https://sputnikglobe.com/20240808/harris-chose-walz-over-shapiro-to-ward-off-critics-of-israeli-war-on-gaza-1119676732.html
Harris Chose Walz Over Shapiro to Ward Off Critics of Israeli War on Gaza
Harris Chose Walz Over Shapiro to Ward Off Critics of Israeli War on Gaza
Sputnik International
US Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris' pick of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate was dictated by Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's open support for the Israeli war on Gaza, experts told Sputnik.
2024-08-08T07:28+0000
2024-08-08T07:28+0000
2024-08-08T07:29+0000
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On Tuesday, Harris announced Walz as her vice presidential candidate in the 2024 election, saying he was a "battle-tested leader." President Joe Biden hailed Harris’ choice and called it a great decision. The announcement put an end to weeks of speculation that Harris would go for Shapiro, who was reportedly one of the top finalists for the role. "As far as I and everybody else can figure, they passed over Shapiro because he is Jewish and has been supportive of Israel in the past. It means the anti-Israel wing of the Democratic Party is very much in control. In my view, Shapiro would have been a much better pick in terms of winning the election," Roderick Kiewiet, professor of Political Science at the California Institute of Technology, said. The choice of a presidential contender's running mate rarely has any impact on the vote, Kiewiet argued. The only time it actually mattered was in 1972, when Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern's pick Tom Eagleton was discovered to have undergone electro-shock therapy at a mental institution. Eagleton quit the race but McGovern was humiliated and lost to Richard Nixon by a landslide. Shapiro's 2022 victory in the race for governor of Pennsylvania, a critical battleground state, proved that he had a good chance of helping the Democratic ticket take it in November, Alan Cafruny, Henry Bristol Professor of International Affairs with the Department of Government at Hamilton College, told Sputnik. "However, Shapiro has taken a strong stand in favor of Israel's actions in Gaza, notably condemning pro-Palestinian activists, especially students and many young people, as anti-Semitic. Young people are a core Democratic constituency. Israel's horrific actions in Gaza have profoundly altered public opinion among many Americans," Cafruny said. While the matter was probably not critical for Harris, it played a role in the choice of the vice presidential candidate, as Democrats believe that Walz, too, can deliver Pennsylvania and its 19 electoral votes, he added. "If I had been Kamala Harris, I would have chosen Shapiro as my running mate because he would have brought more strength to the ticket in Pennsylvania, a 'must-win' state for the Democrats. But this was Harris' choice, and, apparently, she did not want to further alienate the left wing of the party as, I expect, she attempts to move toward the center for the general election campaign," Richard Bensel, Professor of Government at Cornell University, said. Walz vs Vance: Battle of Personalities With Tim Walz tapped as the Democratic vice presidential nominee, Donald Trump's running mate JD Vance may appear "weird" and even "extremist," significantly damaging the Republicans' chances of winning in November, the experts predicted. Following the announcement by Harris, Trump sarcastically thanked her for her choice, while Vance said that he had called Walz and left him a voice message congratulating him and wishing for "robust conversations" in the future. The Trump campaign called Walz a "dangerously liberal extremist." "One of Tim Walz’s strengths is that he will be a very good foil for JD Vance in the coming vice presidential debate (if there is one). Walz’s appealing personality and moderate demeanor will only strengthen public impressions of Vance as an unstable extremist," Richard Bensel said, adding that this comparison was likely to be only a "minor" issue come the election. While the Minnesota governor is unlikely to bring significant changes to the Harris campaign, choosing him will probably boost the Democratic duo's standing "since one of the major points the Democrats will try to make is that the Republican ticket is 'weird'" and Walz is definitely "not weird" himself, Bensel explained. Cafruny said he did not expect any major changes in the Harris campaign because, while Walz "will certainly help the ticket," the presidential race is expected to be very close, and there are many variables over which the candidates, let alone their vice presidents, do not have any power. "Vance has not, at this point, at least proven to be a good choice, revealing a great deal of idiosyncrasy and being tagged as 'weird.' To take just one example, by condemning women who cannot or do not wish to have children as 'childless cat ladies' he has alienated many women (and men!). He will not compare favorably to Walz, by all accounts a more attractive and engaging personality," he said. Carfurny added that despite the fact that Minnesota, with its 10 electoral college votes, would have likely still gone to the Democrats, Walz was still good for the campaign due to his experience and background. "Waltz is a good candidate for a number of reasons: Midwestern, moderate but pro-union, charismatic, a former high school teacher, popular congressman, and then two-term governor. He is a former serviceman with 25 years in the National Guard and a hunter, although favoring stricter gun laws, thereby attracting Democratic support while not perhaps entirely alienating gun owners," Carfurny said. Both Carfurny and Bensel suggested that Trump and his campaign might now regret picking Vance as the vice presidential candidate. "From that perspective, Harris made a very safe choice that gives the Democrats an advantage," Bensel said. In July, President Biden announced his withdrawal from the presidential race and endorsed Harris as the Democratic nominee for president. Trump secured the Republican nomination and picked Ohio Senator JD Vance as his running mate. The presidential election is scheduled for November 5.
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kamala harris, tim walz, criticism of israeli war on gaza, us support for israeli war on gaza, who is harris's running mate, governor shapiro
kamala harris, tim walz, criticism of israeli war on gaza, us support for israeli war on gaza, who is harris's running mate, governor shapiro
Harris Chose Walz Over Shapiro to Ward Off Critics of Israeli War on Gaza
07:28 GMT 08.08.2024 (Updated: 07:29 GMT 08.08.2024) MOSCOW (Sputnik) - US Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris' pick of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate was dictated by Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's open support for the Israeli war on Gaza, experts told Sputnik.
On Tuesday, Harris announced Walz as her vice presidential candidate in the 2024 election, saying he was a "battle-tested leader." President Joe Biden hailed Harris’ choice and called it a great decision. The announcement put an end to weeks of speculation that Harris would go for Shapiro, who was reportedly one of the top finalists for the role.
"As far as I and everybody else can figure, they passed over Shapiro because he is Jewish and has been supportive of Israel in the past. It means the anti-Israel wing of the Democratic Party is very much in control. In my view, Shapiro would have been a much better pick in terms of winning the election," Roderick Kiewiet, professor of Political Science at the California Institute of Technology, said.
The choice of a presidential contender's running mate rarely has any impact on the vote, Kiewiet argued. The only time it actually mattered was in 1972, when Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern's pick Tom Eagleton was discovered to have undergone electro-shock therapy at a mental institution. Eagleton quit the race but McGovern was humiliated and lost to Richard Nixon by a landslide.
Shapiro's 2022 victory in the race for governor of Pennsylvania, a critical battleground state, proved that he had a good chance of helping the Democratic ticket take it in November, Alan Cafruny, Henry Bristol Professor of International Affairs with the Department of Government at Hamilton College, told Sputnik.
"However, Shapiro has taken a strong stand in favor of Israel's actions in Gaza, notably condemning pro-Palestinian activists, especially students and many young people, as anti-Semitic. Young people are a core Democratic constituency. Israel's horrific actions in Gaza have profoundly altered public opinion among many Americans," Cafruny said.
While the matter was probably not critical for Harris, it played a role in the choice of the vice presidential candidate, as Democrats believe that Walz, too, can deliver Pennsylvania and its 19 electoral votes, he added.
"If I had been Kamala Harris, I would have chosen Shapiro as my running mate because he would have brought more strength to the ticket in Pennsylvania, a 'must-win' state for the Democrats. But this was Harris' choice, and, apparently, she did not want to further alienate the left wing of the party as, I expect, she attempts to move toward the center for the general election campaign," Richard Bensel, Professor of Government at Cornell University, said.
Walz vs Vance: Battle of Personalities
With Tim Walz tapped as the Democratic vice presidential nominee, Donald Trump's running mate JD Vance may appear "weird" and even "extremist," significantly damaging the Republicans' chances of winning in November, the experts predicted.
Following the announcement by Harris, Trump sarcastically thanked her for her choice, while Vance said that he had called Walz and left him a voice message congratulating him and wishing for "robust conversations" in the future. The Trump campaign called Walz a "dangerously liberal extremist."
"One of Tim Walz’s strengths is that he will be a very good foil for JD Vance in the coming vice presidential debate (if there is one). Walz’s appealing personality and moderate demeanor will only strengthen public impressions of Vance as an unstable extremist," Richard Bensel said, adding that this comparison was likely to be only a "minor" issue come the election.
While the Minnesota governor is unlikely to bring significant changes to the Harris campaign, choosing him will probably boost the Democratic duo's standing "since one of the major points the Democrats will try to make is that the Republican ticket is 'weird'" and Walz is definitely "not weird" himself, Bensel explained.
Cafruny said he did not expect any major changes in the Harris campaign because, while Walz "will certainly help the ticket," the presidential race is expected to be very close, and there are many variables over which the candidates, let alone their vice presidents, do not have any power.
"Vance has not, at this point, at least proven to be a good choice, revealing a great deal of idiosyncrasy and being tagged as 'weird.' To take just one example, by condemning women who cannot or do not wish to have children as 'childless cat ladies' he has alienated many women (and men!). He will not compare favorably to Walz, by all accounts a more attractive and engaging personality," he said.
Carfurny added that despite the fact that Minnesota, with its 10 electoral college votes, would have likely still gone to the Democrats, Walz was still good for the campaign due to his experience and background.
"Waltz is a good candidate for a number of reasons: Midwestern, moderate but pro-union, charismatic, a former high school teacher, popular congressman, and then two-term governor. He is a former serviceman with 25 years in the National Guard and a hunter, although favoring stricter gun laws, thereby attracting Democratic support while not perhaps entirely alienating gun owners," Carfurny said.
Both Carfurny and Bensel suggested that Trump and his campaign might now regret picking Vance as the vice presidential candidate.
"From that perspective, Harris made a very safe choice that gives the Democrats an advantage," Bensel said.
In July, President Biden announced his withdrawal from the presidential race and endorsed Harris as the Democratic nominee for president. Trump secured the Republican nomination and picked Ohio Senator JD Vance as his running mate. The presidential election is scheduled for November 5.
