Staff Reports
Senator John Fetterman seems to have a new hobby, and it’s called worrying about his fellow Democrats’ political aspirations. Reports indicate that Fetterman is not thrilled about the idea of Kamala Harris picking Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro as her running mate. Apparently, his team has been busy crafting messages to alert the Harris Campaign of their concerns that Shapiro is too ambitious for his good. They should probably send over a cautionary note instead of a small army of advisors—everyone knows ambition in politics is like air in a balloon; you don’t want it to be too inflated, or someone might just pop it.
The friction between Fetterman and Shapiro isn’t a new phenomenon; these two have been working out their differences since their days on Pennsylvania’s Board of Pardons. The board, it seems, served as the playground where the odd couple duked it out over what reform should look like. Fetterman has played the role of the compassionate reformer, keen on offering second chances to convicts, while Shapiro has taken a more restrained stance, rejecting radical changes—leaving Fetterman caught between his idealism and Shapiro’s pragmatism, like a kid trying to decide between ice cream and broccoli.
REPORT: Democrat Senator Opposes Top Harris VP Candidate As Party Tensions Simmerhttps://t.co/LHZt0Jxu2V
— JOSH DUNLAP (@JDunlap1974) August 5, 2024
As Harris weighs her options for running mates—because picking someone who can ably support a campaign seems to be a secondary thought—Shapiro keeps rising to the top of the list. This comes after a slip by Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, who prematurely celebrated the “Harris-Shapiro Campaign” before pulling her video faster than a teenager deleting an embarrassing TikTok. That’s right; Harris is reportedly considering other heavyweights, including Minnesota’s Governor Tim Walz and Kentucky’s Governor Andy Beshear, though it seems Shapiro is the frontrunner, much to Fetterman’s chagrin.
If the progressive wing of the Democratic Party has any say, it may just send Shapiro packing. The uproar has spilled over into accusations of sexual harassment cover-ups in Shapiro’s office, making future debates about his qualifications even stickier than a summer sidewalk. Erin McClelland, a statewide candidate in Pennsylvania, clearly isn’t pulling any punches when she expresses her desire for a VP pick who’s “secure enough” to support a woman and avoid political machinations about his own career. Apparently, she believes Shapiro doesn’t fit that mold and has eyed North Carolina’s Governor Roy Cooper as a better option. It’s almost heartwarming to see Democrats turn on each other with the fervor of a family feud over Thanksgiving pumpkin pie.
Nearly 50 progressive leaders have collectively signed a letter suggesting that Harris should consider other candidates instead of Shapiro. The memo highlights his alleged “shortcomings as a national candidate” while urging a shift of focus to Walz or Beshear, effectively suggesting that even within their own party, Shapiro isn’t exactly winning popularity contests. As they continue squabbling amongst themselves over who fits the role best, maybe they should focus on crafting a cohesive message that speaks to the American people—assuming they can agree on what that message is without stepping on each other’s toes in the process.
