-the-switch-from-biden-to-harris-changed-the-presidential-race/

      Second, gender could turn out to be one of the driving forces this year. While Harris is doing no better among women than Biden did in 2020, she is running 11 points behind him among men. She cannot win with only 37% of the male vote—unless she can engineer offsetting gains among women.

    • themeatbridge@lemmy.world
      52·
      3 months ago

      Warren is only 3 years younger than Trump. AOC is a poster child for GQP fundraising boogymen. It would be cool, but I don’t see it happening. I’d enjoy being wrong about that, because either one would destroy Vance in a debate.

      Shapiro is a safe choice. The Lieutenant Gov is also a Democrat, unlike North Carolina (cited as one reason Cooper didn’t want the job) and Davis would be the first black governor of Pennsylvania. Shapiro is more of a centrist, but his politics are really shaped by the demographics of Pennsylvania. He would likely pivot on some issues like fracking or unions, but his support of Israel is not likely to change and it is going to be divisive.

      • DominusOfMegadeus@lemmy.worldEnglish
        52·
        3 months ago

        Yeah, but the whole ‘trying to join the IDF’ thing completely negatively outweighs any other beneficial factors about him.

        • themeatbridge@lemmy.world
          1·
          3 months ago

          A lot of people don’t realize that Pennsylvania is fifth in Jewish population, after New York, California, Florida, and New Jersey. We also have the most KKK propaganda coming out of our state. So that’s a weird dichotomy of extremes. Any sort of nuance will quickly tip the scales to one side or the other, and it’s easy to get the stink of anti-Semitism on anything less than full-throated support of Israel.

          That’s not to say I think Shapiro is being insincere. I believe he would join the IDF and fight for Israel, which I agree is alarming. But I don’t think it hurts the ticket nationally, and in fact I think it will get more votes than it costs. That’s just where the voting public is at right now. There aren’t that many people who oppose Netanyahu who say they will stay home.

          • Deceptichum@quokk.auEnglish
            24·
            3 months ago

            Genocide Joe lost his support from the left for enabling genocide.

            So far Kamala has walked a tolerable line on the issue, taking this person as her VP would make her our enemy as well. Its not a smart move.

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
        31·
        3 months ago

        I suppose, but I also feel (and I say this as a Jew) like having the name Shapiro is going to turn some people off. I don’t want that to be true, but it is.