Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman hit back at members of his party who are upset with him that he shook Donald Trump’s hand as the president entered a joint session of Congress earlier this week to deliver his constitutionally mandated State of the Union Address.
Fetterman defended himself during an appearance on CNN with host Kasie Hunt on Thursday. “Why did you think it was important to shake President Trump’s hand?” Hunt asked.
“Well, of course, that’s the president. You don’t have to agree with everything. You can be in a different party,” Fetterman – who took his wife to meet with Trump and first lady Melania Turmp ahead of their inauguration after the 2024 election – explained.
“You know, I think it’s just basic respect and courtesy, you know, whether it’s for the office or whether it’s just kind of, I mean, I can’t think we can get to the place where, I mean, the State of the Union can’t turn into like the Springer Show,” Fetterman said, referencing the often-raucous nature of a show once hosted by Jerry Springer.
“Do you think your colleagues, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, conducted themselves the right way by that metric?” Hunt pressed.
“I’m saying I just disagree with that. It’s not my, it’s not my, I’m not going to criticize it, but I’m going to say that’s just not something I choose. And then I think I walked around and I was realized that half my colleagues were gone,” Fetterman continued.
“And now if they want to boycott it, that’s their choice. But I think overall, I don’t see that coming back to, I remember back in 2009 when, I forget his name, Joe Wilson, you know, yelled. I mean, that was really provocative and shocking to people,” Fetterman said.
In September 2009, Rep. Wilson (R-S.C.) yelled “You lie!” during an address to Congress by then-President Barack Obama regarding his healthcare plans. The incident led to a formal reprimand of Wilson by the House of Representatives.
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“And that had bipartisan, they condemned that. And now here, it’s just part of the, part of the now, where it’s just kind of like here it is. So I think something’s lost when, if that becomes like the new normal,” Fetterman said.
Hunt then, predictably, asked Fetterman if he thought it’s all Trump’s fault.
“I think we’re all part of it too. And I do think we have to find a way if we can be in the same room, we can disagree on these things. You don’t have to sign off on everything,” the Pennsylvania Democrat said.
“You don’t have to agree with everything. And now if I hear something that I agree with, or I like that, hey, I’m going to stand up and clap for those things. And I think, and if someone’s angry that I shook the president’s hand as he walked in, that’s, I think that’s on them,” he continued.
“And I think some of the people that were angry that I did that, they didn’t really have a problem when Mandami visited with the White House too. So like, if we refuse to talk to the other side, I mean, that’s the only one that really loses, that’s America,” he added.
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Hunt then noted that Fetterman wore a suit and tie for the event rather than his traditional hoodie and shorts.
“I’m not sure why that’s news. Yes, I do. I do dress like a slob,” he said.
“But I mean, for me, I’m going to respect the event, respect, that’s the dress code, of course. So for me, it was an opportunity to hear these things. And I think there was enough there that I could say, hey, I want to acknowledge that I think that’s a good thing.”
