When he was running for a U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania against GOP candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz, most observers thought John Fetterman was just another far-left progressive, but it turns out that he’s anything but that.
In an interview with Fox News’ Chad Pergram, Fetterman noted a willingness to shun the term “progressive,” that he agreed with most of the GOP-led House’s strict border enforcement bill (HR 2), and he believes fellow Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, who’s been charged with several felonies, should be expelled.
Here’s some of the conversation:
Chad Pergram: In your short period of time in the Senate, you have sometimes plowed a different road than some of your Democratic colleagues on different issues. Talk about how you arrived at those decisions that differ from what some people expected from you politically when you came to the Senate.
Fetterman: I know that some people were caught by surprise. And, you know, even when I just said, you know, in passing that I’m not a progressive, I’ve been saying that for years, actually. I’ve just really been committed to really being on what I thought it was like the right side on these things. And no, maybe politically it might be less popular with our base.
Pergram: It kind of seemed like, when we saw the change, when you and I first talked, it was on the border and border security. That was something that you differed from some of your Democratic colleagues.
Fetterman: When you started just following the numbers that are coming again and then when you’ve reached 200,000 or 250,000 folks that are encountered at the border – I mean that’s astonishing. And then just putting that in the context of Pennsylvania. I was like, ‘Oh my goodness. That’s nearly the size of Pittsburgh.’ And that’s our second-largest city. You can be very pro-immigration, but also demand and require that we have a secure border there as well too. I don’t know why that’s really controversial for a Democrat or any American to be pro-immigration.
Pergram: Another area where you differed was on the Middle East. And just the other day, I guess you talked to some of the Republicans saying, could you sit in on the meeting when they had a virtual meeting with (Israeli Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu? Who did you approach on that? What did they say?
Fetterman: I was very disappointed that our caucus didn’t have the opportunity to do that. I really wanted to hear from Netanyahu. In fact, I even asked the Republicans, you know, back channels, like, ‘Hey, can I just sit there? And I don’t even have to (ask) any questions.’ And I’ve always been incredibly surprised why we’re not talking about where this was because of Hamas and the things that they’ve done. And that why there isn’t a protest kind of a surge to demand that Hamas surrender on this. If you really want to end all of the misery and the death and the destruction – if they would just surrender, it would end tomorrow. Release everybody (the hostages). Send them home. And that’s been very frustrating. And then we’re talking about now there’s 31,000 Palestinians that were were killed. And what you’re not talking about (is) 13,000 or more are actually Hamas fighters on that. So why aren’t you breaking that out as well too? And then if you do and talk about the casualty ratio, it’s actually very clear that this isn’t a genocide or that the Israelis are targeting civilians. In fact, the only ones that target civilians? That’s Hamas.
Pergram: Here’s a name and I want you to respond: Bob Menendez.
Fetterman: At this point, it’s almost moot. His trial is in less than two months from now and that’s going to address that. I can’t imagine how with the kinds of evidence. I also remind everybody to remember that this is his second trip to the prom. You know, he barely just got out from that. And now he’s been credibly accused of being a foreign agent for three nations. In fact, two of them are critical and negotiation partners in the Gaza situation with Hamas. And how is this individual allowed to attend classified briefings on that? It’s astonishing. And it’s been frustrating where someone’s more concerned that I could wear a hoodie (in the Senate). That’s why this seems to be more urgent. Making sure that the Senate reputation isn’t damaged.
Pergram: Why do you think that members have kind of not called for him to be expelled or gone as far as you? You’ve been the most outspoken person when it comes to Menendez.
Fetterman: I don’t know. But what I can say is that (former Rep. George) Santos, R-N.Y., was expelled and Republicans did the right thing on that. That actually cost them a seat. So I thought that was a principled stand.
