08/04/2024 --axios
Top Democrats have been telling us for several days that although she hasn't made it final, all signs point to Vice President Harris picking Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, 51, as her running-mate. But this weekend saw a flurry of efforts by rival Democratic camps to tank his chances.Why it matters: Harris is conducting in-person interviews with finalists in Washington this weekend, and will appear Tuesday in Philadelphia with her choice.Between the lines: The finalists are six white men. In addition to Shapiro, they include Govs. Tim Walz of Minnesota, Andy Beshear of Kentucky and J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, plus Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.The latest: One report has Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) favoring Walz, with a source familiar with her thinking telling The Hill she "is always especially fond of former House colleagues." Walz served six House terms.Advisers to Sen. John Fetterman (D-Penn.) have privately relayed to Harris' team his worries that Shapiro, a long-running rival in Pennsylvania, is excessively focused on personal ambitions, Politico reports.Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont said he wants Walz because he "understands the needs of working families."UAW President Shawn Fain, said he wants Beshear or Walz. Fain said the union doesn't favor Shapiro because of past support for school vouchers.A 31-year-old clip surfaced from Shapiro's college newspaper, in which he wrote that Palestinians were "too battle-minded" and "peace between Arabs and Israelis is virtually impossible and will never come."The opinion piece, "Peace not possible," ran in the Campus Times at the University of Rochester on Sept. 23, 1993.Shapiro told reporters Friday that the column doesn't represent his views today: "I was 20."Go deeper: What to know about Josh Shapiro, Kamala Harris' potential VP pick