(Dmytro “Henry” Aleksandrov, Headline USA) Many people wondered why Kamala Harris chose Gov. Tim Walz, D–Minn., instead of Gov. Josh Shapiro, D-Pa., and it seems that Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., convinced Harris that Shapiro was a bad choice for her and the Democratic Party.
The Daily Wire reported that Harris couldn’t decide on her running mate even one night before she was scheduled to make the announcement.
NBC News Chief White House correspondent Peter Alexander said that as of Aug. 5, 2024, “VP Harris had not yet made a final decision and wanted to sleep on it one more night.”
“This source tells me the Harris campaign has printed signs with Harris’ name and multiple different possible VP picks beneath it so they are prepared for whatever decision she makes,” Alexander wrote.
As of last night, VP Harris had not yet made a final decision and wanted to sleep on it one more night, according to a source familiar with the process.
This source tells me the Harris campaign has printed signs with Harris’ name and multiple different possible VP picks…— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) August 6, 2024
However, the next day, multiple news outlets reported that Harris picked Walz. Later that day, Harris formally announced Walz as her running mate, but before that, she confirmed the reports on social media.
Many people expected Shapiro to be selected as a potential vice president, but Walz was picked instead. Fox News Senior White House Correspondent Jacqui Heinrich explained that Fetterman convinced Harris not to pick Shapiro.
“Two sources confirm on background the deciding factor in the VP’s choice was what Sen Fetterman said publicly: concerns Shapiro’s own personal ambitions would cause him to upstage/override Harris. The video Shapiro produced with Philly Mayor Cherelle Parker’s team solidified this sentiment on Friday,” she wrote.
Two sources confirm on background the deciding factor in the VP’s choice was what Sen Fetterman said publicly: concerns Shapiro’s his own personal ambitions would cause him to upstage/override Harris. The video Shapiro produced with Philly Mayor Cherelle Parker’s team solidified…
— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) August 6, 2024
People quickly responded to the news on social media.
“Fetterman knifing Shapiro for an unambiguously good reason is the best possible twist we could have gotten in this saga,” one person wrote.
Fetterman knifing Shapiro for an unambiguously good reason is the best possible twist we could have gotten in this saga https://t.co/jXEVoeJewN pic.twitter.com/LGLV6pEmch
— Austin Ahlman (@austinahlman) August 4, 2024
Walz was also endorsed by members of “The Squad,” including leftist Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.
“Congratulations to our next Vice President,” Omar wrote, adding that Walz is “Bringing Minnesota nice to the ticket” and “[signing] universal school meals, paid family and sick leave, marijuana legalization and protections for reproductive rights into law.”
