John Fetterman: The Rogue Democrat Who Broke Party Ranks
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
John Fetterman, thank you for joining us here on the All In podcast for this All In interview.
What does John Fetterman think about the current state of the Democratic Party?
Very excited to have you here today. I know you're in the middle of voting today. Sounds like the Save America Act might be starting its debate on the floor. Is that correct? I don't know. What I've heard... recently that they don't have the votes, but we will find. But I don't have any special insight. I mean, it's going to be very close. I don't think if they do hit it, I don't see it more beyond 51. But I'm not really sure. it's a shame that they didn't make it more about just ID to vote. They, they turned it into other things that they turned it into kind of a Christmas tree and they're hanging all these things on it. But, uh, that's, that's where we are, but we'll know, uh, And having someone follow that, too, he's going to let me know, in fact, because I'm really interested to see how it goes, because if they do, then that's going to turn into a really a spectacle about what a talking filibuster is.
Yeah, well, let's see what happens. I mean, it's a pretty dramatic week ahead. Let me just start. I want to zoom out a little bit and talk about how you make policy decisions.
How does Fetterman view the impact of the SAVE Act on voting rights?
And I want to just start with party. You ran as a progressive in 2016, lost. You beat Dr. Oz in 22. And now you have a 72% approval rating from Pennsylvania Republicans and only 22% from Democrats. Are you a Republican or are you a Democrat, Senator? And kind of what's the way that you think about your party affiliation?
What is Fetterman's stance on immigration and ICE's role?
Well, I actually I think the more realistic the realistic numbers was like earlier in the morning console. And that had me at basically 50 50 with Dems. And I was I was in the 60s for with Republicans, without a doubt, without a doubt. that I am more popular with Republicans. And I'm mystified by that. I mean, I'm honored to have support from any Pennsylvanian.
How does Fetterman assess the government's financial situation?
But what I will say that, you know, I'm just going to follow what I think is the moral clarity. And now in my very first race back in 2015, over a decade ago, what used to be a progressive is definitely not what a progressive started to turn into and what it'd be now. And even in my race in 21, 22, I was announcing I am no longer, I'm just a Democrat. I'm not a progressive. And now there's been that evolution away from like those core principles that really weren't controversial.
Why does Fetterman identify as a Democrat despite party changes?
And now I've isolated myself by following and standing and proud to be unapologetically supporting Israel. And now, if you've seen that that poll came out yesterday, that the standing and the Democratic Party continues to deteriorate. I've put that out on my social media and I said, I don't follow, I don't care about the polls. You know, there's a moral clarity here and that should be where the rest of us should be. And now it's been really easy for me to lean in on it. And that I created the only Democrat that's very supportive about epic fury. And I'm also the only Democrat that refuses to shut down the Department of Homeland Security. Yes, as a Democrat, we would like to make some reforms on ICE.
But what I'm unwilling to do is shut it down. And after that horrific, that attack in Michigan, where where he was looking to kill 150 toddlers, you know, and now there's more and more kinds of these these events. Why would you vote to shut our government down and the cybersecurity agency? You know, that must be incredible for the Chinese and the Iranians that we've shut that government down. So that's that, you know, my core values haven't changed. If anything's changed, that's been kind of the core, what's required to be a Democrat. And I'm going to follow what I think is true. What is the country over party, whether that's the right side of history. What do you think the Democratic Party used to stand for?
What does it stand for today? And what do you think it should stand for? Honestly, I don't know. But what I will say, as I would refer to your listeners, is like, Listen to what the people that are running for the Senate as Democrats. Watch what they're saying and doing.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:04
2
What does John Fetterman think about the current state of the Democratic Party?
0:04–1:12
3
How does Fetterman view the impact of the SAVE Act on voting rights?
1:12–1:34
4
What is Fetterman's stance on immigration and ICE's role?
1:34–2:01
5
How does Fetterman assess the government's financial situation?
2:01–2:38
6
Why does Fetterman identify as a Democrat despite party changes?
2:38–18:45
7
What are Fetterman's thoughts on the national wealth tax?
18:45–19:56
8
How does Fetterman view the relationship between AI and economic disparity?
19:56–45:16
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