When Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) entered office, he was known as an entrenched leftist with a cognitive impairment from a recent stroke. These days, however, many conservatives have concluded he is among his party’s most reasonable and rational voices.
Most recently, he signaled that he will keep an open mind when it comes to confirming President Donald Trump’s supposedly controversial picks for key administration positions.
The admonition came in the context of a discussion about his meeting with Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth during recent ABC News interview, as The Hill reported:
“Well, I think we’re going to learn more. We’re going to learn more. And that, that, that hearing, and there’s going to be an FBI background and that. But, you know, my commitment, and I think I’m doing the job, is I’m going to sit down and have a conversation,” Fetterman responded.
“And the president picked these people,” he continued. “Not going to be my first choice, second choice, third choice, but that’s democracy. And to me, it would be distressing if, if he is confirmed, if the Democrats are going to turn our back collectively to the leader of the defense. I mean, that’s astonishing, and that’s dangerous.”
“So you see yourself inclined to be open to supporting these controversial nominees. You may not support them all, but you see yourself —” Karl said.
“Potentially. But there is going to be some that I will vote yes, and there’s some maybe that I’ll vote no,” Fetterman responded.
Fetterman had a similar response when asked about his meeting with Kash Patel, whom Trump has picked to head the FBI.
I believe that it’s appropriate and the responsibility of a U.S. Senator to have a conversation with President-elect Trump's nominees.
That’s why I met with Elise Stefanik and Pete Hegseth, just wrapped with Tulsi Gabbard, and look forward to my meetings with others soon.
My… pic.twitter.com/Vli5tr8XSr
— U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) December 17, 2024
For clarity, here’s a transcript of the X post embedded above:
I believe that it’s appropriate and the responsibility of a U.S. Senator to have a conversation with President-elect Trump’s nominees.
That’s why I met with Elise Stefanik and Pete Hegseth, just wrapped with Tulsi Gabbard, and look forward to my meetings with others soon.
My votes will come from an open-mind and an informed opinion after having a conversation with them. That’s not controversial, it’s my job.
He also shared kind regards for Trump voters in general, a sentiment far too rare among modern Democrats:
John Fetterman just told ABC, "I know and I happen to love people that [voted] for Trump and they are not fascists."
I wish my own family felt that way.
I haven't talked to my aunt or my sister for months, and that will probably extend out to years.
Because I'm not backing…
— Byl Holte (@SirBylHolte) December 22, 2024
This interview is only the most recent reason the Pennsylvania Democrat has become a somewhat sympathetic figure in many conservative circles:
Shock of the year is liking John Sen Fetterman. It’s like the brain damage he suffered from ended up destroying all the woke TDS liberalism parts, and left him with common sense, and critical thinking
I’m impressed
— It's 🇺🇸 Tiff 🇺🇸 (@TiffMoodNukes) December 6, 2024
Perhaps most astonishingly, Fetterman was willing to give Trump credit for running a masterful campaign and securing a landslide victory on the merits of his candidacy.
According to ABC News:
Asked by Karl what the single biggest factor was behind Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss in November, Fetterman pointed to the “undeniable” and “singular political talent” of Trump.
“He had the energy and almost a sense of fearlessness to just say all those kinds of things,” Fetterman said. “You literally were shot in your head and had the presence of mind to respond, you know, ‘Fight, fight, fight!’ I mean, that’s a political talent.”
Fetterman also said that the election was “never about fascism” to him. Harris said in an October town hall that she believed Trump was a fascist after Trump’s former chief of staff John Kelly said that his old boss fit the definition of one. Fetterman said that was not a word he would use.
“Fascism, that’s not a word that regular people, you know, use, you know?” Fetterman said. “I think people are going to decide who is the candidate that’s going to protect and project, you know, my version of the American way of life, and that’s what happened.”
Here’s a clip of that exchange:
My respects to John.
Even though Senator John Fetterman is a Democrat he speaks truthfully in this interview… pic.twitter.com/ak6TNO1Rnb
— ZZZ (@AskMeLaterOn) December 22, 2024
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