Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro told ESPN host Stephen A. Smith that former Vice President Kamala Harris will need to explain why she never spoke publicly about former President Joe Biden’s health before the 2024 election.
On his “Straight Shooter” podcast Thursday, Smith asked Shapiro why Harris didn’t raise concerns about Biden’s health until her new book, “107 Days.”
“I haven’t read the former vice president’s book, and she’s going to have to answer to how she was in the room and yet never said anything publicly,” Shapiro said.
Shapiro said he himself was “extremely vocal” about Biden’s fitness to run again and felt that Biden’s staff didn’t fully inform him about the declining chances of victory.
“I can tell you that I tried to speak to them candidly and in a constructive way. I believe in talking directly to people, not running around talking to the media,” he explained. “I don’t mean that disrespectfully, but in that moment, you have to be direct, and I was.”
Smith then asked Shapiro if he plans to run for president in 2028 and what he thinks should be done to get the country back on track.
Before answering, Shapiro talked about how honored he feels to be governor of Pennsylvania and how seriously he takes the job.
“I also love this country, and I really believe we are at an important point. I am worried about what I’m seeing in the country and in my party. I know I have a voice that needs to be heard,” he said.
“How that voice is heard, how it shows itself, and what I will ultimately do—we’ll see. That’s not a decision I can make right now.”
Shapiro said he wants to help guide both the country and his party in a more practical direction.
The book, “2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America,” by journalists Josh Dawsey of The Wall Street Journal, Tyler Pager of The New York Times, and Isaac Arnsdor of The Washington Post, explained that the vetting process for running mates came down to three finalists: Gov. Tim Walz, Shapiro, and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly.
Although Shapiro, governor of an important swing state, seemed like the most logical choice, the book says the interview between Harris and Shapiro “showed they were not a perfect match.”
“He came across as overly ambitious, pushing Harris to define what his role would be. He also admitted it wouldn’t be natural for him to serve as someone’s number two, leaving Harris with a bad impression,” the book states.
