Potential Dem VP pick Josh Shapiro faces ridicule for 'impersonating' Barack Obama's speaking style

WASHINGTON, DC: Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a top contender for the Democratic vice presidential nomination, is being lampooned for his speaking style, which many say closely resembles that of former President Barack Obama.

The comparison has even become fodder for late-night talk show hosts. However, the stark differences in their backgrounds make the cadence particularly interesting, as while Obama started as a community organizer in Chicago, Shapiro is a White Jewish man from Kansas City, Missouri, who attended Hebrew day school and volunteered in the Israeli Defense Force.

Josh Shapiro raises eyebrows as his speaking style closely resembles that of Barack Obama

Barack Obama enthusiasts have taken note of Josh Shapiro's speaking style, with one X (formerly Twitter) user dubbing the Pennsylvania governor, "Baruch Obama." 

Meanwhile, 'The Daily Show' host Ronny Chieng joked that he sounded like "Josh Hussein Shapiro." The comedian went further, suggesting humorously, "I wouldn’t be surprised if Obama asked him for his birth certificate."

Not everyone finds the comparison flattering. A Democratic operative voiced their discomfort to the New York Post, saying, "I wish you didn’t point that out. It’s creepy."

During a recent rally for Vice President Kamala Harris, Shapiro's Obama-like cadence was on full display.

He stated, "You could not have a clearer contrast in this race, you could not have a clearer contrast between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. And let me tell you something, he’s pretty afraid, ya'll see, he’s backing out of the debate now. He’s afraid to stand toe-to-toe with our vice president."

Shapiro has also referenced Maya Angelou, a favorite of Obama, in his speeches.

Rod Blagojevich, the former Illinois Governor, noted, "I hear it. He’s probably... TIVOing Obama speeches and trying to get all the mannerisms down. It seems to me like an intentional impersonation."

"It reminds a lot of how I copy Elvis when I sing ‘Jailhouse Rock,’ which I did in prison in my band G-Rod and the Jailhouse Rockers," said Blagojevich, referring to his incarceration for attempting to sell Obama’s Senate seat.

Professor Rita Singh, an expert in human voice profiling at Carnegie Mellon University, believes that Shapiro's similarity to Obama might not be intentional.

She told the Post, "It is likely that the voices of Josh Shapiro and former President Obama sound similar... specifically because of multiple similarities between the two gentlemen’s physical and vocal tract characteristics." 

Ohio Senator JD Vance, Donald Trump's running mate, criticized Shapiro's speaking style during his appearance on the 'Full Send' podcast. 

The Republican remarked, "There’s a lot of talk it’s gonna be this guy Josh Shapiro from Pennsylvania. I’ve seen a couple of clips of him talking. He talks like Barack Obama. It’s like if I tried to do a really bad impression of Barack Obama, that’s what it would sound like."

Josh Shapiro responds to the Barack Obama comparisons

In a press conference, Josh Shapiro dismissed JD Vance's comments as a "weird insult," pointing to Barack Obama’s reputation as a "gifted orator."

The Pennsylvania Governor said, "I don’t know, Barack Obama was probably our most gifted orator of my time. It’s kind of a weird insult, I guess. Look, I’ll say this about JD Vance: It is real hard being honest with the American people when you’re not being honest with yourself."

He added, "JD Vance is a total phony baloney. He is the most inorganic candidate I think I have ever seen on the national stage... This guy is really not off to a good start."

Shapiro was quoted by CBS News saying, "If he wants to sling insults in my direction, which I’m not even sure is an insult, let him do it. Bring it on. I’m ready for whatever the hell JD Vance throws in my direction."

Imitating popular political figures is not new in American politics. During the 2016 presidential primaries, Senator Marco Rubio tried to emulate Trump’s brash style. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has also been noted for mimicking the 45th president's hand gestures during speeches.

In the 1984 Democratic primary, Gary Hart was criticized for allegedly copying former President John F Kennedy’s mannerisms.

NBC’s Roger Mudd famously asked Hart, "Why do you imitate John Kennedy so much? All the motions with the necktie, and the chopping of the air, and the hand in the pocket… all those people, people all over the country say, all he’s doing is imitating John Kennedy."

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