As concerns about Joe Biden’s chances at the ballot box mount, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro—one of the leading Democratic surrogates—urged the president’s other supporters to begin working to reelect him on Sunday.
With the polls showing Biden to be widely unpopular (61% disapproval) and the public’s long-standing apprehension about his age and suitability for government adding fuel to the fire, Shapiro’s remarks come as other Democrats openly and privately express worries about Biden’s political future.
Biden has admitted to such shortcomings but insists that his track record speaks for itself.
His party does, however, include some noteworthy critics.
Shapiro rejected last week’s suggestion by New York Times writer Ezra Klein that the president should resign because he is afraid he would lose against Trump.
Radio personality Charlamagne said that God made the same point in an interview with “This Week” on Sunday; he urged Biden to lean more on Shapiro and other prominent politicians to bolster his reputation.
A burgeoning star among Democrats, Governor Shapiro cruised to a decisive victory in a tight state in 2022, winning by a margin of almost fifteen points. Shapiro expressed his gratitude for Charlamagne’s viewpoint and promised to do everything possible to ensure that Pennsylvanians continue to support Biden.
According to Shapiro, over a million Pennsylvanians rely on Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) for their health insurance, and Trump is campaigning on a platform to limit access to abortion and repeal the law.
Despite his outward reluctance to take a hard line on abortion, Trump has reportedly privately indicated his support for a nationwide 16-week ban and even praised the overturning of Roe v. Wade. In addition to repealing Obamacare, he has pledged to enact further healthcare legislation.
Despite his flaws, Biden insisted that there was a greater urgency behind the president’s anticipated rematch with Trump.
Shapiro says he will deliver Pennsylvania in the 2024 rematch election, which Trump barely won in 2016 and lost in 2020, and he predicted that the state’s people would once again reject the policies of the previous president.