• @[email protected]
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    5 months ago

    Let’s go he was literally the top choice for progressives and pro-palestine people!

    Edit: Some crazy ppl are saying that not picking Shapiro was anti-semetic cuz he is jewish according to the NYT. 🤦 Wait until these dumbasses learn that Harris’ husband is jewish.

    “Some of the pushback against Shapiro was perceived by many of his allies to be antisemitic, and based on his Jewish identity more than any positions he had taken on Israel or the war in Gaza.”

    https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/08/06/us/kamala-harris-vp-trump-election/53e88d08-8690-5739-b680-e3de8160470a?smid=url-share

    • @fukhueson
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      5 months ago

      Wait until people realize Harris and all the VP candidates have similar views on Israel.

      https://www.axios.com/2024/08/01/josh-shapiro-israel-gaza-harris-jewish

      Between the lines: A story in The Atlantic on Wednesday noted that Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the two other top VP contenders, are not facing such campaigns despite having similarly pro-Israel politics.

      “Activists have not organized in force to discredit any of the non-Jewish contenders for vice president on these grounds. There are no viral memes against ‘Killer Kelly’ or ‘War-Crimes Walz,’” author Yair Rosenberg wrote.

      Several high-profile Jewish lawmakers, including Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), have since called out what they say is an antisemitic double standard.

      What they’re saying: Rep. Kathy Manning (D-N.C.) told Axios in a statement that Shapiro has been a “highly successful governor” whose position on Israel “is in line with the position of the Biden-Harris Administration.”

      “To judge him differently from any other potential VP candidate simply because he is Jewish is highly offensive and smacks of antisemitism,” she said.

      Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.), a progressive who has criticized the Israeli war effort, said she hopes “all the potential VP picks are being given the same level of scrutiny on all the issues.”

      “This is but another example that those who claim to be anti-Zionist are in fact, antisemites. Josh Shapiro has supported Israel, as have all the others that Harris is considering,” said Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), noting Kelly’s “strong record of voting pro-Israel.”

      Edit: none of this changes my support for Harris/Walz. Down vote away, truth hurts.

      • XNX
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        365 months ago

        Shapiro tried joining the idf and compared the pro Palestinian protests to the KKK. Theyre not the same

        • @fukhueson
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          5 months ago

          When he was 20… And yes, not all pro Palestinian protesters are the same as one another either, so I agree with him on a case by case basis. Tim Walz hasn’t divested from Israel and supports their right to defend themselves. But that doesn’t earn him a nickname.

          https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/josh-shapiro-israel-policy-positions-b2591439.html

          Shapiro has since made a point of repudiating the views he expressed in that article, which was first surfaced by the Philadelphia Inquirer late last week. He told reporters that he no longer feels that way and stressed his young age at the time he authored the opinion piece.

          “I was 20,” he said. “I have said for years, years before October 7, that I favor a two-state solution — Israelis and Palestinians living peacefully side-by-side, being able to determine their own futures and their own destiny.”

          Despite his now-repudiated youthful views on the conflict, Shapiro’s positions on Israel and Gaza are in line with the mainstream of the Democratic Party and match those of most American Jews.

          I have no beef with any of the candidates and I support Walz now that he’s on the ticket. But the “genocide Josh” shit is uncalled for and is antisemitic, considering how unevenly that cudgel is employed. I agree with what the axios and nyt articles put forth, and the politicians calling out the nonsense.

          https://www.newsweek.com/dont-fall-misinformation-campaign-josh-shapiro-progressive-choice-vp-opinion-1933039

          So, is he a monstrous right-winger on Israel?

          Not at all. His position on Israel is correct, though his optics are terrible. Like all sane people, Shapiro supports a two-state solution and a free, independent Palestine. As for his support for Israel, consider his remarks about its leader: “I personally believe Benjamin Netanyahu is one of the worst leaders of all time,” Shapiro said in January, months before Chuck Schumer came out against Netanyahu. I couldn’t agree more—and Shapiro was ahead of the curve in pointing this out. That was also about the same time Bernie Sanders was still calling for a “humanitarian pause” in Gaza instead of a ceasefire. It took three more months for Sen. Sanders to call Netanyahu an “awful, awful leader.” When did Shapiro first call Netanyahu a “terrible leader”? Back in November of last year, well before almost any other major politician.

          It’s true that Gov. Shapiro has been a reactionary about campus protests against Israel. He came out strongly against them, saying we wouldn’t tolerate “people dressed up in KKK outfits.” Then he instituted a dumb executive order calling for state employees who protest in a “scandalous or disgraceful” way to be fired. No doubt anything that criticizes Israel would have qualified, though we never got to find out; by that time, all the protests against Israel had been disbanded and the students arrested.

          But the pro list is much longer than this one con. Governor Shapiro also busted the pedophiles inside the Catholic Church. Do you know how much courage it takes to take on the Catholic Church when you’re a Jewish politician? I respect that strength and moral clarity. Over 300 predator priests were outed. Countless children were saved.

          Yes, he has frustrating positions, like his recent push to lower corporate taxes in his state and his advocacy for school vouchers. Yes, he’s nowhere near ideal. But which Democrat is? Do you think Kamala Harris is going to change our position on Israel? Please don’t tell me you’re that naïve. And even if you think that, then great, you don’t have to worry about Shapiro’s position! He’s not in charge, she is.

          https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/06/us/politics/tim-walz-harris-vp-policies.html

          Mr. Walz has not spoken extensively about Israel or Gaza.

          In the immediate aftermath of the Oct. 7 attacks, he condemned Hamas while saying he supported a deal to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, writing on social media: “The vast majority of Palestinians are not Hamas, and Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people. We cannot let terrorists like Hamas win.”

          But he has been largely silent since then, even after calls from protesters in Minnesota for the state to divest from Israeli companies.

          https://forward.com/news/636147/mark-kelly-vp-pick-gabby-giffords-jewish-israel/

          Kelly is a member of the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism and is a co-sponsor of the bipartisan Countering Antisemitism Act, which was introduced in the Senate in April. It proposes the appointment of a new presidential adviser dedicated to antisemitism, separate from Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, who holds a cabinet-level position focused on global antisemitism.

          In 2021, he decried an incident of vandalism at Congregation Temple Chaverim where his wife is a member — a rock thrown through a window. “Antisemitic attacks fly in the face of who we are as a country and as a state,” he said. “There is no place for hate in Arizona.”

          In response to the campus pro-Palestinian protests, Kelly suggested deploying the U.S. National Guard would be an option to deal with violent demonstrators, though he said he did not think it would be necessary.

          Edit: I think the take home from all of this is that I’m super glad Israel-Hamas is not going to be a hot topic this election anymore :)

  • Enkrod
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    385 months ago

    This is great, he is politically slightly left leaning (for a democrat), but can absolutely score points with conservative, rural Americans as that’s where he comes from and how he talks. He has a clean bill and is just overall a very charming person with great interview game. He’s the one who first loudly expressed how “weird” the GOP and Trump are.

    With him Minnesota Democrats were able to codify abortion rights into law, increase transgender rights protections, pass a marijuana legalization bill and install new gun safety laws.

    “As governor, he’s embraced the idea that it’s really important to invest in people and infrastructure to grow the economy,” Blodgett said. “And to do it in a way that really helps people in the middle and down below. To me, it’s just a huge focus on economic issues that are kitchen table issues that people care about.”

    • Enkrod
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      255 months ago

      Mainly he’s incredibly likeable… this election is going to be the likeable ticket vs the asshole ticket.

    • @[email protected]
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      65 months ago

      Genuine question: can he really get votes from conservatives if his state did all of those things that conservatives are constantly demonizing?

      • @[email protected]
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        165 months ago

        There’s a certain mindset in the upper Midwest in general (mostly in Boomer, Gen X, and less but still present in elder Millennials) where a large portion of our “independents“ are people for whom their centrism isn’t ideological politically, but is more opposed to a single party having all of the control or more open to outsiders like Jesse Ventura. I have seen many of these individuals (I live in MN) and talked to them and their opinions are fairly left leaning, but because there is a fear that they may not even recognize, they will vote cross party on a ticket because they see that is some sort of balance.

        I think Walz can still appeal to those individuals.

        • @[email protected]
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          5 months ago

          This is very true, and all you need to look at is Wisconsin 2022. Mandela Barnes (D) narrowly lost the Senate race to Ron Johnson ®, but Tony Evers (D) crushed Tim Michels ® for governor. Given the numbers, this would’ve been impossible without some split ticket votes.

  • worldwidewave
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    55 months ago

    He’s certainly not controversial enough to dampen any of the Coconut-pilled people’s energy. I think this was a good pick, especially in contrast to Vance

  • @lennybird
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    5 months ago

    Holy shit lfg

    Quick question: is GenZ or Gen Alpha lingo? This old millennial is a bit surprised I let that slip.

    • @Bernie_Sandals
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      25 months ago

      That’s probably closer to Zoomer language. (Zoomer here)

  • Buelldozer
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    45 months ago

    Solid Mid-Western guy; reasonable and practical. He’s a fine choice and I like him.

  • Flying Squid
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    05 months ago

    Seems like a pretty safe and reliable pick. Especially since there’s pretty much no chance Minnesota will elect a Republican governor.

    I’m still disappointed it wasn’t a woman though.

    • @[email protected]
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      155 months ago

      I don’t think Americans are ready for a 2-woman ticket. Picking a likable white guy was a smart move.

      • Flying Squid
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        -35 months ago

        People said Americans weren’t ready for a black president too.

        • @[email protected]
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          5 months ago

          A black male President with a white male VP is a much smaller hurdle than a black/indian woman Pres with another woman VP. Remember black men got the right to vote before women did.

          • @dogslayeggs
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            55 months ago

            I said it when Hilary was nominated to run against Trump: America is more sexist than they are racist. They will accept a black man to run a business/country/church before a white woman. The only reason Kamala has a chance is because she is running against the fucking craziest shitstain they could find.

        • @takeda
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          55 months ago

          Sure, but one step at a time… If she wins Kamala will be the first female president.

        • @[email protected]
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          35 months ago

          Yeah, but this isn’t the time for moonshots. I think it’s sensible to go with whatever has the best odds of defeating Trump.

          • Flying Squid
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            05 months ago

            Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying Walz is a bad choice, I’m just disappointed.

  • @givesomefucks
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    5 months ago

    Great, another politician in the pockets of (checks notes) Orthopedic Surgeons?

    https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/tim-walz/contributors?cid=N00027467&cycle=2018

    Dude seems pretty clean, and looks like he listens to protesters instead of fighting them.

    Disappointing it’s an 80 year old and not someone being groomed for a future run, but overall better than I expected.

    I guess it’s the same logic as pairing Biden with Obama.

      • @[email protected]
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        75 months ago

        Unreal, this is like learning that the age of the cast of Cheers or Seinfeld were in their late 20s early 30s

    • @[email protected]
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      185 months ago

      Walz is only a few months older than Harris. She is 59 and will be 60 in October. Walz turned 60 in April.

      • @givesomefucks
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        75 months ago

        Yeah, I don’t know much about him. But just looking at his wiki and open secrets and he’s legit better than I thought we’d get.

        • FuglyDuck
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          5 months ago

          A lot of the progressive pushes we had here in Minnesota are from him leading the charge.

          Him and Peggy Flannigan who’ll replace him as gov when he resigns. (Iirc, Peggy will be our first native governor? This will be interesting.)