Greg Fulton: The surprising John Fetterman

Many people, like I, viewed Sen. John Fetterman as merely a lesser version of Bernie Sanders when he was running for Senate. Progressives in the Democratic Party felt he was one of them and thought he would unwaveringly support their agenda, a “back bencher” who would sit quietly and follow party leaders.

I admit that I was wrong, and apparently many others were, too.

Even some of Fetterman’s original supporters did not understand this complex man who they knew as mayor of Braddock, lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania and one the first politicians to back Sanders for president in 2016. Fetterman’s support for Israel and exporting of natural gas, as well as his views on immigration, have surprised and disappointed some of his original staff to the point that several have left.

Fetterman is far more Pennsylvanian than progressive, more like a “blue dog” Democrat from the past. His greatest concern is for the working-class people in the state who are trying to support their families. His priorities are more with his constituents than the national party or aspirations for higher office.

Fetterman is brutally blunt and often funny, such as when he apologized to the “Jerry Springer Show” for comparing it to the Senate. He noted that after taking office, he found that the Senate was much worse than the Springer show.

He has not spared his fellow senators from criticism. He was one of the first elected officials to call for Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey, or “Gold Bar Bob,” as Fetterman nicknamed him, to resign from office after being indicted for taking bribes, including gold bars.

His steadfast support for President Biden, despite weakening public and party support, further placed him at odds with many fellow Democrats. He not only stood by Biden but even doubled down in the weeks before he left the race.

Some believe Fetterman may have done this because he faced similar questions after his Senate debate with Dr. Oz. At that time Fetterman was recovering from a stroke, and his shaky performance fueled questions as to whether he was capable of doing the job. Fetterman won the race by a comfortable margin. The difference? Voters realized that while Fetterman’s condition was serious, it was more likely temporary. In contrast, people believe Biden’s condition will only worsen in the years ahead.

A recent sore point has been Fetterman’s strong support for Israel. Evidently neither he nor Sen. Joe Manchin got the message from Democratic leadership that they were supposed to shun Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he spoke to Congress. He and Manchin were the only Democratic senators who stayed after the speech to thank Netanyahu for speaking and indicating their continuing support for Israel. While they may not support all of Netanyahu’s actions, they recognize that there is a time and place to express those concerns. Further, they understand the value and importance of recognizing the leader of a nation that has been one of the United States’ staunchest allies. Snubbing Netanyahu was not only a slap at him but a show of disrespect for Israel.

Fetterman’s support of fracking and the export of natural gas represents another point of contention with progressives and those on the far left. His position is based on his concern for Pennsylvania blue-collar workers and the importance of having our nation be energy independent. Fetterman realizes that fracking and natural gas exportation allow for good-paying jobs and have a multiplier effect on local economies in areas where unemployment has been high. Further, he believes that oil and gas production in our country is better from an environmental standpoint than if it was developed and produced in other countries that do not have as stringent environmental laws and regulations as the U.S.

Fetterman has not abandoned the principles of his party, but rather has modified his positions and views on some key issues after research and listening to his constituents. Instead of staying in D.C. and interacting with high-powered Beltway lobbyists and power brokers, Fetterman is more interested in traveling back to Pennsylvania and visiting with everyday working people. Those interactions have helped shape his positions.

We can only hope more of our elected representatives would do this rather than blindly follow party directives or determine their position based on how it may affect their political future.

Greg Fulton is a New Castle native living in Denver.