Once a party darling, the senator’s pro-Israel stance has led to protests outside his home and detractors inside his office. Now, he tells Peter Savodnik, he’s skipping the DNC.
"Never mind that Israel was a grand project in decolonization—the building of a home out of an ancient homeland on which Jews had lived for thousands of years."
Come on, history's only a few hundred years old...at the most. It only goes as far back as I need it to.
I like the fact that John Fetterman is a free and independent thinker. His biography is an interesting story of personal search for purpose and a desire to help others. I don't agree with everything that he believes, but I admire his reasoning. Another example of how someone's actions should define him instead of just some words. It is rare for me to respect a democrat.
"“I don’t agree with him” about Israel and Gaza, Carrie Adams, Fetterman’s communications director, told me in a phone call, after my interview with the senator ended. "
"Might makes right"? No US party has ever argued that, nor is it Fetterman's position.
A thirty-something says that her generation has more nuanced views? That is truly amusing because it sure isn't an accurate characterization of the pro-Hamas/Palestinian take on Oct 7 and the consequent Gaza offensive. Try getting educated before claiming to have a more sophisticated perspective.
Manifest destiny is an example of “might makes right” in my opinion. You’re correct this is not Fetterman’s position. And you’re correct that a 30-something saying her generation has more nuanced views is amusing (I’d add adjectives like cute and hilarious).
I’m in my 30s and a large proportion of the issue is people my age and younger don’t read BOOKS!!! Actual BOOKS. Long books. Thick books. Historical books. We just read Twitter/tik tok snippets out of intellectual/philosophical laziness. It facilitates a historical-snobbish-hubris. And the main correction historically it seems to me is a shit-ton of bloodshed and horror before the youth get exhausted enough and wise/mature enough to realize that humans are complex (thus capable of very high highs and very low lows) and one should always fight for SYSTEMS that maximize for the highs and minimize the lows.
I’m done. Sorry. This went longer than I wanted lol.
I agree with you mostly and just wish people of my generation both read more history books and took more time to introspect their own humanity in all its spectacularness and horrificness. No charge for those two words I just made up.
Old time liberals have never been pro-Israel. They got on the PLO bus early and cheered Yasir Arafat wearing a gin at the United Nations. To them Israel has always been the stumbling block to peace especially when it built the Apartheid Wall to stop the suicide bombing. Dems have hated Israel. They just say it openly now
That's absurd to claim considering that democrats passed so far every aid package for Israel and more democrats than Republicans voted for the last one.
You are confusing an activist left fridge with the majority of elected democrats.
I LOVE Fetterman---maybe it's time for him to switch teams! Become Independent and/or GOP. Dems have abandoned us Jews and while claim to be party of inclusion and joy and freedom---jews aren't included, there's no joy for us and certainly not feeling very free these days when we have to fear for our safety every where we go.
He said that it was "always absurd" to promote the idea of defunding the police. And he was way ahead of the majority of Democratic leadership in acknowledging that we really do have a border crisis when he noted that nearly the population of Pittsburgh showed up at the border in just one month.
Not defunding the police was the standard Democrat decision. People think it just happened everywhere and that makes him a unicorn. Most Democrats didn't agree with that, 99% of places didn't do any defunding at all. It isn't a right-wing stance.
And neither is acknowledging the border issue. Biden even worked on legislation for it and said: I’m announcing actions to bar migrants who cross our southern border unlawfully from receiving asylum. Migrants will be restricted from receiving asylum at our southern border unless they seek it after entering through an established lawful process. But if an individual chooses not to use our legal pathways, if they choose to come without permission and against the law, they’ll be restricted from receiving asylum and staying in the United States. This action will help us to gain control of our border, restore order to the process. This ban will remain in place until the number of people trying to enter illegally is reduced to a level that our system can effectively manage.
Does that sound like someone who doesn't acknowledge an issue? If there were no issue, why this legislation and statement?
Trying to stay on point in response to the reply. If you include every single police dept in the country, maybe you can say in 99% of places it didnt happen? I know many moderate Dems spoke out against it, but the policies were enacted in many major cities throughout the US and that leadership was supported by the patty in defense. it wasn't until the fallout was undeniable that many cities scrambled to reverse their positions. What I am saying is that Mr Fetterman was vocal on a hot and divisive topic before many others. Thats my point in my reply. I respect Senator Fetterman fighting to be a person of integrity and taking hard stances, not all of which I agree with.
And President Biden did not enact his Executive order acknowledging the border crisis (nearly 8 Million in this administration) until June - when the polls showed it was a huge political liability. FINALLY a response. Mr Fetterman acknowledged the problem well in advance of the majority leadership.
It is interesting to hear Fetterman's Comms Director say how the younger generation has a "much more nuanced" view of the Israel/Palestine conflict. I've asked this question here before but can someone ask her (and all of the current supporters) the nuance behind the Re'im music festival attack? Which part of that was done in defense of the average Palestinian innocent civilian?
Why haven't the comments been turned off? Quick, Free Press! Protect your subscribers from themselves and each other. Turn the comments off like they have been on story after story the last few months. Feelings must be protected at all costs! Free speech must end!
If this turned-off-commenting trend continues, I will discontinue my subscription.
If you look for a way to endless rumbling... there are plenty alternatives available for you to do that.
I certainly don't agree with all articles from FP nor views shared in the comments section. But I don't expect the comment section to stay open for all kinds of Spam or abuse forever.
There are plenty of viewpoints expressed on thefp.com that annoy me, so I have to say, they're not protecting my feelings. But there is a difference between free speech and endless speech, and I think it's a matter of time and/or volume that determines when comments are turned off.
Gen X’er here. Explain to me what exactly the chaos and darkness was that existed during Trumps term as POTUS? I call fear-mongering. I call B.S.
From the above article : “It is possible that Trump could win another term, because people have decided that we want more of that kind of chaos and the darkness and that kind of thing,” he said.
Trump withholding aid for Ukraine to get them smear his opponent (he got impeached for this), Trump wanting to nuke a hurricane (fortunately the grown-ups in his administration prevented this from happening), Trump requesting loyalty to him instead of the constitution, Trump refusing to consede the election he lost, the insurrection he instigated,... the list is long. American democracy survived because a few decent Republicans like Mike Pence and others that didn’t do his bitting.
I disagree with many of the things Fetterman supports and thought voting him into Congress — when he was still recovering from a stroke — was pure idiocy, but I have to admit that since his term began, I respect the hell out of him. We need more people in Washington who are genuine, even if it costs them votes.
“ …the June 27 Joe Biden–Donald Trump showdown that led the president to step aside and Vice President Kamala Harris to snag the Democratic nomination.”
Biden stepped aside? Harris snagged the nomination? I think Savodnik missed a couple of episodes.
How soon will it be before the ad hominem attacks on Senator Fetterman begin in our mainstream news media? This is the usual tactic of a media controlled largely by the same small group of extraordinarily wealthy men who fund the Democrat Party and can make or break someone's career, as an actor or a politician, by one or two carefully edited and prominently-placed stories presented before the masses, who pretty much believe everything they are fed.
A throw back to a golden age, where Senators did not have to be manicured or perfect.
"Never mind that Israel was a grand project in decolonization—the building of a home out of an ancient homeland on which Jews had lived for thousands of years."
Come on, history's only a few hundred years old...at the most. It only goes as far back as I need it to.
I like the fact that John Fetterman is a free and independent thinker. His biography is an interesting story of personal search for purpose and a desire to help others. I don't agree with everything that he believes, but I admire his reasoning. Another example of how someone's actions should define him instead of just some words. It is rare for me to respect a democrat.
There is nothing “nuanced” about ignorance and support for Hamas. Hamas has no nuance.
"“I don’t agree with him” about Israel and Gaza, Carrie Adams, Fetterman’s communications director, told me in a phone call, after my interview with the senator ended. "
Well, there's one person who should be fired.
Senator Fetterman has more courage and common sense than most of the people in his party. Unfortunately, that's not a very high bar.
"Might makes right"? No US party has ever argued that, nor is it Fetterman's position.
A thirty-something says that her generation has more nuanced views? That is truly amusing because it sure isn't an accurate characterization of the pro-Hamas/Palestinian take on Oct 7 and the consequent Gaza offensive. Try getting educated before claiming to have a more sophisticated perspective.
Manifest destiny is an example of “might makes right” in my opinion. You’re correct this is not Fetterman’s position. And you’re correct that a 30-something saying her generation has more nuanced views is amusing (I’d add adjectives like cute and hilarious).
I’m in my 30s and a large proportion of the issue is people my age and younger don’t read BOOKS!!! Actual BOOKS. Long books. Thick books. Historical books. We just read Twitter/tik tok snippets out of intellectual/philosophical laziness. It facilitates a historical-snobbish-hubris. And the main correction historically it seems to me is a shit-ton of bloodshed and horror before the youth get exhausted enough and wise/mature enough to realize that humans are complex (thus capable of very high highs and very low lows) and one should always fight for SYSTEMS that maximize for the highs and minimize the lows.
I’m done. Sorry. This went longer than I wanted lol.
I agree with you mostly and just wish people of my generation both read more history books and took more time to introspect their own humanity in all its spectacularness and horrificness. No charge for those two words I just made up.
Old time liberals have never been pro-Israel. They got on the PLO bus early and cheered Yasir Arafat wearing a gin at the United Nations. To them Israel has always been the stumbling block to peace especially when it built the Apartheid Wall to stop the suicide bombing. Dems have hated Israel. They just say it openly now
That's absurd to claim considering that democrats passed so far every aid package for Israel and more democrats than Republicans voted for the last one.
You are confusing an activist left fridge with the majority of elected democrats.
I LOVE Fetterman---maybe it's time for him to switch teams! Become Independent and/or GOP. Dems have abandoned us Jews and while claim to be party of inclusion and joy and freedom---jews aren't included, there's no joy for us and certainly not feeling very free these days when we have to fear for our safety every where we go.
Lol, name one other policy position that Fetterman has that is remotely right-wing aligned.
He said that it was "always absurd" to promote the idea of defunding the police. And he was way ahead of the majority of Democratic leadership in acknowledging that we really do have a border crisis when he noted that nearly the population of Pittsburgh showed up at the border in just one month.
Not defunding the police was the standard Democrat decision. People think it just happened everywhere and that makes him a unicorn. Most Democrats didn't agree with that, 99% of places didn't do any defunding at all. It isn't a right-wing stance.
And neither is acknowledging the border issue. Biden even worked on legislation for it and said: I’m announcing actions to bar migrants who cross our southern border unlawfully from receiving asylum. Migrants will be restricted from receiving asylum at our southern border unless they seek it after entering through an established lawful process. But if an individual chooses not to use our legal pathways, if they choose to come without permission and against the law, they’ll be restricted from receiving asylum and staying in the United States. This action will help us to gain control of our border, restore order to the process. This ban will remain in place until the number of people trying to enter illegally is reduced to a level that our system can effectively manage.
Does that sound like someone who doesn't acknowledge an issue? If there were no issue, why this legislation and statement?
Trying to stay on point in response to the reply. If you include every single police dept in the country, maybe you can say in 99% of places it didnt happen? I know many moderate Dems spoke out against it, but the policies were enacted in many major cities throughout the US and that leadership was supported by the patty in defense. it wasn't until the fallout was undeniable that many cities scrambled to reverse their positions. What I am saying is that Mr Fetterman was vocal on a hot and divisive topic before many others. Thats my point in my reply. I respect Senator Fetterman fighting to be a person of integrity and taking hard stances, not all of which I agree with.
And President Biden did not enact his Executive order acknowledging the border crisis (nearly 8 Million in this administration) until June - when the polls showed it was a huge political liability. FINALLY a response. Mr Fetterman acknowledged the problem well in advance of the majority leadership.
It is interesting to hear Fetterman's Comms Director say how the younger generation has a "much more nuanced" view of the Israel/Palestine conflict. I've asked this question here before but can someone ask her (and all of the current supporters) the nuance behind the Re'im music festival attack? Which part of that was done in defense of the average Palestinian innocent civilian?
Why would she still be employed as his comms. director?
Why haven't the comments been turned off? Quick, Free Press! Protect your subscribers from themselves and each other. Turn the comments off like they have been on story after story the last few months. Feelings must be protected at all costs! Free speech must end!
If this turned-off-commenting trend continues, I will discontinue my subscription.
If you look for a way to endless rumbling... there are plenty alternatives available for you to do that.
I certainly don't agree with all articles from FP nor views shared in the comments section. But I don't expect the comment section to stay open for all kinds of Spam or abuse forever.
There are plenty of viewpoints expressed on thefp.com that annoy me, so I have to say, they're not protecting my feelings. But there is a difference between free speech and endless speech, and I think it's a matter of time and/or volume that determines when comments are turned off.
Gen X’er here. Explain to me what exactly the chaos and darkness was that existed during Trumps term as POTUS? I call fear-mongering. I call B.S.
From the above article : “It is possible that Trump could win another term, because people have decided that we want more of that kind of chaos and the darkness and that kind of thing,” he said.
Trump withholding aid for Ukraine to get them smear his opponent (he got impeached for this), Trump wanting to nuke a hurricane (fortunately the grown-ups in his administration prevented this from happening), Trump requesting loyalty to him instead of the constitution, Trump refusing to consede the election he lost, the insurrection he instigated,... the list is long. American democracy survived because a few decent Republicans like Mike Pence and others that didn’t do his bitting.
The ego involved in reducing two large swathes of human beings as “nauseating.” 🙄
I disagree with many of the things Fetterman supports and thought voting him into Congress — when he was still recovering from a stroke — was pure idiocy, but I have to admit that since his term began, I respect the hell out of him. We need more people in Washington who are genuine, even if it costs them votes.
“ …the June 27 Joe Biden–Donald Trump showdown that led the president to step aside and Vice President Kamala Harris to snag the Democratic nomination.”
Biden stepped aside? Harris snagged the nomination? I think Savodnik missed a couple of episodes.
How soon will it be before the ad hominem attacks on Senator Fetterman begin in our mainstream news media? This is the usual tactic of a media controlled largely by the same small group of extraordinarily wealthy men who fund the Democrat Party and can make or break someone's career, as an actor or a politician, by one or two carefully edited and prominently-placed stories presented before the masses, who pretty much believe everything they are fed.