Josh Shapiro's Values and Politics

Being interviewed by Gayle King

The more I learn about Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, the more I like him. Although I have a strong tendency toward conservative politicians, I am not a conservative ideologue. Never have been. While I admit that I have been far more influenced by conservative political ideology in recent years than I ever have been, that is because those values tend to be more compatible with my religious worldview. I am not, however, ‘married’ to conservative politics. Nor do I believe that being politically conservative guarantees being philo-Semitic.

That bubble burst this year when two very prominent conservatives turned out to be openly antisemitic. Tucker Carlson’s virulent anti-Israel rhetoric is hardly devoid of anti-Jewish sentiment, despite his protestations to the contrary. But Candace Owens has proven to be the worst offender of them all. She can give Joseph Goebbels a run for his money when it comes to whose virulent antisemitic propaganda is more extreme—as evidenced most recently in a video recording of one of her podcasts.

So no. Being politically conservative does not automatically mean being more sympathetic to the Jewish people.

That is why I do not place much weight on labels when supporting a particular candidate for office. I look at the individual - what their values are and what policies are likely to flow from those values. Of particular interest to me is a candidate’s attitude toward Israel and toward the Jewish people. The candidate whose values and policies are most supportive of those two critically important issues is likely to earn my support, regardless of whether they are Democrat or Republican.

This does not mean that I ignore or minimize other issues. As an American, I obviously care deeply about whose values and policies will best enhance the public good, both domestically and in foreign affairs. That I have chosen Republican candidates more often than Democrats simply reflects my judgment that, on issues important to me, Republican policies were superior in those particular cases.

In the case of Josh Shapiro, I think it is safe to say that he is on the “short list” of people likely to be the Democratic nominee for president in 2028. If that turns out to be the case, I do not see any Republican running against him for whom I would vote. Especially if the Republican nominee ends up being Vice-President J.D. Vance.

I have written recently about the possibility of a contest between these two. To repeat: Vance has proven to be parve at best when it comes to Israel and the Jewish people. His refusal to distance himself from Tucker Carlson - offering the absurd explanation that he does not believe there should be a litmus test for participation in the conservative movement - does not excuse tolerating an antisemite thinly disguised as an “anti-Zionist.” How stupid does he think we are...

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