The Pennsylvania Democrat has some thoughts to share with Biden, the left and James Carville, too.
In the past few months, Senator John Fetterman has returned to where he feels most comfortable: as a highly skilled hunter.
John Fetterman had a rollercoaster for a year.
In January, he was sworn in as Pennsylvania’s new Democratic senator, despite suffering a debilitating stroke on the campaign trail. In doing so, he was able to flip the only seat in the House of Councilors during the 2022 session. Six weeks after taking office, he was hospitalized for treatment of clinical depression.
Fetterman emerged from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center as an unlikely evangelist for mental health treatment, something medical professionals hailed as a stigma-busting move that could save lives.
But in the past few months, Fetterman has returned to where he feels most comfortable: as a highly skilled hunter. Only this time, his targets were often allies of the Progressive movement who had long viewed him as an icon. In the wake of Hamas‘ attack on Israel on October 7, Fetterman emerged as one of the loudest supporters of Israel in the Senate.
We sat down with Fetterman earlier this month to talk about his disagreements with the left, his disagreements with Democratic strategist James Carville, why the app formerly known as Twitter is no longer on his phone, and his predictions for 2024. Fetterman used the service on his website. The phone that instantly transcribed our conversation while continuing to deal with auditory processing challenges caused by stroke.
Are you surprised that so many progressives disagree with you on Israel?
I mean, I expected, of course, that there would always be a diversity of opinions, and that as long as things went well the Democratic caucus would split even more. …I will be the last man standing there on the Israeli side on this matter without conditions.
I am saddened by the unbelievable deaths and suffering among civilians. terrible. War is hell, as they say. But only one side used civilians as human shields. Only one side has violated the ceasefire. Only one side will systematically rape, torture and mutilate Israeli women and girls in unspeakably horrific ways. …Without destroying Hamas, there will be no lasting peace and a stable two-state solution.
What about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu? Should he remain in power?
He is the leader we have. This is the leader we work with.
Even some Israelis are frustrated with him.
For me, this is not a referendum on Netanyahu. This is just what we have to do to stand with Israel. I agree with the prevailing opinion that Hamas must be destroyed.
But should Netanyahu remain in power, yes or no?
I don’t have a vote in that. This is for Israeli citizens. They have a lot at stake. But what I can say is that I think the vast majority of Israeli citizens want a senator who will stand with them and their right to destroy Hamas [and not] someone who will divide or peel away as things continue and as more and more anti-Semitism continues to go across campus, in All across our nation.
You have some new fans online because of your views on Israel. What do you make of them?
I don’t spend any time on Twitter and that’s the truth. I encourage you – you can check my personal phone. I couldn’t even get into Twitter if I had to.
When did you decide that X, formerly known as Twitter, wasn’t worth it?
And it wasn’t very helpful for promoting mental health.
Is this something you’ve realized in the past year?
Very much so.
[Editor’s note: A Fetterman staffer said he still writes “all the memes” on his social media accounts, but tells his aides to hit “send.”]
The Biden campaign has not yet announced any staffers in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. Should the campaign be built more heavily in swing states at this point?
I don’t give advice to anyone except in the field of fashion. …All I know is that the president is going to win Pennsylvania. And I think if he wins Pennsylvania, and I think he will, he will be president for a second term.
We talked about this a few months ago, and you told me then that you thought Biden would carry Pennsylvania and win the general election. But things have gotten worse for him since then. Trump is now ahead in many opinion polls.
But that doesn’t really matter. There’s a lifetime in politics between now and next November, too. I’m not worried about that. And I’m very vocal about this as well, whereas there are Democrats who are very critical of the president. …I’m going to use [this] as another opportunity to tell James Carville to shut up. Like I said, my man hasn’t been relevant since grunge was a thing. And I don’t know why he thinks it’s helpful to say such things about very difficult circumstances with an incredibly powerful, respected, excellent president. I will never understand that.
(Editor’s note: When asked if he wanted to respond, Carville said other Democratic senators “apparently haven’t gotten the memo yet” that he’s not relevant. “His colleague Sen. Casey asked me to host a fundraiser with him last week,” “Senator Brown has asked me to go to Cleveland to campaign with him,” he said. “I’m glad he’s feeling better,” he said of Fetterman.)
When I talk to voters, they’re worried about inflation. They really don’t like the economy. Don’t you hear that?
John Fetterman is not the politician you thought he would be, and he doesn’t care
The Pennsylvania Democrat has some thoughts to share with Biden, the left and James Carville, too.
For me, it’s going to be about the good and the bad and the characters and everything about that as well. It would be like a bowel examination, where is it, really? Really, really, as you walk into the voting booth, do we want chaos and someone having three or four criminal hearings? Is this the person you want to put their finger on the button again? Or do you want to have a highly respected and effective president who helped us overcome the pandemic, tackled inflation, and was a true master of diplomacy with Israel?
And that’s the thing. And if you want to be more upset about the extra $16 McDonald’s meal, I don’t know.
Is Biden the only Democrat who can beat Trump?
I’m really not worried about that because he’s my man. He’ll be the Democrats’ man, and I’m proud to campaign with him.
What do you think of Dean Phillips, the Democrat who ran a long-running primary campaign against Biden?
I really don’t think anyone could honestly believe that the ice cream man would defeat Trump. He has the right to spend his money to find out this thesis, but I don’t think it will end well for him.
I traveled to Iowa recently, where I harshly criticized California Gov. Gavin Newsom, saying he was “running for president now” but didn’t have “the courage to announce it.” Why?
I wasn’t too critical about Newsom. I simply said that it seems kind of weird to challenge a candidate of a race you don’t identify with. …It is also strange that you will have a very wonderful visit to China when the leaders actually come to China. Your own case… after a few weeks. Or making donations to obscure South Carolina politicians.
Do you think it lays the groundwork for a run in 2024 if something happens to Biden?
I think he is a great ruler. He is an incredible part of the Democratic Party. That’s it. Two things can be true at the same time.
What about you? Will you run for president in 2028?
Basically, as far as politics goes, you never go up with your own supplies. And I’m not thinking about 2028. I’m just making sure I prioritize 2024.
