Eeeeenteresting! A little Pennsylvania backbiting among progressives might derail Josh Shapiro's Veepstakes ambitions, assuming he has many. And this one has nothing to do with Israel, which might give Kamala Harris a little political cover to switch directions.

Progressive sniping at Shapiro reached a fever pitch last week, as dozens of them signed an open letter to Harris singling out Shapiro as problematic. The criticism enraged Florida Democrat Rep. Jared Moskowitz, who declared that "these progressives don't want a Jew for VP" and blamed it on Shapiro's support for Israel.

However, Politico reports that Israel-supporting Sen. John Fetterman has also warned against Shapiro. Fetterman told Harris that the Pennsylvania governor and fellow Democrat is too ambitious for his own good, let alone Harris':

Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman is concerned about the possibility that Vice President Kamala Harris might choose his state’s governor, Josh Shapiro, as her running mate, and his advisers have privately relayed those worries to Harris' team, according to three people familiar with the conversations.

Fetterman’s advisers suggested to Harris’ team that the senator believes that Shapiro is excessively focused on his own personal ambitions. His reservations about Shapiro reflect a long-running rivalry between the two ambitious Democrats, who have risen on parallel tracks in a politically crucial state.

No one can accuse Fetterman of using this as a crypto-attack on Shapiro's Jewishness or on support for Israel. Fetterman has been perhaps the most courageous of progressives on Israel, especially among Gentile progressives, for not just support of Israel but outright condemnation of pro-Hamas demonstrators. He hoisted the Israeli flag when they showed up to his house, for instance, and didn't bat an eye when his staffers resigned over his outspoken support of Israel in the war.

That makes Fetterman's opposition more credible, especially coming from the state Harris would want to woo by selecting Shapiro. Fetterman's objection is that Shapiro's ambitions overrode his declared progressive values:

Fetterman’s representatives explained to Harris’ aides that one of the key disagreements the men had was while they served together on Pennsylvania’s Board of Pardons, according to the three people, who were granted anonymity to describe internal conversations.

Fetterman sought to revitalize the institution and provide second chances to some convicts. Shapiro often took a less lenient position, arguing that he believed in criminal justice reform but that the commutations process was not the place for “structural” changes. Fetterman and Shapiro clashed in particular over the fate of Lee and Dennis Horton, brothers who had been convicted in a fatal shooting and robbery in 1993 but maintained their innocence for decades.

Politico notes that both sides in this dispute have been seen as politically ambitious, and a conflict would have been inevitable. Fetterman would have run against Shapiro in the 2022 cycle for the gubernatorial nomination rather than against Conor Lamb for the Senate nomination had Shapiro not used his influence to get clemency for the Horton brothers. Shapiro declined on the first time around but supported clemency in late 2020. Fetterman still holds the grudge and apparently thinks that only the threat to go up against Shapiro head-to-head changed Shapiro's stance.

Will that be enough to sour Harris on Shapiro? Frankly, she could use a little law-and-order cred, especially with her record supporting bail for rioters in Minneapolis and her terrible comments about defunding the police, ICE, and her general attitude. But Harris and her team may very well be skittish about adding Shapiro and alienating the *ahem* Dearborn faction of the Left. Fetterman can afford to do that -- maybe -- but Harris can't lose Michigan and win the presidential election. And the presidential campaign (Biden and Harris) has made it clear for months that they think that they need the Dearborn faction to win.

So when will we know who won the Veepstakes? Perhaps very soon, but Politico also reports that the DNC and the campaign want to roll out the winner in a video announcement tomorrow. That is, if they can keep the leaks plugged:

Vice President Kamala Harris is bringing her crash search for a running mate to a close, with a final decision expected over the next 24 hours with a video announcement likely to follow sometime Tuesday, according to people familiar with the selection process.

While the precise nature of the rollout is not final, campaign insiders are pointing to President Joe Biden’s 2020 video introduction of Harris as a likely model. A media leak of the pick could upend those plans, they said. ...

Harris on Sunday held interviews with Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz at the vice president’s residence in Washington. A person familiar with the selection process said it was possible that Harris has spoken virtually to other potential picks, or might do so Monday.

I know I'll end up being disappointed, but I'm rooting for Tim Walz. The man whose incompetence led to Minneapolis burning down would make a perfect match with the nominee who talked her way out of the nomination in 2019. But Republicans can't possibly get that lucky. 

Update: Maybe we could get this lucky:

Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris has narrowed her search for a vice presidential running mate to two finalists, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, three sources with knowledge of the matter said on Monday.

Harris, the U.S. vice president, is expected to announce her selection by Tuesday, ahead of her first scheduled public appearance with her running mate in the evening at Temple University in Philadelphia.

It'll be the Mostly Peaceful Ticket!