Shapiro Needs to Stand Tall on the National Stage
Josh Shapiro wants to stand tall on the national stage. The Pennsylvania governor is building his presidential resume one line item at a time. His forthcoming memoir that addresses political extremism and the arson attack on the Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence. His campaign stops for rising star gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger in Virginia this past weekend. His nationally televised condemnations of political violence.
But if Shapiro wants to actually stand tall, he needs to stop acting small when it comes to partisan politics. When news broke about Virginia Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones fantasizing about putting “two bullets” in the head of Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert, Shapiro went silent. His office issued a weak statement only after being pressed by reporters, refusing to call Jones “unfit to lead” despite using that exact phrase countless times against Republicans. Then Shapiro headed to Virginia to campaign alongside Abigail Spanberger, one of whose partners on the Democratic ticket will be Jones.
My earlier column questioned whether Shapiro has a secrecy problem. Today, I find myself wondering if he has something worse: a selective morality problem.
After conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated in September, Shapiro delivered a lofty keynote address at the Eradicate Hate Global Summit where he criticized “some from the dark corners of the internet all the way to the Oval Office” who “cherry-pick which instances of political violence they want to condemn.” He accused Trump of “selective condemnation" that gives violent actors "a permission slip to commit more violence.”
Strong words. The right words, actually. Political violence should be condemned universally.
So where was Shapiro when Jones sent those texts fantasizing about putting “two bullets to the head” of Gilbert? Where was the moral clarity when Jones wished Gilbert’s wife could watch their children die to change his stance on gun policy?
Nowhere. Shapiro stayed silent for weeks.
This silence becomes glaring when you consider how freely Shapiro deploys “unfit to lead” against Republicans. He called Trump “unfit to lead this nation” on The View, saying Trump was “failing the basic test we set as parents for our kids: love thy neighbor.” When Trump used the word “scum” after Kirk's assassination, Shapiro condemned it as “rhetoric of rage” tied to political violence. He declared the Postmaster General “unfit to serve.” He called his 2022 GOP challenger “unfit to be Governor,” though in the overmatched Mastriano’s case that was more than fair.
But when Jay Jones fantasized about political murder? Nothing from Shapiro directly.
Only after a reporter directly pressed his office did they issue a tepid statement calling Jones's rhetoric “reprehensible and inexcusable.” But Shapiro’s office didn't call Jones “unfit to lead” or provide even a suggestion that he drop out. They also refused to attribute any statement directly to Shapiro himself.
Apparently threatening to murder your neighbor gets a pass if you’re a Democrat.
The hypocrisy gets worse when you consider the standards Jones himself has applied to others. Back in 2021, Jones called House of Delegates opponent Hans Copeland “completely unfit to lead” over a social media post that criticized the appearance of Virginia’s Democratic House Speaker in terms deemed antisemitic. Jones declared that Copeland was “not fit to serve in any office, period.”
Think about that standard. Jones says a controversial social media post makes you unfit for office. But when Jones fantasizes about shooting Todd Gilbert in the head and calls Gilbert’s children “little fascists,” Shapiro stays silent and still campaigns for him.
This past weekend, Shapiro headed to Virginia to campaign for the Spanberger-Jones ticket. He headed to a community center in Portsmouth, lauding Spanberger as “compassionate” and “caring” while campaigning for someone whose running mate wished death on political opponents and their children.
What does it say about Josh Shapiro that he’ll condemn the word “scum” as dangerous rhetoric but stay silent about death threats? What does it say that he’ll call Republicans unfit for opposing legislation but won’t say the same about a Democrat who fantasizes about murder?
Look, I get the politics. I’m a Democrat and Jones is on our party’s ticket. Party loyalty runs deep. But Shapiro can’t have it both ways. He can’t condemn “selective condemnation” while practicing it himself.
When Shapiro spoke about political violence after Kirk’s death, he said it “shouldn’t be hard” to condemn it universally. He was right. It shouldn’t be hard to say that fantasizing about shooting opponents is disqualifying for any candidate seeking to be a state’s chief law enforcement officer.
Unless your moral clarity depends on partisan affiliation. Unless your courage extends only to criticizing the other team. Unless you’re more interested in appearing tall than standing tall.
Next time Shapiro speaks about political violence, someone should ask him about Jay Jones. Ask him why he won’t call Jones unfit. Ask him why he’ll campaign for a ticket with someone who fantasized about political murder.
The answer might reveal whether Shapiro is ready for the national stage.
