Rep. Madeleine Dean slams Fetterman, calls video appearance 'gravely disappointing'
Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) didn’t mince words about Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and his video appearance at Republicans’ midterm convention, calling it a “stunt” that she said was “gravely disappointing.” “I will tell you from the ground from suburban Philadelphia, my constituents are livid,” Dean told reporters at House Democratic event responding to the GOP convention on...
Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) didn’t mince words about Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and his video appearance at Republicans’ midterm convention, calling it a “stunt” that she said was “gravely disappointing.” “I will tell you from the ground from suburban Philadelphia, my constituents are livid,” Dean told reporters at House Democratic event responding to the GOP convention on Thursday. “Those who went out and knocked doors for him -- they are absolutely livid.”
Fetterman shocked his party on Wednesday when he appeared in a video during the GOP midterm convention before Sen. Dave McCormick’s (R-Pa.) remarks, lauding the GOP senator and calling him a “friend.” “Why am I here talking to you today?” Fetterman said the prerecorded video. “Because, well, I’m a commonsense Democrat.” “David McCormick is the kind of senator that gets the job done,” the Pennsylvania Democrat said while vowing that he and McCormick would work with Trump to protect the state’s steel industry.
Fetterman has increasingly isolated himself from his own party – a far cry from the staunch progressive he positioned himself as when he ran for the Senate seat in 2022. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Fetterman has shown little interest in meeting with some of his constituent groups, including a children's hospital in Philadelphia regarding their concerns over Medicaid cuts and vaccines. Instead, sources told the news outlet that the Democratic senator has reportedly been more interested in Israel advocacy efforts and meeting with conservative media.
Fetterman has suggested that the moment requires him to be bipartisan, but his antics have started to frustrate members of his party. “I got to know and really like him and his family and his values,” Dean said, noting she briefly ran against him in 2018 for Pennsylvania lieutenant governor. “But what we have seen in his service as a senator is something very different than when I got to know around John,” she continued.
“We can see in his work ethic that he's just not present. He doesn't participate much at all in his own committees, let alone attend them.”