The firm announcement of President Joe Biden yesterday morning that he will not withdraw his candidacy is a prelude to the downfall of American democracy, rule of law, and freedom of the press. If Biden remains as the Democratic presidential nominee, America will move inexorably towards the presidential election of Donald Trump this November and the advent of American fascism at his inauguration on January 20, 2025.
Anybody who denies the imminence of Trump fascism is politically deaf, dumb, and blind. The conclusive irrefutable proof of the coming of Trump fascism can be found in the statement of Trump’s leading confidant, Kash Patel, as follows:
” We’re going to come after the people in the media who lied about American citizens who helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections. We’re going to come after you, whether it’s criminally or civilly. We’ll figure that out. But yeah, we’re putting you all on notice.”
I have a reputation as anti- Trump. I have proudly worn this distinction since I opined on his candidacy announcement in 2015. I amplified my denunciation of him when I wrote a column describing and documenting his status as a fascist in 2018.
Accordingly, I find the Patel statement most chilling. I will be 75 years old in November, and I doubt that I would survive more than a year in a Trumpian prison.
I am accused by the factually ignorant of exaggerating the threat of Trump fascism. To those individuals, I respond by giving you Trump’s statement accusing Liz Cheney of treason and calling for her to be tried in front of a televised military tribunal. This is reminiscent of the 1944 Nazi show trials resulting in the execution of the German generals who failed in their plot to assassinate Hitler. Any further questions?
Joe Biden has compiled a record of admirable presidential accomplishments, most notably in the arenas of environmental protection, long overdue national infrastructure, and gun safety. It is also now abundantly apparent that his economic policies are at long last producing the ultimate success of powerful growth and declining inflation.
Yet this success is irrelevant to the issue of whether Biden should stand for reelection in 2024. The disaster of his debate with Trump rendered his candidacy moribund, as I stated in my column of July 2.
The Democratic presidential nomination in 2024 is not a decision regarding the merit of the Biden presidential record. Instead, it should be a judgment on the candidate best equipped to defeat Donald Trump. As conservative commentator Charlie Sykes has stated, the Democratic presidential nomination is not a gold watch to be given to Joe Biden for long, honest, and faithful service. Rather, the Democratic presidential nomination is a mission to be fulfilled by the ticket most likely to defeat Trump and halt the march of Trump fascism. That goal could be attained nationally by a ticket of Vice President Kamala Harris for president and Josh Shapiro, Governor of Pennsylvania for vice president.
When talk first began after the debate about Biden withdrawing from the campaign, most Democrats immediately coalesced behind Harris as the most appropriate replacement for Biden if he withdrew. Support for Harris has been particularly widespread and profound among People of Color and women voters.
I have long admired Kamala Harris for her outstanding service and nationally renowned accomplishments as Attorney General of California and as US Senator from California. She has been a model of exemplary and loyal service as Joe Biden’s vice president.
I did have a concern about the electability of Harris based upon polls during the past year. However, I failed to remember the fact that in postwar America, vice presidents are universally unpopular. They gain nothing from the popularity of the chief executive they serve, yet receive all of the president’s negatives. Examples of this unpopularity during their vice presidential tenure include Richard Nixon, Hubert Humphrey, George H.W. Bush, and Joe Biden himself. Recent polls have shown Harris running within the margin of error against Trump and better than Biden does.
The leading weakness of the GOP and Trump is the reproductive choice issue. Nobody can express more effectively and eloquently than Kamala Harris the Democratic intention to restore the abortion choice protection previously guaranteed by Roe v. Wade. And remember her debate against Mike Pence in the 2020 campaign, in which she verbally trounced the then incumbent vice president.
For her vice presidential running mate, Harris needs a candidate who checks off three boxes: White, male, and most likely to carry a swing state for the ticket. Nobody meets these requirements more effectively than Josh Shapiro.
Shapiro’s presence on the ballot would make the Harris – Shapiro ticket a definite favorite to carry the vital swing state of Pennsylvania. There is another aspect of Harris’s Pennsylvania experience that is relevant to his appealing to white working class voters in other states.
James Carville has described Pennsylvania as “Pittsburgh in the west, Philadelphia in the east, and Alabama in the middle.” Having grown up in Pittsburgh, I can attest to the accuracy of this description.
During the 2022 gubernatorial election, Shapiro was surprisingly successful in appealing to white working class voters in the “Alabama” portion of Pennsylvania. This experience would be vital to the Harris-Shapiro ticket attracting white working class voters throughout the nation who otherwise would become Trump supporters.
I was the first New Jersey columnist to discuss the possibility of Josh Shapiro being elected as the first Jewish president even before he was elected Pennsylvania governor in 2022. I authored a column two weeks ago, describing at length his political and policy successes, both as Pennsylvania Attorney General and Governor. Indeed, Josh Shapiro is a national Democratic Party superstar.
I have encountered resistance to my advocacy of Josh Shapiro based on the claim that there has been a national resurgence of antisemitism that makes his election to national office impossible. I have a two-fold response to this argument.
First, remember the election results of the 2000 presidential race, when the running mate for the Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore was the Jewish Senator from Connecticut Joe Lieberman. The Gore-Lieberman ticket carried the popular vote nationally by 500,00 votes, only to lose the electoral vote by the paper-thin margin that gave the GOP Bush-Cheney ticket the electoral votes of the State of Florida.
Second, as one who is has been well aware of antisemitism on a daily basis throughout his life, I do not believe that antisemitism is any more virulent or widespread in 2024 than it was in 2000. It is just more evident and apparent due to the widespread acts of violence committed by Arab-American college students and White Christian Nationalists.
A Harris-Shapiro ticket would be a national winner. The energy and excitement it would generate nationwide would be a powerful asset in the Democratic campaign to capture control of the US House of Representatives and retain control of the US Senate.
If Biden will agree to a gracious withdrawal, which his patriotic and noble career deserves, it is not too late to make a victorious Harris-Shapiro ticket happen.
Alan J. Steinberg of Highland Park served as regional administrator of Region 2 EPA during the administration of former President George W. Bush and as executive director of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission. He graduated from Northwestern University and the University of Wisconsin Law School.
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With the 2024 presidential election on the horizon, speculation is already swirling about potential Democratic candidates and running mates. One intriguing possibility that has been gaining traction is a ticket featuring Senator Kamala Harris and Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro.
Both Harris and Shapiro have strong track records in public service and have garnered national attention for their progressive policies and dedication to social justice issues. Harris, who made history as the first female, first Black, and first South Asian vice president, has proven herself as a formidable leader with a wealth of experience in both the legislative and executive branches of government. Shapiro, a rising star in the Democratic Party, has made a name for himself as a fierce advocate for consumer protection, civil rights, and criminal justice reform.
One of the key strengths of a Harris-Shapiro ticket is their ability to appeal to a broad coalition of voters. Harris’s background as a woman of color and Shapiro’s reputation as a champion for working-class Americans could help energize key demographics such as women, people of color, and blue-collar workers. Additionally, both candidates have shown a willingness to reach across the aisle and work with Republicans on issues where there is common ground, which could help attract moderate voters who are disillusioned with the current political climate.
In terms of policy, a Harris-Shapiro ticket would likely focus on issues such as healthcare, climate change, and economic inequality. Harris has been a vocal advocate for expanding access to affordable healthcare and addressing systemic racism in the criminal justice system, while Shapiro has taken on big corporations and fought for fair wages for workers. Together, they could present a comprehensive platform that addresses the pressing challenges facing the country today.
Of course, there are potential drawbacks to a Harris-Shapiro ticket as well. Both candidates have faced criticism from more progressive members of the party for their ties to corporate interests and their perceived lack of support for more radical policy proposals. Additionally, Harris’s tenure as vice president has been marked by controversy and criticism, which could potentially hurt her chances in a future presidential race.
Overall, a Harris-Shapiro ticket presents an intriguing possibility for the Democratic Party in 2024. With their combined experience, dedication to progressive values, and ability to appeal to a wide range of voters, they could prove to be a formidable team that has the potential to unite the party and lead it to victory in the next presidential election. Only time will tell if this dynamic duo will ultimately decide to join forces and take on the challenges ahead.
