Jun
23
What’s Up with Fetterman?
“If a homicidal, Iranian-funded, terrorism proxy wants to pick up your college education tab, you really, really might want to reevaluate things.” — Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) on X/Twitter (May 3, 2024)
It wasn’t all that long ago that we were all — Left and Right — shaking our heads in wonderment at this big (6’8″), quasi-smirking, hoodie-wearing mayor-cum-lieutenant governor named John Fetterman. Didn’t seem like a “serious” candidate. He also appeared to have mental health issues and suffered a stroke shortly before the general election in 2022. Then, somehow, he won his race and became a U.S. Senator for the state of Pennsylvania.
And now? He seems to have recovered from his stroke and his speech is much more cogent. But, much to his Democratic colleagues’ chagrin, he is willing to break ranks on some matters. In fact, this guy who supported Bernie Sanders in the last presidential election is anti-“woke” and actually sounds remarkably reasonable, even “conservative”, on some headline issues. For example…
Israel/Antisemitism— Fetterman remains 100% in support of Israel in its war against Hamas, criticizing the Biden administration’s flip-floppy support. While speaking at Harvard (one of his alma maters), he expressed profound disappointment with the University’s “inability to stand up for the Jewish community after Oct. 7” and with the rampant antisemitism demonstrated on Harvard’s campus.
Immigration/Border — Citing data from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection that showed a monthly record of 300,000 migrants being processed in Dec. 2023, Fetterman told the New York Post, “There is a crisis. We have a crisis at our border, and it can’t be controversial that we should have a secure border.”
Law Enforcement — Fetterman finds his party’s position on public safety to be a disgrace. He considers himself “pro-policing, pro–community policing, pro–funding the police,” calling efforts to defund the police “absurd”. He is firmly against “squatter’s rights” — calling squatters “criminals” — and against various other soft-on-crime policies.
On other matters:
NJ Senate Race & Justice Sotomayor — Fetterman has been trolling Sen. Bob Menendez (former D, now I) and has been a vocal supporter of Rep. Andy Kim (D). When commenting about calls by some Democrats for Justice Sotomayor to retire, Fetterman said, “I have no opinion on anyone else’s ability to retire unless it’s that sleazeball Menendez, he should resign.“
As Hot Air‘s Karen Townsend wrote:
“John Fetterman is a favorite among conservatives these days because of his clear-eyed support of Israel, his support of law enforcement, and his support of closing the southern border. He is not afraid of putting his opinions out on social media and in television interviews. It’s easy to like this kind of Democrat when he sounds sane and knows which side of history to be on. He’s still a Democrat, though, and he still supports Joe Biden’s re-election.”
So, my fellow Republicans and conservatives, I suggest we continue to applaud Sen. Fetterman when he makes sensible, right-of-center statements and pushes for such policies. Cheer him on when he excoriates the Leftists in the White House, Congress, the media, etc., and refuses to tow the Progressivist line. Much respect. But, don’t make him out to be anything more than he is, which appears to be a more “regular Democrat” (his words) who is frustrated with the woke, far-Leftist path his party is taking.
And, remember… he’s no conservative as long as he still supports guys like Biden and Sanders, or pushes for radical pro-abortion bills (e.g., Women’s Health Protection Act of 2023).
