As the 2024 presidential election draws near, current Vice President Kamala Harris has been hot on the campaign trail as the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, hoping to defeat former President Donald Trump.
Currently, one of the most visible issues to Americans is the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, and many on the far left advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The Democratic Party has rallied around Vice President Harris in ways that they had not for President Biden, or even the 2016 Democratic Nominee Hillary Clinton. The Vice President’s support for Israel has not differed mainly from President Biden’s policy; however, she has recognized and discussed the suffering of Palestinians in a way that the Biden administration did not.
One of Vice President Harris’s highly anticipated campaign decisions was her choice for vice president. Many political pundits anticipated her running mate would be Pennsylvania State Governor Josh Shapiro. Shapiro, a practicing Jew, has been attacked by members of the far left, getting called names like “Genocide Josh.” In reality, Shapiro’s policies on Israel do not greatly differ from other running mate options in terms of his support for Israel and his criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Had Harris chosen Shapiro as her running mate, he would have most certainly helped secure the Pennsylvania vote, and potentially helped Harris attract Jewish-Americans and moderate Republicans. He could also have lost votes from anti-semites who may not have voted for Harris in the first place, or the far left whose main interest in this election is Israel and Palestine. The idea that someone would instead vote for Trump, who has very different views from theirs, or throw their vote away, either on a third party candidate or by not voting, rather than support democracy as a whole is highly counterproductive and would show people’s true colors. While the suffering of the Palestinian people under Israeli and Hamas rule is important and must be addressed in the coming administration, it should not sway someone’s vote drastically, which would neglect other important issues such as women’s reproductive rights, foreign relations, gun violence and possibly the future of American democracy.
Ultimately, Harris decided to pick Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a less controversial pick. Walz, a former teacher and a National Guard member, brings sway in Minnesota and, hopefully, the swing states of Michigan and Wisconsin. Harris was under a lot of pressure from members of the Democratic Party not to pick Shapiro due to the controversy he could bring to her campaign from his religion and pro-Israel positions.
However, Shapiro was the strongest politician and would have secured the must-win state of Pennsylvania. Voters who would not have voted for Harris because of a Jewish, pro-Israel Vice Presidential pick without looking at what value they bring to an administration and country as a whole, are not putting democracy and the well-being of Americans first. However, Walz is still a very good choice, being a smart, likable man who will help guide Harris with his experience and sway middle-of-the-country voters to vote for Harris for president. Overall, Walz was the safer, less controversial pick.
The Israel-Hamas war has impacted this election in both visible and subtle ways. Most voters have faith in this country. Ultimately, the election will be fair and just, with voter turnout higher overall than in many past years due to the emergence of a new generation of Democrats against the old generation of Republicans. If one thing is for sure, with this year’s election and candidates, the Democratic Party has shown the American people that they are done with older candidates. This will appeal to young voters and bring them to the ballot boxes to save our democracy.
