Josh Shapiro Says He’ll Be At Kamala Harris Rally On Tuesday

When Vice President Kamala Harris makes her first appearance with her running mate in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro said he hopes and plans to be there.

However, it is still unclear what role he will play at the event.

Shapiro, a finalist to run alongside Harris as vice presidential candidate, again declined to comment Friday on whether he was involved in the vetting process or had plans to meet with Harris this weekend. He has consistently sidestepped questions about whether he wants the job, adding that it is a “deeply personal decision” for Harris.

Harris will hold a rally at Temple University’s Liacouras Center on Tuesday with her up-to-date vice presidential candidate, then begin a tour of states where she is leading.

Shapiro fielded questions about Harris’s choice of vice presidential candidate when he appeared Friday at a bill signing at Cheyney University on higher education initiatives aimed at improving access to college for in-state and out-of-state students. Such events typically draw a compact group of reporters, but there were more than a dozen cameras from national television networks, all hoping to catch Shapiro. The crowd of reporters shouted over each other, asking questions.

Shapiro even joked that he wished someone would ask him about up-to-date higher education programs or about Cheyney, the first historically black university in the country.

Harris is a graduate of Howard University, another historically black university.

Harris will meet with the finalists this weekend to make a final decision, according to news reports. Shapiro has canceled planned fundraisers in the Hamptons this weekend. (Other candidates for Harris’ vice presidential running mate weekend plans were also reportedly canceled.)

Asked what he would do instead, Shapiro laughed and said, “You think I’m going to tell you what I’m doing? Come on.”

While Shapiro refused to speculate on Harris’ upcoming decision, he continued his low-key questioning for the second spot by attacking former President Donald Trump and his vice presidential nominee, Sen. J.D. Vance.

First, Shapiro condemned Trump’s comments about Harris’ racial identity, with Trump claiming this week that Harris had “suddenly” decided to be black because she is also of South Asian descent. His comments were widely dismissed.

“It’s offensive and it’s the same for Donald Trump,” Shapiro said. “He attacks other people based on what they look like or who they pray to. … He’s trying to divide Americans.”

Shapiro also responded to comments from Vance, who described Shapiro in a podcast interview as saying, “if I was trying to do a really bad Barack Obama impression, this is what it would sound like.”

Shapiro called Vance a “phony buffoon” who doesn’t know what he stands for.

“That’s why it’s impossible for him to articulate a coherent message to the American people,” Shapiro said. “It’s clear that Donald Trump is remorseful about his choice.”

The governor added: “If he wants to hurl insults at me — and I’m not sure it’s an insult at all — let him do that. Fine. Let’s get to it.”

Shapiro said Obama is “probably one of the most gifted speakers of my time.”

Shapiro also responded to a 1993 column he wrote for a student newspaper in which he argued that peace “will never come” to the Middle East and that the region no longer reflects his beliefs.

In an article titled “Peace Is Not Possible,” published Friday by The Inquirer, Shapiro, then 20, argued that the Palestinians were “too belligerent” to coexist with Israel and that a two-state solution was unlikely.

“[That’s] something I wrote when I was 20. I was 20,” Shapiro said. “I had been saying for years, years before October 7, that I favored a two-state solution. Israelis and Palestinians living peacefully side by side, able to determine their own future and their own destiny.”

At an unrelated event Friday, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D., Pa.) added his voice to the chorus of Pennsylvania Democrats pushing Shapiro for the vice presidential nomination. He said Shapiro is “ready to step into the shoes” of Harris’ vice president, adding that the governor is a “great communicator” who knows how to spearhead crucial initiatives in the substantial state.

“I think Josh is prepared not only to serve as the vice presidential candidate, but more importantly, I think he is prepared to do the jobs that he and Kamala Harris would be elected to do,” said Casey, who is running for re-election in November.

“Obviously I’m very biased and favor Josh,” Casey added.

Article co-authored by Hannah Nguyen.