On Tuesday, CNN commentator Van Jones suggested that antisemitism within the Democratic Party may have impacted Vice President Kamala Harris’ choice not to select Jewish Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro as her running mate.
After Harris announced her selection of Gov. Tim Walz from Minnesota as her running mate, Jones expressed uncertainty over whether Shapiro, who had been a frontrunner, missed the opportunity due to some factions’ discomfort with his Jewish identity.
“Is it merely that he’s a moderate, or is there an underlying anti-Jewish bias at play?” Jones posed following Harris’s announcement of her choice, noting that Minnesota hasn’t supported a Republican presidential candidate since 1972.
“The Democratic Party is grappling with an entrenched antisemitism. One can champion Palestinian rights without harboring anti-Jewish sentiments, yet there are indeed individuals with such prejudices,” Jones added later. “There is now palpable concern—how much of this decision was influenced by these troubling factions within the party?”
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CNN commentator Van Jones raised the possibility that “anti-Jewish bigots” played a role in Gov. Josh Shapiro being overlooked as a running mate for Vice President Kamala Harris. (Screenshot/CNN)
Shapiro faced backlash from the far-left, anti-Israel factions within the Democratic Party due to his prior views on Israel and the Palestinian conflict. Since the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks on Israel and the ongoing conflict in Gaza, leftist antisemitism has emerged as a significant issue.
Recently, the governor had to address comments he made in an op-ed written over 30 years ago when he was a 20-year-old college student. In that piece, Shapiro reflected on his experiences with the Israeli Defense Forces and expressed doubts about the Palestinians’ ability to peacefully coexist, claiming they lack the capacity to independently establish successful homelands, even with support from Israel and the United States.
Shapiro’s team defended him against criticism stemming from the rediscovery of his op-ed, asserting his views have shifted over the years. His spokesman Manuel Bonder stated, “Since authoring this piece as a young student, Gov. Shapiro has developed substantial, constructive relationships with various Muslim-American, Arab-American, Palestinian Christian, and Jewish community leaders throughout Pennsylvania.”
Rep. Jake Auchincloss from Massachusetts condemned the criticism aimed at Shapiro during a CNN segment, asserting that a “strong undercurrent of antisemitism” resides in these attacks.
Jones agreed, noting that the decision to pass over Shapiro has caused “disquiet within the Jewish community.”
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Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz instead of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro as her running mate. (Getty Images)
“There were certainly high hopes,” he remarked. “People were optimistic about the possibility of having another Jewish vice president, a position that hasn’t been filled in two decades, only to see that hope dashed.”
The late Sen. Joe Lieberman, who was vice president Al Gore’s running mate in 2000, remains the sole Jewish candidate from a major party ticket in U.S. history.
After raising the question of whether an “anti-Jewish bias” influenced Harris’ decision, Jones acknowledged that the pro-Palestinian sentiments among Democratic voters could still align with support for the presumptive presidential candidate.
“For young Muslims, Arab Americans, or anyone concerned about Gaza, this might resonate positively with them, making it easier for them to support Kamala, considering the challenges she faces within the party,” he added.
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