Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (D) made a sudden decision to cancel his weekend fundraising trip to the Hamptons on Long Island, New York.
The announcement of the cancellation, issued by Shapiro’s office on Thursday, was brief and cryptic, stating only that “His schedule has changed.”
This abrupt change in plans coincides with the increasing anticipation surrounding Kamala Harris’s impending announcement of her choice for a vice-presidential running mate on the Democratic Party ticket.
Last week, Harris’s campaign revealed their plan to visit seven swing states in the coming week, with the tour commencing in Philadelphia on Tuesday.
The timing of this itinerary has sparked early speculation that Shapiro may be a top contender for Harris’s vice-presidential pick.
In light of these developments, Shapiro finds himself in a position where he needs to address certain aspects of his past before any potential announcement regarding his candidacy as Harris’s running mate.
One notable point of controversy revolves around Shapiro’s Jewish heritage and how it is being woven into his narrative.
It appears that like many Democrats today, Shapiro has shifted away from placing significant emphasis on his faith and family in shaping his human experience.
Over the weekend, he found himself compelled to defend his stance on Israel after an op-ed he authored over three decades ago resurfaced.
In this piece, Shapiro claimed to have been an Israeli army volunteer and expressed derogatory views towards Palestinians.
FOX News reported on this issue, quoting Shapiro’s spokesman Manuel Bonder who stated that since writing the controversial essay as a 20-year-old student, Governor Shapiro had developed close relationships with numerous Muslim-American, Arab-American, Palestinian Christian, and Jewish community leaders across Pennsylvania.
Bonder emphasized that Shapiro values their perspectives and experiences which have contributed to an evolution of his views on Middle Eastern issues.
The Philadelphia Inquirer brought attention to the essay written by Shapiro for the Campus Times – the student newspaper at the University of Rochester from which he graduated in 1995.
In this article, he expressed skepticism about Palestinians’ ability to peacefully coexist or establish successful homelands even with support from Israel and the United States.
