Josh Shapiro Is Calm but Not Cool

Summary

Pod Save America: “Josh Shapiro Is Calm but Not Cool”

Date: March 15, 2026
Host: John Lovett
Guest: Governor Josh Shapiro (Pennsylvania)

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Episode Overview

In this episode, John Lovett sits down with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro for an in-depth conversation on politics, public service, and the unique challenges facing the country and its leaders today. The discussion covers antisemitism and Islamophobia, the Trump administration’s domestic and foreign policies, the mechanics of effective governance, nuanced debates on the death penalty and end-of-life issues, and Governor Shapiro’s own path and self-reflection as a public figure—complete with lighthearted banter about bagels and high school politics. Through it all, Shapiro’s measured, sober-minded approach stands out, as does his belief in the importance of moral clarity, transparency, and results-driven leadership.

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Key Topics and Segments

1. Responding to Hate and Antisemitism

[01:37–05:09]

• Recent Attacks: In light of multiple attacks on Jewish communities, including a car attack at a synagogue in Michigan and the Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh, Shapiro calls for unwavering moral clarity from leaders across the political spectrum.

  • Quote [01:55]:
    “What we need more of is for leaders to speak and act with moral clarity, call it out and leave no space for it… There should be no place for it in our society. Leaders have a responsibility to call it out wherever they see it on the political left or the political right.” – Josh Shapiro

• Dividing Policy & Prejudice: Shapiro stresses the difference between disagreement over Middle East policy and antisemitism itself.

  • Quote [04:37]:
    “There are two distinct conversations: one is about antisemitism—there should be no room for that—and the other is about policies in the Middle East… there should be space for disagreement that doesn’t lead to charges of antisemitism.”

• Islamophobia & Political Climate: Shapiro denounces Islamophobic remarks from the political right, linking the rise in bigotry to Donald Trump’s influence over American political discourse.

  • Quote [05:43]:
    “That kind of language on the political right… is simply unacceptable. It’s one of the reasons why I try to do everything in my power to call it out wherever I see it, to reach out to Republicans, to reach out to Democrats, to reach out to people I might disagree with on an issue. If they’re targeted... I don’t think there’s a place for it.”

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2. Shapiro’s Approach to Leadership and Political Style

[07:23–09:15]

• Measured vs. Bombastic: Lovett observes Shapiro’s careful, thoughtful public persona, and asks if he feels pressure to “let loose” to appeal to voters.
  • Quote [08:09]:
    “There’s a difference between being thoughtful and sober-minded and being willing to just sort of engage in slash and burn politics. One might get you more likes... but at the end of the day, your job is to deliver.” – Josh Shapiro

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3. Death Penalty: Personal and Political Transformation

[09:40–15:28]

• Evolving on Policy: Shapiro recounts his shift from a genuine supporter of the death penalty to a strong opponent, influenced by his own work as AG and a candid conversation with his son.

  • Quote [11:17]:
    “If you can’t make eye contact with your kid, that should tell you something about what you’re saying.” – Josh Shapiro

• Owning Unpopular Positions: Shapiro discusses the importance of explaining changes in belief to constituents.

  • Quote [14:19]:
    “I think it’s important for politicians to be able to change their mind, but I also think it’s incumbent upon us to explain our rationale for that.”

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4. End-of-Life Issues and the Role of the State

[18:28–22:41]

• Compassionate Autonomy: Shapiro weighs in on assisted dying laws, aligning with bodily autonomy while acknowledging moral complexity.
  • Quote [19:26]:
    “I tend to be someone in general that trusts people to make decisions over their own bodies… but there has to be some rules of the road.”
  • He also notes the importance of explicit, responsible leadership: “I’ve got a responsibility to explain myself.” [21:48]

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5. Trump’s ICE Directives and Pennsylvania Policy

[22:41–27:03]

• Resisting Federal Overreach: Shapiro describes protecting community trust, preparing legal action, and practical resistance to Trump’s expanded ICE deployments and detention center plans.

  • Quote [23:00]:
    “We are prepared to be able to address this, both in the court and in the communities… The most important tool law enforcement has to keep communities safe is trust.”

• Blocking ICE Facilities: Cites bureaucratic and practical tools—like withholding permits—to prevent new ICE detention facilities.

  • Quote [25:07]:
    “They want to convert [warehouses] to ICE detention centers… I’m going to use every lever of power I have to hold it up.”

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6. Fast Government: The I-95 Collapse

[27:20–32:16]

• Crisis Response and Bureaucratic Reform: How Shapiro cut red tape to rapidly rebuild I-95 after a collapse, and expanded this approach to broader government permitting and economic policy.
  • Quote [27:55]:
    “We put it on a live webcam so Philly could watch… It showed that we can do big things in this country… From that experience, we made clear that we’re going to be about getting shit done in Pennsylvania.”
  • Favorite Memorable Moment [27:30]:
    Shapiro’s pride: “12 days. Who’s counting?” (on how quickly I-95 was fixed)

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7. Critique of National Democrats on Delivery and Execution

[32:16–36:08]

• Democrats’ Weakness on Execution: Lovett presses on the “weakness” perception; Shapiro acknowledges the need for visible, tangible results beyond legislation.

  • Quote [32:40]:
    “I think it’s incumbent upon leaders to not just pass the bill, but then actually drive out the funding and get the construction going, to not just talk about something, but deliver on it in order to make people’s lives better.”

• Pushing the White House: Shapiro shares direct conversations with the Biden administration demanding quicker implementation of infrastructure funds.

  • Quote [35:43]:
    “Yeah. And I would call them directly and say, hey, look, we passed this, but we’ve got to drive the dollars out.”

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8. Iran War and US Foreign Policy

[39:22–44:59]

• Strong Criticism of Trump’s War on Iran: Shapiro calls the war incoherent, criticizes the administration’s lack of transparency and strategy, and links the conflict to perceptions of US weakness on the world stage.

  • Quote [39:35]:
    “You absolutely cannot trust Donald Trump to wage this war… If you don’t know why you’re going in, you don’t know how the hell to get out… This was a war of choice.”

• Global Repercussions: Emphasizes that US adversaries (Xi, Putin) are emboldened by America’s lack of unity and strategic focus.

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9. Israel, Gaza, and Navigating Identity

[44:59–53:38]

• Complex Conversation about Israel: Shapiro admits to profound differences with Netanyahu, decries West Bank settler violence, and supports a two-state solution—but defends Israel’s right to exist.

  • Quote [45:50]:
    “For those who begin by suggesting Israel doesn’t have the right to exist as a Jewish state, I think that is a recipe for permanent war.”

• Separating Critique of Israel from Antisemitism:

  • Quote [48:48]:
    “Just because I disagree with Benjamin Netanyahu doesn’t make me an antisemite, in as much as because I disagree with Donald Trump doesn’t make me any less of an American patriot.”

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10. Personal Journey: Ambition, Authenticity, and Bagels

[55:24–67:52]

• Early Life and Ambition: Shapiro reflects humorously on being “cool” as a kid, his activism for Soviet Jews, early political losses, and why his career path diverged from expected DC ambitions.

  • Quote [61:49]:
    “What I’ve tried to do is to choose a path where I could have the most impact, where I could serve the most people and where I could use whatever talent I have to make a difference in life… and yeah, I’m ambitious to get shit done for people.”

• Turning Down VP Candidacy: Shapiro offers a candid look at withdrawing from the Vice President consideration, recognizing both personal and professional misalignments.

  • Quote [63:44]:
    “It was unbelievably humbling and an honor to be considered… I realized this was not the right fit, and it was not going to be the best way for me to serve people.”

• Rapid-Fire Jewish Food and Traditions: Playful exchange about Hanukkah gifts, gefilte fish, kosher guilt, and bagel orders.

  • Memorable Moment [67:10]:
    "Plain, whole wheat, sesame, cinnamon raisin... not a big everything guy.” – Shapiro on bagel preferences
    "It’s gotta be toasted. No matter how fresh it is." (to Lovett’s horror)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On leadership:
  “If you can’t make eye contact with your kid, that should tell you something about what you’re saying.”
  [11:17] – Josh Shapiro

• On moral responsibility:
  “Leaders have responsibility to call [antisemitism] out wherever they see it on the political left or the political right.”
  [01:55]

• On crisis management:
  “We put [the I-95 repairs] on a live webcam so Philly could watch… It showed that we can do big things in this country.”
  [27:55]

• On personal evolution:
  “I think it’s important for politicians to be able to change their mind, but I also think it’s incumbent upon us to explain our rationale for that.”
  [14:19]

• On being 'cool':
  “My coolness factor probably has gone down since then.”
  [55:33]

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Episode Timeline (Selected Timestamps)

• 01:37 — Anti-Semitism, recent attacks, and the need for moral clarity
• 05:43 — Rise of Islamophobia and Trump’s influence
• 08:09 — Distinction between measured leadership and media-baiting politics
• 09:57 — Shapiro’s personal evolution on the death penalty
• 19:17 — Shapiro on end-of-life legislation and bodily autonomy
• 23:00 — How Pennsylvania is resisting expanded ICE operations
• 27:30 — How Shapiro rebuilt I-95 in 12 days—lessons for government efficiency
• 32:40 — Delivering real results as the antidote to perceptions of weak governance
• 39:35 — Shapiro’s critique of Trump’s war in Iran and its broader consequences
• 45:50 — Two-state solution, Israel’s right to exist, and language around apartheid
• 50:17 — Reconciliation of Jewish identity with criticisms of Israeli policy
• 61:49 — Shapiro’s authentic approach to career and service
• 63:44 — Turning down the Vice President slot, serving where he’s needed
• 65:54 — Hanukkah, guilty snacks, and the eternal “to toast or not to toast” bagel debate

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Tone & Style

The conversation is sharp, candid, and often humorous, blending policy substance with moments of personal reflection and comic relief. Lovett’s irreverence balances with Shapiro’s sincerity, resulting in an episode that feels both real and revealing.

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For First-Time Listeners

This episode offers a comprehensive look at one of Democrats’ most prominent governors—his principles, his political style, his willingness to admit mistakes, and his vision of effective, ethical government. It’s a portrait of public leadership in complex times, with just enough bagel banter to keep it personal.

Transcript

[Josh Shapiro]

Quick question. Are you politically engaged and spiritually exhausted if you said yes to both? Welcome home.

[John Lovett]

I'm Erin Ryan. And I'm Alyssa Mastromonaco.

[Josh Shapiro]

And we're the hosts of Hysteria, the podcast for women who care about democracy, culture, and not losing their minds in the process. We break down the news, call out the nonsense, and spotlight the women actually fighting back on Capitol Hill, in classrooms and everywhere. The stakes are high. It's sharp, honest analysis featuring women's voices with humor and zero handholding. Listen to Hysteria wherever you get your podcasts and watch full episodes on YouTube.

[John Lovett]

Hey, everybody. Welcome to Pod Save America. I'm John Lovett. I just finished an hour long conversation with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. We covered a lot of ground. We talked about the war in Iran. We talked about Israel, Netanyahu, anti Semitism. We talked about his relationship to the Biden administration where he had to push back, what it was like bowing out of the VP process. We did not talk about whether or not he's gonna run for president. And we got into some tough questions about bagel orders. It was a really interesting conversation that went a lot of different places, and I hope you appreciate it. Governor, welcome back to the pod. It's good to see you.

[Josh Shapiro]

Good to be here. Thanks for having me.

[John Lovett]

So yesterday we are taping this. On Friday morning, there was another attack on a Jewish community. This time, someone drove their car into a synagogue in West Bloomfield, Michigan. You were Attorney General when there was the attack on the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. There was the arson attack on the governor's residence. When you and your family were home, what was your reaction to what happened yesterday?

[Josh Shapiro]

I mean, just another sad and scary example of how anti Semitism is dangerous. It's on the rise across this country. And I think what we need more of is for leaders to speak and act with moral clarity. Call it out and leave no space for it. You know, I was in touch with my dear friend Gretchen Whitmer yesterday. I thought she did an outstanding job speaking out against it and making clear that this is not going to be acceptable in our society anywhere. I think it is important for us to address these crises. And by the way, thank God no one was killed. I mean, this could have been far worse, but still incredibly dangerous. I think it is important to not just address these crises after they happen, after an attack, whether it's at the Pennsylvania governor's residence, at the Tree of Life, or anywhere else. But we have to address it when the seedlings are planted of this kind of hate, of this Kind of antisemitism. There should be no place for it in our society. And I think leaders have responsibility to call it out wherever they see it on the political left or the political right.

[John Lovett]

So on that note, obviously, temperatures are high just today. Josh gottheimer. He's a Democratic congressman whose district borders your state. He had harsh words for Zoramdani. Maine Senate candidate Graham Plattner. He called them socialist anti Semitism and basically said, you're not against anti Semitism if you support them. I know you checked in with Mamdani after the attack that happened in New York. What is your reaction to what gottheimer said?

[Josh Shapiro]

Look, it's hard for me to react to. I haven't heard it. I don't know what the context was. So I don't wanna get caught in response to.

[John Lovett]

It's a tweet. There's no context. You have it all.

[Josh Shapiro]

Yeah. Look, I'll just tell you. I reached out to Mayor Mamdani. I guess it was probably three or four days ago at this point, after that incident outside his residence. And I wanted to make clear. Look, I've been through it now. Thank God nothing detonated there, unlike our situation in Pennsylvania. But I know that this can affect your psyche, affect the way you think about stuff. I want to make sure he and his wife were okay. And I think we had a good conversation and appreciate that. I think it is really important. I'm going to just make a general statement on this. I understand what you're getting at here, and I want to try and address your point. I think it's really important that we have two distinct conversations happen. One, which is the way you started this, and that is about anti Semitism, and there should be no room for that. And by the way, it shouldn't really be debatable. We should all stand universally against it on the left and on the right. And it shouldn't be hard to do that. I think it's a pretty black and white issue with very little nuance. And then there's a second conversation, and that is about policies in the Middle east, about the war in Iran, about what's happening in Israel and Gaza and all that. I assume at some point you'll get into that in our conversation that's full of nuance and there should be space for disagreement that doesn't lead to charges of antisemitism. I think if someone engages in anti Semitism, we gotta call it out. If they're engaging in expressing their opinion on an issue in the Middle east or we should leave room for respectful and responsible debate.

[John Lovett]

So on the other side of this, you have Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville retweeting a photo of Mamdani opposite a photo of the attack on the World Trade center that said the enemy is inside the gates. Another congressman this week said, muslims don't belong in American society. We need more Islamophobia, not less. I can't imagine any elected official saying the same against Jewish people, other minorities, without facing a ton of calls for resignation. What do you make of the purchase that this kind of anti Muslim bigotry has in the Republican Party?

[Josh Shapiro]

Yeah, look, I think I didn't see the tweets. Again, I apologize, but I get your point. And I actually addressed this. I guess it would have been two nights ago at an iftar in the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania, talking about the rise in both anti Semitism, Islamophobia, and making clear that we have to stand together and unite against that and understand that our diversity makes us far stronger. I think that kind of language on the political right here, as you're describing it, is just simply unacceptable. And I think it's incumbent upon all of us to speak out against it. It's one of the reasons why I try and do everything in my power to call it out wherever I see it, to reach out to Republicans, to reach out to Democrats, to reach out to people who disagree, I might disagree with on an issue. If they're targeted, whether, God forbid, by violence or that type of incendiary language, I don't think there's a place for it. Look, I think a big reason for that is because of what Donald Trump has done to our politics over the last 10 years. My wife Laura and I were talking about this the other night. We have four children, 24, just about 21, 17 and 15. Their entire political reference point or framework, aside from their dad, right, is Donald Trump. Now, they happen to not agree with Donald Trump. It's a good thing. But the way they view our politics is through this prism of just nastiness and cruelty and division. And that's something that we've got to figure out how to fix in this country. Get back to the guy you worked for, right, which was about hope and change and bringing people together. We got to find our way back to that in this society.

[John Lovett]

You're such a. I was thinking about this conversation, and there's like a natural carefulness that you have that, like a measured way you approach politics.

[Josh Shapiro]

I'm trying to give you a thoughtful. No, no, no.

[John Lovett]

I'm not I'm not. I'm not. I'm. And, and actually like it seems to be what a lot of people want. They, that. That the people are pretty sick of politicians that are just saying the most fringe attention grabbing, clicky thing. But it's is rewarded in our politics right now and you seem to try to avoid being part of that. And I wonder if you feel that pressure in either direction either to let loose a little bit more or to be a kind of more sober minded person, even if sometimes people claim they want something a little bit more shoot from the hip.

[Josh Shapiro]

Yeah, I would just respectfully push back on one thing you said, the sort of notion of letting loose. I'm being very open and candid with you and that's sort of what I think of as let loose. If you're talking about just like yelling and screaming and banging the table like that ain't me. And I realize that might get me more likes on Twitter and that might get me more followers on different social media platforms. That ain't who I am. And by the way, that ain't what the people who elected me want. They want me to go solve their problems. They want me to get shit done for them. They want me to be able to deliver results for them. And if you're just out in the arena yelling and screaming every day, yeah, you'll get some more followers on social media, but you're not gonna accomplish a damn thing. And so I think there's a difference between being thoughtful and sober minded and being willing to just sort of engage in the slash and burn politics. One might be again more likely to get you some likes, but at the end of the day, your job is to deliver. And the way you deliver is by trying to find ways to find common ground, work with people, see that common thread of humanity that allows us to have dialogue and figure stuff out.

[John Lovett]

So I was reading your book and I would like to do a disclosure here which is you worked on the book with my friend Emily Jane Fox. And I want to be on the record that what I believe is interesting and good about the book comes from my friend. And the parts that I am critical of are the material you provided and are your fault.

[Josh Shapiro]

Okay, got it. I'll make sure Emily hears that.

[John Lovett]

There's a fascinating point.

[Josh Shapiro]

Let the record reflect John smirked a little bit.

[John Lovett]

I did smirk a little bit. It's on video. I want to talk about your evolution on the death penalty because I thought it was interesting. Can you just give people a brief summary of how you, what led you to go from being someone who was in favor of the death penalty to someone who was against it.

[Josh Shapiro]

Yeah. And by the way, genuinely in favor of the death penalty. An honestly held view throughout my career, including two runs for attorney general where I was the chief law enforcement officer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. And I believed that the death penalty should be reserved for the most heinous cases. And it wasn't to score political points or get votes. It's what I believed. And what began to happen to me over many years kind of all happened at roughly the same time. Right. One more and more cases were coming across my desk as AG that could have led me to pursuing capital punishment. And each time I didn't, I sought a life sentence instead. I was dealing with the realities of tragedy striking in Pennsylvania, where the tree of life, the deadliest act of anti Semitism occurred in Pittsburgh, claiming 11 lives. And I supported the death penalty in that case. It ended up being a federal case, not a state one. So it wasn't my active prosecution, but I heard from families, a small number of them, who didn't want the death penalty there. And then I had. As I was grappling with this, as I was seeing the problems in our justice system, I had a conversation with my then roughly 11 year old son, Max, out of nowhere. This was during COVID We were kind of in the house a lot. And out of nowhere Max says to me, hey, dad, we don't have the death penalty in Pennsylvania, do we? And I said, well, we do. He goes, well, you're not for it, are you? And I found myself saying to him what I had said many times in the context of a campaign or my work. Well, son, in the most heinous of cases, blah, blah, blah. And I'm going on and on. And I noticed that I wasn't looking at him in the eye the way I am you right now. When I said it, if you can't make eye contact with your kid, that should tell you something about what you're saying. And then my Max looked at me and said, well, I don't understand why killing someone as a punishment for them killing someone makes any sense. And man, I walked away thinking, I'm in the wrong place on this, by the way. I was probably in the right place on it politically in terms of polling and all that kind of stuff. But later on, I can't remember exactly what the timeframe was, but some number of months or so later, I announced my run for governor and said that I was against the death penalty and within the first few weeks of my time as governor, the first execution warrant came across my desk and literally, John, if I were to sign it, someone would have been put to death. And I made clear that I would put a moratorium in place. I wouldn't sign any execution warrants as long as I'm governor. And I didn't call on the legislature to reform the system. I called on the legislature to abolish the death penalty because I simply believe the state should. Should not be in the business of killing people.

[John Lovett]

So often there are these debates around hot button social issues, and it's. The question is like, should Democrats moderate on this? And others say, don't throw that group of people under the bus. Others say we need to take the popular point of view. But clearly there's a relationship between being willing to go to the voters of Pennsylvania who I assume by majority approve of the death penalty and say, I'm not for this. That involves politics around it, where you've built a level of trust and credibility where you feel like you have the. Where you can go to the voters and say, I'm not with you on this issue. Can you talk a little bit about that? About how you felt like you could confidently do this, take a position that you thought might be a little politically risky in this situation?

[Josh Shapiro]

First, I don't wanna, like, overstate the politics in a sense that I really didn't think about the political calculus here. And it was just, to me, it was a moral issue. And I think it speaks to the challenge I would hope every politician considers. But I can just speak for myself, which is, you know, you run on a platform. I'm going to do A, B and C. That platform reflects your own views and values along with what you pick up from listening to people along the way, that they need this for their community or that for their community. And you try and just sort of mash all that together into the work you do every day. Now, if someone says they want to do something that violates everything you believe in, you know you're not going to pursue it. Those are kind of extreme examples. But everything is this effort to be able to pull together what you hear when you're listening. And I pride myself on being a good listener. And what's in your heart, what's in your gut, what's in your soul, and how to fashion all that together in a platform. In this case, I did feel that even though I was on the wrong side of the polling, that I did owe it to the people of Pennsylvania to explain my rationale because I was taking a different position than what I had historically taken and I wanted them to understand how I evolved on this issue. I think it's important for politicians to be able to change their mind, but I also think it's incumbent upon us to explain our rationale for that. And that's what I did. And you know what? A lot of people who disagree with me reached out and said, hey man, I really appreciate how you explain that I disagree with you, but I respect where you're coming from.

[John Lovett]

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[John Lovett]

I was thinking about this because there's this debate. There's a law passed in Canada about end of life. There's been a few laws in the US Passed about end of life and the rights people have whether the state should sanction medically assisted suicide in terminal cases. There's a bill in Pennsylvania about this right now. Several Democrats have introduced it in the legislature about compassion in dying. And it relates to the death penalty. Because if you believe that there is a distinction between the power of the state to end someone's life and the power of the state to put someone in jail for the rest of their lives, there's something intrinsic about life itself that comes into play here, something deeper and moral. And I'm wondering how you think about the state's role in end of life as Someone who clearly grapples with these questions as a Jewish person, as a leader.

[Josh Shapiro]

Yeah. I mean, I grapple with. As a governor. I don't know that my faith is sort of the driver in this. But, look, putting aside what's written in the specific bills and the legislature, you know, I've heard from a number of people. I've heard from a handful of people on this issue who have, look, I think, really passionate perspectives on it. And seemingly every one of them that I've heard from, it's grounded in some life experience. Right. A life experience that I have never, thank God, had to deal with. I tend to be someone in general that trust people to make decisions over their own bodies, whether it's a woman's right to choose, whether it's a parent's right to be able to vaccinate their kids, how they think is best for them. And so I tend to be kind of libertarian on that stuff and creating a space for individuals to be able to make those decisions. Now, look, we're gonna allow that. There has to be some rules of the road and some clear guidelines on how that would work. And I'd be lying to you if I was sitting here today telling you that I've got it all figured out. It's an issue that, you know, comes up, you know, with, you know, with some. But it's not an issue, I think, that's dominating our legislative process in Pennsylvania.

[John Lovett]

Well, yeah, it's. But I feel like it's coming. It's coming for the Democratic debate about how we think about this. And I ask. I do think it gets at something about what we think about, like, the value of life, because I believe in the right to abortion. People should have control over their own destinies. But then when it's. When they're right, when, When. When the state allows for something like this, you have to also worry about people feeling, if not coerced, like, pressure. Right. That. That we start to say as a society that. Not that people's lives at the end of their lives aren't of the same value.

[Josh Shapiro]

Yeah, I'm not suggesting that at all.

[John Lovett]

And I know you're not. I'm just. I'm curious how you think about that, because what I found in reading the book is that there is. You are grappling with moral questions. You are thinking about what the right thing to do is. And, and, you know, you are somebody that is potentially running for president. And this is an issue to me where kind of accesses in an. In a. In a. Atypical way. Some of these sort of deeper questions.

[Josh Shapiro]

Yeah, look, I'm in general, first off, I'm running for reelection for governor, and

[John Lovett]

I know that, and I know that I'm speaking. Yeah, the.

[Josh Shapiro]

I think it's incumbent upon leaders to really think through these issues, not just based on what gets the most likes on social media, but how they really impact real people, how folks in the community who care about a particular issue like this bring it up to you and raise the issue and to try and find compassion in your heart for people that you might even disagree with on foundational issues like this. And these are things I try and work through every day. I think what's incumbent upon me as a public official, which might be different from you or others, is I've got a responsibility to explain myself. The death penalty is an example of that. Where I evolved on the issue, I explained myself. I let people know where I was coming from and how I reached that conclusion. And I think on these underlying questions, you got a responsibility to do that.

[John Lovett]

So a lot of the attention was on Minnesota when Trump deployed the National Guard. It feels like ISIS operations in Pennsylvania have fallen under the radar a little bit. What is the scene like on the ground? What have you been doing in response to the way Trump has been deploying ICE in Pennsylvania?

[Josh Shapiro]

Well, first of all, what we saw in Minnesota was unconstitutional. It was dangerous, it made the community less safe, and it claimed the lives of two American citizens, Ms. Good and Mr. Peretti, and there must be accountability for that. Just because they got rid of Noem and put in what's his name, Homan, and now they're trying to put in the other guy, Mullen. Just because they're kind of shuffling the deck chairs here doesn't make it that the policies of this administration are. Just remember, the reason why ICE did what it did in Minnesota was because Donald Trump commanded them to do that. The problem here is Donald Trump. The problem here is the manner in which ICE is being funded and being directed by Donald Trump. So changing around who the bit players are in this isn't going to solve the problem relative to Pennsylvania. The crux of your question, I will tell you that, and this is probably where I'll maybe hold back in sharing with you a little bit. Hopefully you'll understand we are prepared to be able to address this, both in the court and in the communities. And we spent a lot of time working with law enforcement at the local level, working with some other federal partners who we do have the ability to work with on this, to Ensure the safety and well being of the people of Pennsylvania. I would say as the former chief law enforcement officer of Pennsylvania, the most important tool law enforcement has to keep communities safe is trust, right? Not a badge, not a gun, not a radio, but it's trust. And it is really hard to build trust in a community. Between community and law enforcement, we pride ourselves on doing that hard work. We do not want the federal government coming in and eroding that trust. And so we're going to continue to do everything in our power to be prepared and to be able to be prepared to take the steps necessary to stop the influx. Should Donald Trump try and. And should he bring them to Pennsylvania, be prepared to deal with that in the communities.

[John Lovett]

I know you're fighting to block construction of two ICE detention facilities. What's the status of that? What levers do you have?

[Josh Shapiro]

So, look, the federal government bought these two massive warehouses. Think like massive Amazon warehouses, that kind of thing. One in Berks County, Pennsylvania, one in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. These are huge. And they want to convert them to ICE detention centers. Housed about 9,000 people there. They did this without consulting with local officials, certainly without consulting state officials, and by the way, pissed off not just me, but a whole bunch of Republican elected officials in those communities as well. I met with local leaders about now, it's probably about a week or two ago at this point, and heard their concerns. Putting aside the fact that I think this is unjust, there are also very practical reasons why this won't work and why we're not going to allow it at one of the facilities they're trying to attach to a water system that serves 700 households in that community. That water system, through no faults of our own, can barely keep up with the 700 households. You go put 9,000 bodies on that water system, you will literally use up all of the water in that water system in less than 24 hours. That means the homeowner won't be able to turn on their sink in the kitchen to boil a pot of water. They won't be able to flush the toilet or take a shower. We're not going to allow that. I made clear to Secretary Noem, who I know is on her way out, but at the time she was still the secretary, that we would not tolerate this, that we would take steps to stop it. And just a few days ago, I put them on notice that for them to be able to build these facilities they require. I'm gonna nerd out on you here. But it's important. They require A number of permits through the Department of Environmental Protection in the state and other state agencies, and based on the sort of general plans that they have, they would not qualify for receiving a permit in Pennsylvania. And I'm gonna use every lever of power I have to hold it up.

[John Lovett]

Did you talk to Noam directly about it?

[Josh Shapiro]

I communicated with her in writing about it.

[John Lovett]

Did you ever get on the phone with her or have any direct contact with her while she was running the department?

[Josh Shapiro]

One time we missed each other and exchanged voicemails about a snowstorm that was coming.

[John Lovett]

Speaking of permits, you fixed I95 in two weeks, right? Was that it? Two weeks?

[Josh Shapiro]

I mean, 12 days. 12 days. Who's counting?

[John Lovett]

12 days. That was amazing. Honestly. Look, in California, man, you just to think about a bike path, you're talking about six months just to think. If you have the thought, you have to wait six months. How did you do it in two weeks? 12 days? And why is it that we can do fast construction in emergencies, but we struggle to do it outside of those moments?

[Josh Shapiro]

Well, we're doing fast construction period now. And I'll talk about that in a sec. But first, on 95, we had a big chunk of I95 collapse when fuel tanker exploded underneath that roadway, which connects, by the way, Maine all the way to Florida, but is a big, heavy artery from, say, like, New York to D.C. and goes through Philly. About 200,000 cars and trucks every day. The road literally collapsed. Found out at 6, 7am Something like that. Immediately went to the scene once the fire was out, and you're looking at, like, a gaping hole. And my immediate response, I am not an engineer, was fill the damn hole with a bunch of dirt, pave over it, get traffic moving again. Why do I share that with you? Because that sort of set the tone for how we approach this. Number one, I signed an executive order doing away with all the procurement headaches and all the deadlines and delays that typically would slow down a project so that we could get the project started not within days or hours, but within minutes. So that was number one. Number two, we put the best team on the ground who had the expertise to do the work, and that is the Philadelphia Building Trades Union. Building trades, who know how to build roads, who know how to build bridges and do this work. Number three, we trusted them to do this work. So every time there was a question about something they didn't have to, like, call back to headquarters and wait weeks to get an answer. Here's an example of that. Remember I said before, fill it with dirt, pave over it, what have you. Someone there had the idea that. And they said this to me very politely. I'm sure they wanted to be like, gov, you don't know what you're talking about. But they were polite. They said, governor, we can't use dirt because dirt's really heavy, and it'll take a long time for the dirt to settle before we can put asphalt over it. But there's this recycled material that that's made of recycled glass, requires no time to settle, and it's super light. We can put that as a foundation and then pave over it. They had this innovative idea. The people right out in the community now, I immediately thought, this stuff's gonna be in, like, new Zealand or something. It's gonna take forever to get here. It was in delco, Delaware county, you know, right around the corner from where we were in Philly. We trucked that stuff in while the road that was there was being demolished and getting ready to fill it up. The building trades work 24, 7, 365, right? We put it on a live webcam so Philly could watch you literally go into a Philly sports bar, and you'd see the phillies on one screen, and you'd see the i95 workers on the other. It became a point of pride for us, which is the final point I want to make. It showed that we can do big things in this country. It shows that when we kind of put our shoulder to the wheel, we can accomplish big things, and we do not need to be mired in the slowness that typically dictates the speed of government. From that experience, we made clear that we're going to be about getting shit done in Pennsylvania, about getting rid of the limitations on us, and about performing at a fast and high level. And so we then set out to fix our permitting system in Pennsylvania. We went from roughly 48th in the country terms of speed to permit to being first or second or third in the country on speed. Theta took office, took eight weeks to get a simple business license. Now you get it same day. The big buildings that we're trying to build used to take years and years and years to get permitted through our department of environmental protection. You're not getting a permit in less than six months. We are faster than other states. And so we not only rebuilt i95 in record time, we're building and constructing right now in record time. And as a result of that, we've got the only growing economy in the northeastern part of the United States. Our unemployment rate has been below the national rate for 32 straight months. We created more jobs than all but three other states in the entire country. We cut taxes seven different times and have an $8 billion surplus. We're making really strategic investments. The economy is growing. And a huge reason why is because our government is nimble and it is fast. I95 may be the sort of example of that, Exhibit A of that that folks noticed, but every day we're doing the blocking and tackling of governing. That's getting the job done and getting it done quickly.

[John Lovett]

Do you view that as a way in which the Biden administration just didn't understand the need to have that kind of mentality in executing? There's a lot of examples. Electric charging stations, what have you. Is that a failure of Democrats nationally to understand how to of quickly implement.

[Josh Shapiro]

Look, I'm not here to like, shit on anybody or trash anybody.

[John Lovett]

That's too bad.

[Josh Shapiro]

I will just tell you, I think that we have a responsibility when we're governing to show our work, to put the points on the board that people can see. Because I think at the end of the day, what people really want is their elected leaders, particularly executives. Right. Mayors, governors, presidents. They want them to be out there fixing something for them. And I think the things they basically want are good schools for their kids, safe communities to live in, an economy that creates opportunity for them in their communities, in communities that they can afford. Right. Kind of fits together. And I think they want their rights and their freedoms protected. And I'll tell you, John, when I'm on a farm in a county that voted for Donald Trump, 80 20, or whether I'm in the city of Philadelphia that voted for Kamala Harris, you know, roughly 80, 20, I hear the same thing. That's what people want. And so I think it's incumbent upon leaders to not just pass the bill, but then actually drive out the funding and get the construction going, to not just talk about something, but deliver on it in order to make people's lives better? Yeah.

[John Lovett]

And I hear you're not wanting to just sort of. I'm not asking you to go back and just shit on the Biden administration, but I do think if there's a perception in the public that Democrats, Republicans are extreme, but, but Democrats, they're just kind of weak and can't move things forward. We got to figure out why people have that perception and, and, and what are the ways Democrats have failed. And I'm wondering if you see any ways in which you think like national Democrats. Right? Now are not doing enough to signal that they're not just sort of saying the right things, but can actually get things done for people.

[Josh Shapiro]

Well, look, nationally, Democrats, you're talking about Democrats in Congress, they don't have the levers of power right now. We need to make sure we get them back. And I'm hopeful that if we have a national referendum in these midterms on Donald Trump, we will win back the US House at least and be able to have a check and be able to have some authority at the table to affect outcomes. I think, for example, if you go back and look a few years ago when Democrats were in charge in Washington, they did an extraordinary job of passing some of the most sweeping infrastructure laws our country's ever seen. And I commend President Biden and the Democrats who were leading Congress at the time for getting that done. I was also really direct with the Biden administration that once we pass it, that's step one. We got to get the dollars out and get the construction going. That's the important step, too, so that people kind of see with their own eyes the effect of sending Congressman so and so or President Biden to the job to deliver for them. And so I think that that is something, you know, again, I can really just speak for myself. That is something I focus on every day, is not just passing the bill or advocating for the change, but showing how it's making a tangible difference in people's lives.

[John Lovett]

Well, there were moments after those bills passed, you're the governor, where you're like, hey, where's the fucking money? Like we said, we passed this years ago. Like, why aren't we doing this? How do we get this done? Like, are you calling Buttigieg? Are you calling Kamala Harris? Are you calling to try to speak to the president? What was it like trying to get things moving with the administration?

[Josh Shapiro]

Yeah. And I would call them directly and say, hey, look, we passed this, but we've got to drive the dollars out. Or we're kind of held up in a regulatory process here. Can you release the money so we can get started on this? And I was very clear about.

[John Lovett]

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[Erin Ryan / Alyssa Mastromonaco]

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[John Lovett]

We have three uplift desks in our office. We love them.

[Erin Ryan / Alyssa Mastromonaco]

Here's the thing about uplift desks. They're great desks when they're low, when you're just normal and seated at them. They're big and they're spacious.

[John Lovett]

Desk height.

[Erin Ryan / Alyssa Mastromonaco]

Yeah, they're like, well set up with the monitor and the cords and all that stuff. And then you press a little magic button and it raises up and you can stand for half an hour if

[John Lovett]

you want to look. We got the uplift desks and I had no idea if we were going to use them or not. When I say that, that it's basically like, you know that, that, that game at the carnival where the mole pops up and you hit it with the hammer? That's what it's like in our office. We're just going up and down all day, all day. You look over, John's going up, then that'll like remind one of the other one of us to go up or like, you're like, time for lunch. I'm Sitting.

[Erin Ryan / Alyssa Mastromonaco]

What you're describing is a game called Whack a Mole.

[John Lovett]

Yeah, we're like, whack a mole. We're constantly like, you look, you'll just be typing and then you'll just look over to your left and Tommy just like.

[Erin Ryan / Alyssa Mastromonaco]

And he's up.

[John Lovett]

And he's up.

[Erin Ryan / Alyssa Mastromonaco]

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[John Lovett]

All right, let's talk about Iran, because obviously we're in the midst of a war with Iran. What is your view just on the war right now, how it was launched, what the status is?

[Josh Shapiro]

Well, look, I mean, you absolutely cannot trust Donald Trump to wage this war. I mean, first he told us it was to go after their nuclear arsenal, which he also said seven months ago, six months ago, or whatever it was, that it was completely decimated. Then he said we went to war because if we didn't, Israel was going to strike first and we had to. And Israel forced our hand and then they kind of walked that back then it was to deteriorate their navy. And then it was regime change. And now we're left with the son who seemingly could be more dangerous than the father. The point I'm making here is that this guy's been all over the place. He's never once looked the American people in the eye, sitting in the Oval Office where he should have been, not at his swim club in Florida, and said to the American people, this is why we have to do this, this is the imminent threat of which we've now learned there was no imminent threat. And so instead the President engaged in a war of choice without being clear what the reason was for going in. Now, some might be watching this, dismissing me, saying it doesn't matter why. They're bad guys. And by the way, bad guys indeed. Ayatollah is a bad guy. Largest exporter of terrorism around the world. Destabilized the entire Middle East. Chanted death to America for five decades. These are bad people. Shouldn't be hard to say that. But if you don't know why you're going in, you don't know how the hell to get out. And what we're seeing more and more as the days go on are sadly the loss of American heroes lives. We just lost six more Americans in the refueling accident. We lost six, seven apologize a week or so earlier. We are losing lives in battle when I think it's unclear why we were there in the first place. I also have a problem with the fact that the guy who is supposed to be in charge of this, Pete Hegseth, is wildly incompetent. He's like an eight year old playing with toy soldiers every day. His language is so fucking offensive. They talk about this in a way that doesn't respect the humanity in the region and certainly is disrespectful to our soldiers, of which there are Pennsylvanians who are engaged in this fight on behalf of a commander in chief who doesn't have a clue what he's doing. So this was a war of choice by the President. Wasn't clear why we went in, and it's unclear how we get out. I said the first day of this or within the first hours that Congress needed to act, which I know some people think is sort of processy or whatever, but it is actually the way the law of this country works. Sadly, Congress did act, and they acted to give the President carte blanche here. They basically acted to be wildly weak and pathetic souls who were just gonna give away their authority to this President. So this is the President's war he started and now it's the President's war he's gotta figure out how to get out of. And he's surrounded by an incompetent leader in Hegseth, who I think really doesn't have a clue on what he's doing here. And right now we have a more destabilized situation. So I think that is dangerous for America. I think it is dangerous for the world. The Last point I want to make, and thanks for letting me give a longer answer. I think our enemies are watching and they are seeing weakness by Donald Trump. President Xi in China, who is calculating every day about when he's going to make his move on Taiwan, saw a president of the United States not only not be able to rally the world around this cause, whatever the cause is, but couldn't even rally his own people, couldn't even rally the United States to be for this. Remember, way back to George W. Bush, we know how it played out, but George W. Bush, 85% approval rating on the war when he started. Again, not. Not suggesting what he did was right there, but he rallied the country around the response.

[John Lovett]

And there was two votes in Congress, one vote top in Afghanistan and Iraq.

[Josh Shapiro]

Exactly. So I think Xi is watching this, seeing that there's a weakness that the United States has. In addition, I think we've shown Xi we've got some military vulnerabilities by moving certain weaponry from one region of the world, one theater to another. I think they're seeing where there's some vulnerabilities. Second, I think Putin is watching this, realizing that we've now had to withdraw help from Ukraine. And by the way, at the same time, Putin is able to have more of his oil and more of his natural resources go into the flow of commerce as a result. So he's making more money and he's got a cleaner shot at Ukraine, which is unfortunate. So, not only unfortunate, but dangerous, I should say. So. I think it's bad because you can't trust this guy to prosecute the war. And I think it's bad because it is showing the rest of the world the weakness of Donald Trump and the weakness of this administration and all of that combined leaves us worse off and leaves the world more destabilized.

[John Lovett]

So it was genuinely surprising to see the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, basically say we had to act because Israel was going to go first. And they've tried to walk that back. That has fed into, I think, some of the anti Semitism you see on the far right, a bit of what you also see on the left, that we're in this war because of Israel. It's brought us back to this debate over Israel. Governor Gavin Newsom, when talking to John and Tommy on Pod Save America, he was referencing an article by Thomas Friedman, but he said that people are talking about Israel, appropriately, as sort of an apartheid state. And I'm wondering what your reaction is to that comment and what it tells you about how the Politics on Israel have shifted.

[Josh Shapiro]

Well, look, Gavin should speak for Gavin, and I'm not gonna weigh in on his commentary. I'll just say, look, I think that there are sort of foundational issues here that a lot of people are grappling with, and I think a lot of people are grappling with it from an honestly held view or concern. I'll come back to the comment about. Or I'll come back to answering your question about apartheid, because I think that was the comment he made, if I'm not mistaken. But I sort of start this conversation around the notion of the question a lot of people raise now is, does Israel even have the right to exist? Should we sort of be viewing, you know, Israel is an ally, should they even be allowed to exist? And I would argue as someone who is desirous for peace, as someone who for the last 15, nearly 20 years has been calling for a two state solution, which I realize feels very far away right now. I get that. But the idea of Israel and a Palestinian state where both recognize the other's right to exist, both want to live peacefully, and both recognize that the future for their children is going to be rooted, and the foundational principle will be around this idea of peace because that will allow their children to grow up in a society where they can be whatever they want to be. I want peace. And for those who begin by suggesting Israel doesn't have the right to exist as a Jewish state, I think that is a recipe for permanent war. And so I want to see peace in the region. I also do think it's sort of interesting that you've got 46 nations around the world where the majority religion is Islam. 23 of them recognize Islam as the official state religion. One has the official state religion of Judaism, and that's the one we keep talking about here. That then leads to a broader question. You mentioned apartheid, right? Or that was the comment that was made. And I would just say, as we engage in that, we should first address this fundamental question of what do we want in that region? And if we really want peace, and I believe you want that, then we've also got to be acknowledging that language matters here, that words matter, and that we've got to use words that are actually rooted in reality and are able to bring the temperature down to create a space for that piece, for that opportunity. And so that's how I view this entire conflict. I would also say that it is really important that we create space, which you do, for dialogue that is thoughtful and dialogue that's rooted in Reality and dialogue where we're precise with our words, where we're able to acknowledge there's a lot of nuance on these issues and we should debate them. And just because people have different opinions doesn't make them a bad person. And just because someone doesn't agree with the Netanyahu government, which I don't on many, many things, doesn't make him an anti Semite. Just because I disagree with Benjamin Netanyahu doesn't make me an anti Semite in as much as cuz I disagree with Donald Trump, doesn't make me any less of an American patriot. So I just think we've gotta be really thoughtful and careful and not just look for buzzwords and not just sort of follow what's gonna get maybe some likes on Twitter. But we've gotta be thoughtful about a debate that is really, really hard to have. And you've got to have it. Yeah, like discussion. I debate.

[John Lovett]

Yeah. So I'm somebody that, you know, I see that kind of blurry line between anti Zionism and anti Semitism. It was genuinely shocking to see people defend Hamas or cheer the murder of Jews after October 7th. Also horrified by what I view as ethnic cleansing that Israel engaged in in Gaza. The efforts to annex the west bank, which are not only just wrong morally, but also put this idea of a two state solution even further away, make Israel a pariah nation. I think there's a lot of Jewish people who feel this conflict. How do you think about that conflict, that sort of space between the Israel we were taught to believe in growing up and the Israel that we see and how it is conducting itself?

[Josh Shapiro]

I think, and I write about this a lot in my book about the first trip I ever took to Israel, about how important that was for me, how it helped me get closer connected to my faith and closer connected to my girlfriend who ended up becoming my wife years later. I have profound differences with the policies of Netanyahu, who's largely dominated Israeli politics for the last two more decades. I think he and Trump have politicized and poisoned the relationship between the United States and Israel. And I think at the end of the day, that makes America less safe and undermines our national security. I look through all of this through the prism of what's best for the United States of America. The hyper politicization of these kinds of relationships with Israel or with other countries in the realm of foreign policy, I think ultimately works to the detriment of American national security. I think it's fair game to criticize the Netanyahu Government, and I'm one who engages in that. You mentioned the West Bank. Let me speak to that. I think what is happening in the west bank, and I've spoken out quite a bit about this. What's happening in the west bank where settlers are taking farms of Palestinians, are assaulting them, where in the case of a kid from Northeast Philadelphia, a Palestinian American killed him just a week or two ago. I've called on General Bondi to conduct a full investigation about the death of this American young person in the West Bank. I think that that is ultimately not in Israel's long term interests. And I think the Netanyahu government has a responsibility to stamp that out, to stop that lawlessness. And I think the American government, the Trump administration, needs to speak up on this and needs to be more of a voice of clarity, moral clarity on this issue.

[John Lovett]

Right. But those are two things that are simply not going to happen. Netanyahu wants to annex the west bank and Trump and the the ambassador to Israel for the United States, Huckabee, believes we're on some sort of biblical crusade. So those two things will not happen as long as Donald Trump is there and Benjamin Netanyahu is there. So then what is the value of beyond just calling for them to become different people? What do we do?

[Josh Shapiro]

Well, these are the leaders that each country has chosen. I'm not gonna speak to what the people in Israel chose. They'll have an election. They'll figure that out here in the United States of America. We need to have more of a check on this administration that's gonna start in these midterms. We've got to win the House of Representatives at least back. And that's why I think we need a national referendum on these policy, on Trump's policies, and encourage everybody, whether you're in a swing state like mine or a state that's maybe not as much of a swing state like yours here in California, to get out to vote, to make sure our voices are heard, to change the makeup of Congress and begin to put more checks in place. Foreign.

[John Lovett]

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[Josh Shapiro]

quick question. Are you politically engaged and spiritually exhausted if you said yes to both? Welcome home.

[John Lovett]

I'm Erin Ryan.

[Josh Shapiro]

And I'm Alyssa Mastermont, and we're the hosts of Hysteria, the podcast for women who care about democracy, culture, and not losing their minds in the process. We break down the news, call out

[John Lovett]

the nonsense, and spotlight the women actually

[Josh Shapiro]

fighting back on Capitol Hill, in classrooms and everywhere. The stakes are high. It's sharp, honest analysis, featuring women's voices with humor and zero hand holding. Listen to Hysteria wherever you get your podcasts and watch full episodes on YouTube.

[John Lovett]

All right, let's switch gears. I want to talk about the book a little bit more, especially about when you were a kid. Were you a popular kid? Did you call yourself popular?

[Josh Shapiro]

My wife would say I was like one of the cool kids. Yeah, I think my coolness factor probably has gone down since then.

[John Lovett]

But yeah, I think we'd have to just based on this. This. You look, you're many things. I don't think you're cool. I don't think that's bad. We don't. I'm. I don't need cool. Well, the reason I asked is because so. And it speaks to what we were just discussing. You and your mom were advocating for Soviet Jews who were trapped in the Soviet Union. You start this organization. You're advocating a Soviet Jew. A young boy manages to escape. He's at your bar mitzvah. You're speaking at your bar mitzvah. Your rabbi is praising you. All the other moms must have been just telling their sons, like, boy, why? Wish you could be more like Little Joshi Shapiro, right? You were like a star at that temple. It's a Frank Lloyd Wright temple. That's the, that's the cool. That was like the big prestigious temple. Come on, it's a Frank Lloyd Wright temple. You were the king of the bar Mitzvah boys, weren't you?

[Josh Shapiro]

It was a pretty amazing moment. I mean, my mom taught me about the Soviet Union. I didn't know what the hell the Soviet Union was. I was like a 8 year old kid when she's talking to me about it. She taught me about kids that were growing up without the kind of freedoms that I just literally took for granted as a little kid here growing up. And she told me about this boy named Avi Goldstein who was in this repressive regime being held basically captive. The family wanted to leave and my mom said we got to go to D.C. and we've got to advocate with our senators to see if they can do something about, about it. And I remember meeting with Senator Joe Biden. I remember meeting with Senator Arlen Specter, who was one of my senators from Pennsylvania. And they took me to meet with Senator Ted Kennedy. I guess he was the chairman of whatever the committee was that was relevant or something, I don't know. And through their work, through my advocacy of them and their work, they were able to secure the release of the Goldstein family just a couple days before my bar mitzvah and bring the kid at Elkins Park, Pennsylvania. We stood together, had our bar mitzvah together. I wish, John, I could tell you that was like my aha moment. I'm gonna be a senator one day. When I grew up, man, I had no clue.

[John Lovett]

Here's what you could. And I believe you. I do believe you, however. Look, I was an ambitious, smart Jewish boy, but I'm small, gay and weird. So nobody said I was gonna be president when I grow up, which is fine, I've accepted that. But I feel like, you're handsome, you're speaking in front of your temple, you're traveling, you're smiling, smart. Weren't people saying like, boy, that Josh Shapiro, he's gonna be president. I know how Jewish parents work.

[Josh Shapiro]

I don't know what the Jewish parents were saying, but if you would have asked my 9th grade girlfriend to go around our class and rank in order, who would be governor at the age of whatever, 50, I'd probably have been dead last. Cuz I was also a screw up and got in some trouble and was kind of a goofball and you know, basically just getting focused on basketball.

[John Lovett]

Your sister is here. Your sister's here.

[Josh Shapiro]

She can attest to it.

[John Lovett]

Was he really getting in trouble? Come on. A little bit of a shrug. Come on. I think you were a good kid.

[Josh Shapiro]

I mean, I did write about how I got suspended that one time.

[John Lovett]

What did you do?

[Josh Shapiro]

I locked a kid.

[John Lovett]

Oh, you locked a kid. And hurt his finger.

[Josh Shapiro]

Hurt his finger. And the principal told my parents that I could come back to school, but I had to make a decision. And she said it's the same decision her son actually had to make. Was I gonna grow up to be a good kid, or was I gonna grow up to get in a lot of trouble? And I kind of decided to be the former, not the latter.

[John Lovett]

And you've only lost one election in your life. It was your student council race.

[Josh Shapiro]

I'm so pissed about that.

[John Lovett]

And now Jake Tapper is 12 and

[Josh Shapiro]

1, by the way.

[John Lovett]

12 and 1. Jake Tapper actually ran and won. Not in the same year he ran and won his race. What are the qualities that Jake has as a leader that you do not have?

[Josh Shapiro]

By the way, Jake got in a lot of trouble, too, his senior year of high school. I don't know if we want to get into that here, but I'm not sure. I guess Jake probably promised better soda and machines than I did.

[John Lovett]

Sort of told people what they wanted to hear.

[Josh Shapiro]

I think he probably told people what they wanted to hear.

[John Lovett]

Now, freshman year of college, you run for student council president, and you win at college at the University of Rochester. My. As a freshman, you're running for president, man.

[Josh Shapiro]

Accidentally, I sort of fell into it. I went to college to be a doctor like my dad because I saw my dad helping people. Growing up, I thought that was the most extraordinary thing, the way my parents help people. And my dad being the local, like, baby doctor, right? Every kid in our neighborhood went to see my dad, and I wanted to be like him. I also was pretty good at basketball back then. It was quick, and it was good point guard and. And good at sports. I'll tell you what a Jew that's good at sports.

[John Lovett]

Unicorn.

[Josh Shapiro]

Okay, Freshman year, I flunk out of pre med. Same day. Later that day, I got cut from the men's basketball team. And that night, someone knocked on my dorm room door and said, hey, Shapiro, we need somebody to run for student government. And I'm like, I remember that experience a couple years ago. I'm not doing that. He's like, look, dude, you got nothing else going on in your life. You should give it a shot. I ran. I won for like, our student senate or whatever, and immediately fell in love with it. And we had a bunch of big issues that came up. I worked hard to resolve them. And then I thought, as my freshman, end of my freshman year, I'm like, I'll give it a shot. And I went around and knocked on a bunch of doors on college campus, became the first freshman to ever win. And I think that door knocking experience set me on this path.

[John Lovett]

Well, because there's a strange thing we do in our culture where we like people to be ambitious, but we also want them to pretend that they just happen upon great success. There's something about, I don't know, the only people that are allowed to admit they want to be super famous and successful are real housewives. Everybody else has to do this aw, shucks routine. And, you know, you say in the book, like, I wanted to fish differently. I take an unconventional path. But you went from state rep to county commissioner to attorney general to governor. And I think that's a great path for an ambitious, in a positive way, a person who wants to have more and more of an impact on their community, who believes they have talents and skills. And it seems to me like you're on a path to try to use what gifts you have to do as much good as possible, however high that can go. Is that right? Yeah.

[Josh Shapiro]

But what you didn't say was that there were several sort of, whatever you called forks in the road or whatever, where the political class, where the conventional wisdom was Shapiro, should run for something else. First it was US Congress, then it was United States Senate. And what you didn't note when you were rattling that off is that I didn't choose those paths, even though that's where all the political folks thought I should go each step of the way. What I have tried to do is to choose a path where I could have the most impact, where I could serve the most people, and where I could use whatever talent I have to make a difference in life. That was true when I called the vice president staff and said that I was not interested anymore in being considered for the vice presidency. It was true when I called Chuck Schumer and said, I don't wanna run for the U.S. senate. It was true when I decided not to run for Congress. I made some decisions throughout my career that I think the political class might look at and say, well, why'd he choose that? That doesn't make any sense. But it was all rooted in kind of what you said in the crux of your question, which is, how can I best serve. How can I best help? And, yeah, I'm ambitious to get shit done for people, and I wanna use the position that people have entrusted me with to. To deliver for them.

[John Lovett]

You talked to Tim Alberta about the VP thing, and there's this moment where you just sort of said, she's trying to sell books and cover her ass. And then you're like, I shouldn't have said that. That was too harsh. I should just be critical on the merits. And I was like, oh, that was a relief to me to see. Because you know what? Maybe she is trying to sell books and cover her ass. And it's good that you can just say it. Clearly, there was, like, a real tension between. In that process for vp. And I'm like, I'm curious. You talk about it a little bit in the book. I'm curious where your head's on it now, because when you first get the call, you're, like, emotional about the possibility.

[Josh Shapiro]

Very much so.

[John Lovett]

And by the end, you're like, fuck this.

[Josh Shapiro]

It was unbelievably humbling and an honor to be considered in. I mean, really, what was an incredibly truncated period, you went through it, obviously, with President Obama. You know, it was a long process. And, you know, everything that occurred there, this was completely different, right? Given just. Given the circumstances of the election. And I was humbled and I was grateful, and to this day, I'm really thankful to the vice president for the incredibly honest conversation that we had at her residence on that Sunday morning. You know, sitting at a small table like this, just being really direct. And what was very clear to me at the conclusion of that very honest and direct conversation was that this was not the right fit, and it was not gonna be the best way for me to serve people. And I don't think it would have been the best way to serve her. And she deserved to have someone with her who would do it exactly the way she wanted. And that's why I telephoned that evening, which was roughly, I don't know, 48 hours before she announced her decision, just to say, look, you got some wonderful folks. I should not be in the mix as you consider this, and I'm gonna be all in for whoever you pick. And as you know, and as I talk about in the book, when she announced Tim Walls, who's a really good friend of mine, that he was the pick man. I showed up in Philly that night, I announced them to my hometown crowd, and I campaigned all across the country for the two of them and worked my tail off to Help them get elected.

[John Lovett]

Wouldn't it be ironic if it turned out that Tim Waltz was in Mossad? That have been crazy. What a twist that would have been.

[Josh Shapiro]

Yeah, that would have been a twist.

[John Lovett]

You really think they did you? Weren't it like there's a. Is that just a box checking question? Do you really think you were being asked if you were an operative of Israel?

[Josh Shapiro]

We went through an entire process for whatever it was, I don't know, a week or so where there were a lot of boxes being checked. This was a phone call to me roughly an hour before I walked into meet with the Vice President.

[John Lovett]

And saying no is exactly what an agent of Mossad would say. Something to think about before we let you go. Rapid fire for Hanukkah. One big present for the kids or eight small presents?

[Josh Shapiro]

We do one.

[John Lovett]

One big present. I like that. That's better.

[Josh Shapiro]

What do you do?

[John Lovett]

We. We did when we were very little, we had seven tiny, tiny gifts, like stickers and then one and then one. Is it like, like chocolate? Little tiny.

[Josh Shapiro]

Similar deal. Yeah. Right?

[John Lovett]

Yeah.

[Josh Shapiro]

Okay.

[John Lovett]

Gefilte fish. Yes or no?

[Josh Shapiro]

Disgusting.

[John Lovett]

Really? Yeah, I think that's right.

[Josh Shapiro]

Yeah.

[John Lovett]

It feels like there should be a way to fix it, but it never gets fixed.

[Josh Shapiro]

Yeah, I don't like judge people that like it. I just don't like it myself.

[John Lovett]

You keep kosher. Do you have any non kosher guilty pleasure snacks?

[Josh Shapiro]

No.

[John Lovett]

No. Have you? And is there anything you want to try but can't try? Is there one? Maybe if. If there. If you got a little note that said, you know, God's closing the not looking for like, you know, sort of 20 minutes. What are we eating?

[Josh Shapiro]

A Philly cheesesteak at Angelo's in South Philly.

[John Lovett]

Have you never had a Philly cheesesteak? No. You've never had a Philly cheesesteak? You also haven't had a pork sandwich from Danik's?

[Josh Shapiro]

Yeah, that's right.

[John Lovett]

That's a bummer. Do you eat kosher style at non kosher places? Would you get a sandwich from the Knicks that wasn't pork? Or do you have to eat at a kosher establishment?

[Josh Shapiro]

No, no, no. I eat at all kinds of establishment. I just wouldn't eat pork or meat or things like that.

[John Lovett]

Okay.

[Josh Shapiro]

Okay.

[John Lovett]

That's a shame. I feel like we should get as a sister. Do you keep kosher? Wow. Wow. Just see if we can sneak you a pork sandwich by accident. Bagel order.

[Josh Shapiro]

Bagel, egg and cheese. A little protein.

[John Lovett]

Okay. Okay. What kind of bagel?

[Josh Shapiro]

Plain, whole wheat Sesame, cinnamon. Raisin. Raisin. Not a big everything guy.

[John Lovett]

Okay.

[Josh Shapiro]

Yeah.

[John Lovett]

Okay. Toasted or not toasted?

[Josh Shapiro]

Toasted. It's gotta be toasted. No matter how fresh it is, it's gotta be toasted.

[John Lovett]

Wow, that's a horrible answer.

[Josh Shapiro]

Governor Josh Shapiro, you wouldn't toast the bagel?

[John Lovett]

Not if it's right outta the oven. Not if it's right of the oven. Got a beautiful fresh bagel on your hands.

[Josh Shapiro]

Yeah, but you kind of have the little crispiness on top.

[John Lovett]

That might be just because you're in Pennsylvania and you're just sort of.

[Josh Shapiro]

Now you're going to knock Pennsylvania.

[John Lovett]

Well, I'm just saying the quality of the bagels that are. Look, I mean, maybe it's a New York City thing that you would. Maybe the bagels do need a toast.

[Josh Shapiro]

Okay.

[John Lovett]

Maybe they do in Pennsylvania. Maybe in Penny, you're doing the.

[Josh Shapiro]

I'm just asking. I'm just asking. I'm just asking the question.

[John Lovett]

I'm just asking questions. Governor Josh Shapiro, thank you for your time. Really good talking to you.

[Josh Shapiro]

Thanks, John.

[John Lovett]

All right, that's our show. Thanks, everybody. Thank you for listening. We will be back in your feed with a brand new episode on Tuesday.

[Erin Ryan / Alyssa Mastromonaco]

If you want to listen to Pod Save America ad free and get access to exclusive podcasts, go to crooked.com friends to subscribe on Supercast, Substack, YouTube or Apple Podcasts. Also, please consider leaving us a review that helps boost this episode and everything we do here at Crooked. Pod Save America is a crooked media production. Our producer is Saul Rubin. Our associate producer is Farah Safari. Austin Fisher is our senior producer. Reed Churlin is our executive editor. Adrian Hill is our head of news and politics. The show is mixed and edited by Andrew Chadwick. Jordan Kanter is our sound engineer with audio support from Kyle Seglin and Charlotte Landis. Matt de Groat is our head of production. Naomi Sengel is our executive assistant. Thanks to our digital team, Elijah Cohn, Hayley Jones, Ben Hefcoat, Mia Kelman, Carol Pelavie, David Toles and Ryan Young. Our production staff is proudly unionized with the Writers Guild of America East.

[John Lovett]

The country feels like it's falling apart right before our eyes and the people inside it are being silenced.

[Josh Shapiro]

So we're going to East 26th street

[John Lovett]

and Nicollet Avenue, which is where Alex Preddy was executed by ICE and Border Patrol. That is not a headline. That is a human life. And it is all happening right now. Do you worry about your own safety being involved in all this? Yes. But it doesn't really feel like there's another option, you know, and of course they use a 5 year old child as bait. And of course they're doing all these horrible bad things because they don't know what they're doing. They've been told that they're going to

[Josh Shapiro]

get rid of the worst of the

[John Lovett]

worst, then they have absolute immunity. And they've been told that nothing they do will they ever be held accountable for. On my show, Runaway country, we go where the headlines hit home. From communities under threat to the people fighting to be heard. New episodes of Runaway country drop every Thursday. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or watch on YouTube.