Shapiro Says He Warned Biden Face-to-Face: “It’s Not Going Well in Pennsylvania”
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro revealed in a new interview that he delivered a blunt reality check to President Joe Biden about his fading prospects in the Keystone State—months before Biden ultimately withdrew from the 2024 race.
Speaking on “The Breakfast Club,” Shapiro recounted a private conversation he had with Biden at a Harrisburg coffee shop where he gave the president an unfiltered update on the situation in Pennsylvania, a key battleground that would eventually swing decisively to Donald Trump.
“I went directly to the president and spoke to him about what I saw were, you know, his challenges in Pennsylvania,” Shapiro said. “I was very honest with him. He asked, ‘How’s it going?’ and I told him straight: ‘It’s not going well.’”
Shapiro said he didn’t sugarcoat the warning. He pointed to polling numbers and mounting concerns over the economy—particularly rising costs—as major reasons why Biden’s standing was collapsing with voters in the state.
“Polls are showing it’s not going well,” he recalled telling the president. “I don’t think you’re handling the cost question. That was a big issue in the campaign, especially in Pennsylvania. And I told him that I thought people believed he wasn’t up to the job.”
According to Shapiro, the president responded by saying his campaign had different polling data and intended to stay the course. Despite Biden’s apparent confidence at the time, the eventual outcome of the election told a different story—Trump went on to win Pennsylvania and retake the White House.
Shapiro, widely viewed as a rising Democratic figure and considered by some as a potential presidential contender himself, said he delivered the message out of respect—not out of ambition.
“Maybe it’s old school, but I believe that if you got something to say, you say it directly to that person’s face,” he said. “He’s the president. I respected him enough to be honest.”
During the interview, Charlamagne tha God pushed the idea that Democrats would need to “throw the old regime under the bus” if they wanted to reclaim political momentum. Shapiro pushed back.
“I don’t believe you get ahead in life by throwing people under the bus,” he said. “I think you’ve got to show your work. You’ve got to show a vision.”
Shapiro was considered a possible running mate for Kamala Harris after Biden stepped aside, but the vice president ultimately chose Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. Still, Shapiro’s early warnings about Pennsylvania’s political climate proved accurate—and continue to fuel speculation about his national ambitions.