By Ray Cardello for November 16, 2025, Season 33 / Post 19

I have written many articles about Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) since he ran for office in 2022. I was very critical of the people of Pennsylvania electing Fetterman to the Senate over Dr. Oz, who seemed the superior candidate. Fetterman came across as an eccentric individual who did not speak well, refused to dress the part, opting for his trademark hoodie, and had a horrendous debate performance against Oz. These observations were all before he had his stroke and was hospitalized for depression. I could muster very little praise for the newly elected Senator, but I was dead wrong about this man. Fetterman has been a Mayor and Lieutenant Governor and is Harvard-educated (we can debate the merits of that degree). Though he still does not have the eloquence of a Senator Kennedy, he continues to prove himself a voice of reason in a Senate chamber that is significantly lacking in it. Senator Fetterman is not your typical Democrat nor member of Congress. He recognizes that he represents a purple constituency and cannot always defer to the Democratic thought process. This methodology has not endeared him to members of his own Party. Other Democrats see him as an outsider, and they will be very proactive in finding a viable candidate within the Party to challenge Fetterman in a primary in 2028. He believes in open dialogue across the aisle and took a lot of heat from his Party after accepting an invitation to have dinner with the First Family at Mar-a-Lago. He saw the visit as an obligation for him to meet the 47th President in a peaceful atmosphere.

Fetterman was very vocal in his criticism of the government shutdown and voted with the Republicans to end the shutdown on numerous occasions. His defense was that he was putting country and Americans over Party, and was especially sensitive to the 42 million Americans who were denied food assistance while the government was in shutdown. He was doing the proper thing for his constituency, but drew the angst of his Party’s leadership and has marked him as someone who cannot be trusted to defend the Party line. There is no place for independent thinking in Congress, regardless of your side of the aisle.

Fetterman had a difficult week as he was hitting many talk shows to promote his new book titled “Unfettered.” He was treated extremely well on Fox and Friends, where the three hosts admitted they had judged him incorrectly when he sprang onto the national stage. He was conversely treated in a very hostile manner when he appeared on The View. He was blasted by the panel for his treasonous actions towards his Party and was wrong to vote to end the shutdown and to admit the shutdown was the fault of the Democrats. He defended himself on both points, but this exchange showed how vicious the Left can be to anyone who disagrees with them. He also ended up in the hospital this week after suffering a fall caused by an incorrect medical treatment for his heart. He opted to remain in the hospital to allow doctors to sort out his medical care in the future.

I am glad I changed my opinion on Senator Fetterman and hope he survives the attack of his Party. I wish he were on our side of the aisle, but I am encouraged that he is a voice of the people in the Senate chamber.