“I always put people first. I take an oath of office to the people of Pennsylvania and to our Constitution—to protect the rule of law, to protect them, to look out for them. If you can put your head on the pillow at night knowing you did the right thing by these folks, knowing a move was done with integrity, that’s all you can do in these jobs.”
-Josh Shapiro, episode 448 of Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso
A year after the attack on the Governor’s residence, Josh Shapiro says he and his family are “not afraid.” Their spirit, not broken but strengthened by the firebombing.
We begin with the anniversary of the arson attack, his Pennsylvania upbringing as depicted in his new book, Where We Keep the Light, his childhood dream to become an NBA player, and how he pulled a Lloyd Dobler to win back his high school sweetheart and future wife, Lori. Then, we unpack the evolution of his views on Israel-Palestine, why the Governor opposed calls to defund the police after the murder of George Floyd, and how his guiding principle—to get shit done—shapes his leadership.
On the back-half, we talk about the emotional toll of public office, the parallels between his work as Attorney General, prosecuting clergy sexual-abuse cases, and the Epstein cover-ups today, the VP vetting process that catapulted him onto the national stage, and the future of the Democratic party. To close, we talk about his relationship to Senator Fetterman, the influence of President Obama, and the Governor’s campaign for re-election this November.
As always, our email: talkeasypod@gmail.com.
Watch this conversation on YouTube:
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Show-notes:
- Read Josh Shapiro’s memoir Where We Keep the Light.
- Learn more about his work on his website.
- Follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
- Order your Talk Easy mug in cream and navy or our vinyl record with Fran Lebowitz.
Illustrations by Krishna Shenoi. Reference photograph by Gerri Hernandez.
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