Has someone let the cat out of the bag when it comes to Kamala Harris’ vice presidential pick?
A video published Friday on a social media account of Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker appears to show Harris has chosen Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro as her running mate.
And it’s coming out before any announcement by Harris herself.
The video was reposted by Philadelphia journalist Ernest Owens — a political writer for Philadelphia Magazine.
Like I said, warm up to the strongest possible reality that we’ll be seeing Harris-Shapiro next week and the weeks to come!
The Mayor of Philadelphia has entered the chat. https://t.co/2lifK9APQi
— Ernest Owens (@MrErnestOwens) August 2, 2024
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In a follow-up post, Owens wrote that “Philly political sources have told me that a staffer connected with Mayor Cherelle Parker’s team accidentally posted the video today.”
The video was actually scheduled for release on Monday, after Harris was to have made her choice public, Owens wrote.
“It’s Josh Shapiro, y’all,” he concluded.
The report instantly made a splash on social media.
Conservative commentators Colin Rugg and Ian Miles Cheong picked up on it.
JUST IN: Philadelphia journalist Ernest Owens says a staffer for Philly Mayor Cherelle Parker accidentally posted a video announcing PA Governor Josh Shapiro was Kamala Harris’ VP pick.
Owens says there is a “firestorm” going on right now.
“The video was scheduled for… pic.twitter.com/fyRZhGLqfN
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) August 2, 2024
LEAK: Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker accidentally published this video ahead of schedule. She leaked Kamala Harris’ pick for Vice President as Josh Shapiro. pic.twitter.com/zRggINoFHB
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) August 2, 2024
Combined, the two accounts had gotten the video more than 800,000 views as of late Friday afternoon.
Shapiro has been talked about as a top choice for Harris almost since it was announced July 21 that President Joe Biden is not, in fact, running for re-election. And recent signs have pointed in that direction.
By conventional standards, he could measure up well as Harris’ running mate against former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Onio Sen. J.D. Vance.
Do you think Josh Shapiro will be Kamala Harris’ VP?
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Pennsylvania is a swing state, and if Shapiro could deliver it for Democrats, he would more than earn the No. 2 job, as far as the party is concerned.
Shapiro is also Jewish, which could go some way toward tempering the Democrats’ well-deserved image as a party that’s more sympathetic to Islamist terrorists than to the state of Israel.
Harris is scheduled to make her first public appearance with her running mate — whoever that is — in Philadelphia on Tuesday, according to Fox News.
The big question is whether that city’s mayor has already spoiled the surprise.
