When Kamala Harris chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz over Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro as her running mate, it was believed Shapiro’s Jewish heritage and past support of Israel may have had something to do with it.
As tensions continue to mount in the Middle East and students head back to their colleges and universities for the start of the new school year, it appears as though Democrats will once again face a reckoning over how to handle the anti-Israel and antisemitic elements of the party.
Harris got her first taste of it during a campaign event this week when she was interrupted by hecklers denouncing the Jewish State. She scolded the protesters and was, in turn, quickly scolded by progressives. On Thursday’s show, Megyn was joined by The Daily Wire’s Andrew Klavan to discuss the incident and what it says about the state of the Democratic Party.
The Heckling
Harris was about halfway through her speech at a rally in Detroit on Wednesday when a group of anti-Israel protesters started chanting, “Kamala! Kamala! You can’t hide! We won’t vote for genocide!”
Initially, the vice president sought to take a conciliatory approach to the heckling. “I’m here because we believe in democracy,” she said to cheers from the crowd. “Everyone’s voice matters, but I am speaking now.”
But the situation quickly escalated. “You know what? If you want Donald Trump to win, then say that,” she scolded after additional disruptions. “Otherwise, I’m speaking.” At that point, she paused to stare-down the demonstrators as they were escorted out of the venue.
The incident comes amidst increasing questions about where Harris stands on Israel. She has voiced support in line with the Biden administration in the wake of the October 7 terrorist attacks, but she has also been critical of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government. After meeting with Netanyahu on July 25, she said Israel has killed “far too many” civilians in Gaza and she “will not be silent.”
After the rally, the Harris campaign issued a statement reiterating her support for an end to the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
“Since October 7, the Vice President has prioritized engaging with Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian community members and others regarding the war in Gaza. In this brief engagement, she reaffirmed that her campaign will continue to engage with those communities. The Vice President has been clear: she will always work to ensure Israel is able to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups. The Vice President is focused on securing the ceasefire and hostage deal currently on the table. As she has said, it is time for this war to end in a way where: Israel is secure, hostages are released, the suffering of Palestinian civilians ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, freedom, and self-determination.”
She also reportedly met with members of the pro-Palestinian Uncommitted National Movement group prior to the event.
The Response
Harris’ reaction to the protesters did not sit well with some in her party. Former MSNBC anchor Mehdi Hassan was critical of Harris on X.
“This is a key point that the irate liberal supporters and boosters of Harris and the Dems, who are seemingly more mad over hecklers than our support for mass killings, refuse to even try and acknowledge or understand,” he posted in response to a tweet about Gazans not being able to “feed themselves.”
Progressive commentator Briahna Joy Gray was similarly unimpressed, tweeting that the “glow” of Harris had already worn off. “It’s interesting because Gray is very pro-Hamas – she’s one of those people who were celebrating the October 7 attack and she got fired from The Hill for that kind of commentary,” Megyn noted. “This is going to be an ongoing problem for [Harris] because, while I think Kamala Harris’ sympathies are more with the Palestine protesters… that wing wants a harsh break from support of Israel.”
As Megyn explained, they “want you to full Hamas or they are not going to be satisfied,” which will likely mean more situations like this one for Harris. “Half the left is in love with this [response from Harris], like, ‘Yeah, girl boss,’ and then there are the Mehdi Hassans of the world, who are angry that she was so dismissive of the pro-Hamas wing of the Democrat party,” she said. “It does underscore the very tricky position that the Democrats are in right now.”
Klavan agreed and said the root of the problem runs deep. “Antisemitism is a curse that it doesn’t care which party you belong to, but… I always call it ‘the devil’s flag pole’ because, wherever it shows up, that’s where the bad is,” he noted. “And right now it’s showing up in the Democrat Party in a big, big way.”
You can check out Megyn’s full interview with Klavan by tuning in to episode 858 on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. And don’t forget that you can catch The Megyn Kelly Show live on SiriusXM’s Triumph (channel 111) weekdays from 12pm to 2pm ET.