Dem
47
GOP
53
Kash Patel is not the only prominent political figure to be the subject of some unflattering reporting from behind the scenes in the last several days. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) was the focus of two such pieces, one from New York magazine and the other from NBC News. The gist of the reporting is that: (1) Fetterman is not especially interested in the work of being a U.S. Senator, and (2) His behavior has become increasingly erratic, very possibly as a by-product of his stroke and/or his failure to follow doctors' orders and take care of himself.
As to the first point, the evidence is pretty substantial. Since April of 2024, he has missed 77 of 381 votes in the Senate. The only members with worse records over that time are Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and VP J.D. Vance. One of them was busy running for president for much of last year, while the other was busy running for vice president. The committees on which Fetterman serves have met a combined total of 46 times this year; the Senator has attended one of those 46 meetings. Many Democratic senators have tried to get a meeting with him to discuss legislation, only to be denied. Fetterman has only attended one public event in Pennsylvania this year, and that was in January.
As to the second point, well, the evidence there is pretty substantial, too. Fetterman already had a reputation for being temperamental, but his propensity to blow his stack has reportedly grown noticeably worse. He once worked hard to build relationships with other politicians, but has apparently given that up, and is increasingly isolated. He has also reportedly begun engaging in conspiratorial thinking, muttering about shadowy forces who are out to get him.
As with Patel (above), Fetterman has an explanation for all of this. He says he was elected to be an "outsider" and not to be "cuddly," so of course he isn't the belle of the Senate ball. He argues that he's been present for the most important votes, or that he votes by proxy, and that when he misses a vote, it's because he's busy campaigning for other Democrats. He also insists that his health is fine, and that his doctors are satisfied. And he attributes the two "hit pieces," as he calls them, to left-wingers who are angry about his position on Israel and his efforts to build a relationship with Donald Trump.
As with the reporting on Patel, it's probable that there's some truth coming from both sides of these stories. That said, Fetterman's accounting of events is pretty seriously compromised by a letter written last year by his then chief-of-staff Adam Jentleson, to Fetterman's neuropsychiatrist Dr. David Williamson. Both the New York and the NBC piece quote passages from that letter, including this:
We do not know if he is taking his meds and his behavior frequently suggests he is not. We often see the kind of warning signs we discussed: conspiratorial thinking; megalomania (for example, he claims to be the most knowledgeable source on Israel and Gaza around but his sources are just what he reads in the news—he declines most briefings and never reads memos); high highs and low lows; long, rambling, repetitive and self-centered monologues; lying in ways that are painfully, awkwardly obvious to everyone in the room, such as swearing up and down that he didn't say something everyone heard him say a few minutes prior.
Jentleson was a Fetterman supporter and staffer when he wrote that letter, which was also not meant for public consumption. And Jentleson is well-known for being a centrist, and being disdainful of both progressive activism and Israel critics. So, it's hard to argue that the letter reflects some sort of ulterior motive on the author's part.
Recognizing that Fetterman has some unique challenges, and that he's deserving of support and sympathy, Democrats who spoke to the media this weekend largely defended him as a good colleague who is doing his job well. However, several Republican senators, namely Tom Cotton (AR), Chuck Grassley (IA), and Dave McCormick (PA), defended him even more aggressively. It is possible that those fellows are just nicer and more empathetic than the Democrats are. Or, it is possible that they think Fetterman is angry and taking things personally, and that he might be persuaded to flip to the GOP. Whether Fetterman switches parties (like his fellow Pennsylvanian Arlen Specter), resigns, or tries to stay the course, it's a situation that bears watching. (Z)