Social and news media commenters seize on senator’s gaffe, with some characterizing it as a Freudian slip

With speculation about whether he may defect from the Democratic party swirling around him, US senator John Fetterman described himself seemingly unintentionally as a “lifelong Republican” during a fireside chat in Texas over the weekend.

Fetterman made the comment when someone listening to him speak with CBS News political correspondent Major Garrett at the Texas Tribune Festival on Saturday asked the Pennsylvania senator why he had not become an independent.

“Because I’m a lifelong Republican,” Fetterman replied. Garrett promptly corrected him by saying, “Democrat,” as Fetterman raised a hand and shook his head in disbelief.

    • A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world
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      28 分钟前

      Dude, he didnt become a republican because of the stroke.

      He’s always been one. and a piece of shit asshole too

      his locals have been saying that from the damn start.

  • Denfa@lemmy.world
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    48 分钟前

    He’s getting paid to deliver Republican wins. Fetterman loves the money. I doubt he cares which party he aligns with as long as the grift keeps paying.

    • stoly@lemmy.world
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      3 小时前

      I’m convinced that it’s his stroke causing a personality change and possibly cognitive decline.

      • A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world
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        27 分钟前

        his locals that have known and dealt with him long before the election have all said he’s been a fucking cunt his entire life.

        the stroke had nothing to do with anything

  • ayyy@sh.itjust.works
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    6 小时前

    If you listen to him, he clearly still has issues with speech after the stroke. A speech impediment isn’t inherently disqualifying from being a lawmaker, but such a dramatic change to someone’s brain should have automatically triggered a re-election that allowed the voters to evaluate if he could still perform his duties to the same degree as when he was elected by the people.

    • Bob Robertson IX @discuss.tchncs.de
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      5 小时前

      Except, the stroke happened before the election. The stroke happened before the primary.

      The people of Pennsylvania elected him to office knowing that he’d had a serious stroke.

      • Jtotheb@lemmy.world
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        3 小时前

        Yeah dog. Welcome to representative politics. The primary was never even close. Stroke was a few days beforehand. His campaign talked up his recovery. Feel free to look up quotes about just needing surgery for a pacemaker and how he’d be fine. All the messaging stayed progressive; campaigns are run by staffers, so him being absent meant nothing for outward appearances. And who would progressives have voted for after he won the primary—Doctor Oz? Or should everyone have banded together to call the Fetrerman campaign liars and form a write in push for one of the primary losers? And risk losing Pennsylvania to DOCTOR OZ?!

        Pennsylvanians were lied to and they have no true representation. But there’s no mechanism to fix that. You’re supposed to wait a couple years and just take what you get, because it’s more important that you follow the rules than it is to be heard. And that’s called democracy.

  • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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    9 小时前

    Tldr:

    “Let’s revisit after the midterms, and let’s see what happens – you know – if I happen to be 51,” said Fetterman, who was elected to the US Senate in 2022. “I don’t know.”

    If he has to put an R by his name to block Dems, he’ll do it.

    But the grift money for being the most conservative Dem is a shit ton more than being a random Republican.

    So he’s not going to do it unless there’s a reason, and that would likely come with a lump sum bribe.

    He’s advertising that he’d be for sale to all the billionaires who want trump to be unaccountable

    • Fredselfish@sh.itjust.works
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      6 小时前

      Should be illegal to run as Democrat get elected then switch to other party. If you want to switch Should have to run as that party. If I lived in that state I be PISSED! ASSHOLE should be recalled. The fact that voters in Pennsylvania aren’t protesting at the capital demanding just that.

      • arrow74@lemmy.zip
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        6 分钟前

        I’d support a law that would automatically trigger a recall vote if a sitting representative changes party affiliation.

        Of course since states have full control over the election of their representatives I suppose it may have to be 50 laws, but still

      • ayyy@sh.itjust.works
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        6 小时前

        Because he takes all the blame while they all get to cash their bribe checks as well.

      • corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca
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        6 小时前

        Because a dino still sits in a blue chair, and for them it can be all about the identity of the chairs in the room.

        But yeah. If the numbers swing hard enough on the midterms he won’t need to choose sides because it’ll be safe enough that they can boot him now and primary him later.

      • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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        6 小时前

        Because a new Congress is every 2 years and majorities matter a lot…

        Like, what do you think the gain is from kicking him out of the party?

        And who do you think should be in control of vetting politicians for the party?

        I understand your frustrations, but you haven’t thought this thru

        • Refract@lemmy.ca
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          4 小时前

          You guys need to burn Washington down and start over. Dumbest fucking political system ever.

          • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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            3 小时前

            Dumbest fucking political system ever.

            What an ignorant thing to say…

            Not even historically even, like, just present day has worse shit…