In his new memoir, “Where We Keep the Light,” Pennsylvania Democrat Governor Josh Shapiro provides a remarkably detailed, and often critical, account of his time as a finalist for Kamala Harris’ 2024 vice presidential nominee ticket.  Harris ultimately picked a loser worse than her - Walz.

     In it, Shapiro (D-Pa.) provides his most detailed account of being vetted as a potential running mate for then-Vice President Harris during the 2024 presidential campaign.  While Shapiro was widely seen as the frontrunner for the slot, the book reveals a bizarre vetting process he describes as “offensive” and “unsettling,” particularly regarding his Jewish identity and views on Israel.  As a self-described Zionist who openly embraces his Jewish heritage, Shapiro has addressed related issues in recent years, including condemning the antisemitic rhetoric at some college campus protests after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel and the subsequent Gaza war.

     Historically, Shapiro has criticized some of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government actions, but he has also maintained strong support for Israel’s security and the safety of the Jewish people.  In the memoir, Shapiro details a pivotal moment during the vetting when Dana Remus, a lead official in Harris’ search at the time, asked him bluntly if he had ever been an “agent of the Israeli government.”  Responding with incredulity, Shapiro questioned if he was being accused of being a “double agent,” a query he considered a slight against his loyalty to the United States.

     When Remus followed up by asking if he had ever met with an “undercover” Israeli agent, Shapiro quips that he replied: “If they were undercover, how the hell would I know?”  The friction then extended into a one-on-one interview with Harris herself.  Shapiro further alleges that Harris pressed him to apologize for his condemnation of pro-Palestine encampments at the University of Pennsylvania — a request he refused.