Shapiro says Harris must answer for not raising concerns about Biden's health

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said on Stephen A. Smith's Straight Shooter podcast that Vice President Kamala Harris will have to answer for why she did not publicly raise concerns about Joe Biden's health in the lead-up to the 2024 election. Smith, on his Straight Shooter podcast on Thursday, asked Shapiro why Harris didn't share her concerns over Biden's health before revealing them in her new book "107 Days." "I haven't read the former vice president's book, and she's going to have to answer to how she was in the room and yet never said anything publicly," Shapiro told Smith.

Shapiro said he was "extremely vocal" about Biden's fitness to run again and argued that Biden's staff failed to fully brief him on his dwindling chances of victory. "I can tell you that I tried to speak to them candidly about it and to do so in a constructive manner. I believe in talking directly to the individuals, not running around and talking to the media," Shapiro said. "I don't mean that disrespectfully, but I think in that moment, you've got to be direct, and I was." Smith then asked Shapiro whether he plans on running for president in 2028, and if so, what he believed needs to be done to get the country back on the right track.

Shapiro explained how humbled and honored he is to be the governor of Pennsylvania, and that he does not take the job for granted. "I also love this country, and I really believe, for the many of the reasons as you and I were talking about at the beginning of this conversation, we are at an inflection point, and I am troubled by what I'm seeing in this country, and I'm concerned about what I'm seeing in my party and I know that I have a voice that needs to be heard in that process," he detailed. "How that voice ultimately gets heard, how it manifests itself, what I ultimately do, well we'll see. I don't think that's a decision that one can make sitting here right now." He added that he loves the country and his party and wants to steer both in a more "common sense direction."

The notes also reference the political book, "2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America," by Wall Street Journal reporter Josh Dawsey, New York Times correspondent Tyler Pager, and Washington Post writer Isaac Arnsdor. The book describes a vetting process that came down to three finalists for Harris's running mate: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Shapiro, and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly. It says Walz was ultimately chosen over Shapiro to be the presumptive Democratic nominee Harris would later select as her running mate. The authors also note that Harris and Shapiro's interview suggested the two were not a perfect match.

Fox News Digital reached out to representatives of former Vice President Harris for comment. The reporting draws on coverage surrounding the book and ongoing discussions about health transparency and leadership within the Democratic Party.

While discussing future plans, Shapiro emphasized that any decision about running in 2028 remains unresolved: "What I ultimately do, well we'll see. I don't think that's a decision that one can make sitting here right now." He said he hopes to shape a direction for the party and the country that prioritizes direct, candid dialogue and pragmatic policy approaches. Harris's new book and the related reporting have added to the broader conversation about health transparency, leadership, and the dynamic calculus behind selecting a national ticket.

The discussion underscores ongoing questions within the Democratic Party about how presidential candidates and their running mates manage public perceptions of health and capability, particularly as the party contemplates potential leadership changes and the road to future elections.