John Fetterman Is the Status Quo in Gym Shorts

Senator John Fetterman once told Pennsylvania voters that he’d be a different kind of Democrat. Progressive, casually dressed, and plainspoken, Fetterman’s persona cut a refreshing contrast not just to other primary candidates but also to his eventual Republican opponent, Dr. Mehmet Oz. After he was elected last year, Fetterman initially seemed like a consistent figure. He maintained his support for the legalization of marijuana. He told the public about his hospitalization for depression, linking his plainspokenness to a rare kind of honesty. When federal prosecutors announced corruption charges against Senator Robert Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, Fetterman swiftly and repeatedly condemned him. Lately, though, his persona has worn thin. His stances on Israel and immigration reform are alienating the progressive base he once cultivated — and now he’s trying to rewrite history.

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