Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont offered criticism towards Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, describing him as “way out of touch” with American public sentiment. Fetterman’s recent remarks accused Sanders of having no regret over endorsing Graham Platner, a former Senate nominee in Maine caught in several scandals.
Sanders countered by highlighting Fetterman’s standing among Pennsylvania Democrats, suggesting Fetterman is out of sync with voters on Israel and other topics. “Last time I checked,” Sanders stated on “Meet the Press,” “Fetterman was representing the views of around 19% of Democrats in Pennsylvania.” Sanders pointed to Fetterman being lower in approval than any other Democratic Senator.
A July survey from Quinnipiac University indicated 19% of Pennsylvania Democrats approved of Fetterman’s performance, with 69% disapproving. Sanders seemed to reference these findings. Despite a 77% approval rating among Republicans, Fetterman’s overall approval stood at 48% among registered voters.
Fetterman’s office directed Fox News Digital to comments he shared with Semafor last Thursday, where he intensified his criticism of Sanders. Fetterman blamed Sanders for promoting Platner during multiple controversies before Platner withdrew from Maine’s Senate race. “You were the carnival barker for an accused rapist,” Fetterman declared, urging Sanders to take responsibility and apologize.
The altercation is part of a long-standing tension between Sanders and Fetterman over Platner and the Democratic stance on Israel. “Meet the Press” aired a clip showing Fetterman faulting Sanders for backing Platner despite controversies, accusing Sanders of having no regret in supporting someone with a troubled past.
Sanders acknowledged the gravity of the allegations against Platner but defended the campaign Platner ran by noting many of the issues Platner raised resonated nationally. “Platner ran a strong campaign,” Sanders argued, defending the initial endorsement prior to the allegations.
CJ Womack is an associate editor at Fox News who joined Fox News Digital’s team after his graduation from Long Beach State University. With a background in Political Science and Journalism, CJ has experience in analyzing and reporting news media. News tips can be directed to [email protected].