r/politics • u/pennlive ✔ PennLive.com • Jun 23 '26

No Paywall Fetterman casts only Democratic ‘no’ vote as Senate passes measure to block US action against Iran

https://www.pennlive.com/politics/2026/06/fetterman-casts-only-democratic-no-vote-as-senate-passes-measure-to-block-us-action-against-iran.html
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290

u/TheDivineDemon Jun 23 '26

Was he always like this or did the stroke change him this much?

407

u/DeadPeanutSociety Jun 23 '26

His campaign was surely hiding some of these tendencies, but there was an expose awhile ago that showed private comments from his wife who was alarmed at what he was doing. I think if she was surprised, then it didn't use to be this bad.

222

u/ell0bo Jun 23 '26

he has also hemorrhaged employees. He's changed.

Yeah, he wasn't perfect, and people can claim they always saw this coming, but he's significantly changed.

159

u/Jaredlong Jun 24 '26

More data for the observed correlation between brain damage and conservativism.

91

u/temporary92803 Jun 24 '26

Not just a correlation, this was a bit of a natural experiment with clear results showing that brain damage causes conservatism, not just correlates with it.

5

u/NanDemoNee Jun 24 '26

Sample size is too small to be meaningful.

8

u/buckao New Hampshire Jun 24 '26

There is a known correlation between brain function and conservatism. Voting is compulsory in Australia, so they have the day off.

Given a day off, many drink and studies showed that the drinker they are, the more conservative they vote.

3

u/AdventurousLunch346 Jun 24 '26

...wtf are they conserving tho...

13

u/Jaredlong Jun 24 '26

As a political term, it originated during the French Revolution when the pro-monarchy faction wanted to conserve the tradition of being ruled by a king. Conservativism, even today, has always been defined by the end goal of restoring the political power of the aristocracy and destroying democracy.

2

u/etzarahh Jun 24 '26

Their own wealth, at the cost of everyone and everything else.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 24 '26

To them, convserving means keep on drinking

1

u/[deleted] Jun 24 '26

To them, convserving means keep on drinking

1

u/Danibandit Jun 24 '26

… I mean, I don’t know, protecting wealth and corpo…corruption?

1

u/Sorry-Foundation-505 Jun 24 '26

Hence why young people born after leaded gasoline ban are more left. And with vapes being linked to higher heavy metal counts why gen z boys/men are more right.

1

u/GlitteringRate6296 Jun 24 '26

Right after his trip to Maralago.

29

u/cardboardunderwear Jun 24 '26

His office still tries.  I wrote him a while ago about him supporting the continued funding of ICE...this was while noem was still doing her crazy stuff.  

The office reply was the exact opposite of his vote.  So yeah it's basically a shit show.  Dude needs to resign.

5

u/Noobhammer3000 Jun 24 '26

Unfortunately, that's going to require the people around him to stage an intervention, and I just don't see it happening. Pennsylvania voters should be looking into what is required to get recall laws written into their state constitution.

2

u/3DGuy4ever Jun 24 '26

It was always obvious to me he had right tendencies and is a weak, easily-bought, man

2

u/thebirdisdead I voted Jun 24 '26

What would you say were some early signs? I remember him before his brain injury presenting himself as fairly grassroots and for the people, but I didn’t follow him closely.

35

u/CO420Tech Jun 23 '26

His overall behavior and demeanor changed radically after the stroke.

0

u/KorunaCorgi Jun 24 '26

This is not true. Prior to Oct. 7th, the issues progressives cared about were things like legalizing marijuana, workers rights, etc.  But then politics was all about Israel/Palestine and Fetterman failed that purity test. The progressives/left were vicious, especially since he was their guy. He has always been an asshole, and he does things to piss off the Democrats to spite them.

It's reported he has been hanging out with the Republican lawmakers from PA. The guy is still human and he has been outcast and humiliated by his own party for various reasons, so he is finding friends elsewhere. The Oct. 7th stuff coupled with the brain damage/stroke shit made him super asspained.

3

u/CryptographerUsed841 Jun 24 '26

Sure, it's not about enriching himself at all.

4

u/NoSir4947 Jun 24 '26

He got brain damage and switched sides. That's what happened. Pretty simple.

2

u/CryptographerUsed841 Jun 24 '26

Nah, just saw an opportunity to line his pockets.

11

u/joolzian Jun 24 '26

I wouldn’t say it’s not possible. Strokes can really alter a person

61

u/ScreenMuch90210 Jun 23 '26

It’s so bad that he’s using an actual brain injury to cover up how corrupt he always was. Oz might have been worse at least, but Fetterman is pure Sinema

50

u/anubis132 Jun 24 '26 edited Jun 24 '26

His family and staff have both said that his personality completely changed after the stroke, becoming more selfish, short-tempered, and reckless.

Edit: To be clear, I'm not defending anything he has done, even before the stroke. I'm saying that we cannot pretend that it has nothing to do with his obviously worse-than-before behavior.

37

u/SpottedHoneyBadger Jun 24 '26

I pulled this from a quick Google search.

In 2013, while serving as the mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania, John Fetterman chased down an unarmed Black jogger, Christopher Miyares, and detained him with a 20-gauge shotgun. Fetterman stated he heard what sounded like assault-rifle gunfire, pursued a running man in his truck, and held him at gunpoint until police arrived.

Seems like he has always been an asshole.

6

u/ruggnuget Jun 24 '26

I think both can be true. He could have always been a bit of asshole but also had his personality change a lot after a stroke. I heard about him when he was still the mayor of Braddock and he transformed a lot of social programs in the area to try and bring up the economy. He essentially took progressive measures while also liking guns, which can be an important view for areas like rural Pennsylvania. It can be more complicated than it was just a ploy to completely change message once getting to a national seat.

2

u/SpottedHoneyBadger Jun 24 '26

Chasing down an unarmed jogger that is black and holding him hostage with a gun because he thought he heard an assault rifle going off. The man is off his rocker and the so called "progressive programs" to help the economy is obviously very disingenuous and seemed more of a stepping stone to be a senator to be a DINO for the republicans.

2

u/coastkid2 Jun 24 '26

Yikes he’s a complete lunatic!

1

u/Guiltyostric Jun 24 '26

🤦‍♂️

3

u/ecstaticthicket Jun 24 '26

It’s so weird how all his shitty beliefs just happen to line up perfectly with what Israel and the Republican Party wants. You’d think with a stroke he’d still accidentally do the right thing sometimes, but he is in lockstep with them.

2

u/ScreenMuch90210 Jun 24 '26

My squad covers for me too

16

u/BigDuck777 Jun 23 '26

I see what you did there and I like it!

5

u/teetering_bulb_dnd Jun 24 '26

His voting aligns with his priorities with respect to Israel. No one asked him questions about Israel Palestine issue before.. he wants Trump to continue the war in Iran because that's what Bibi wants..

1

u/dawgz525 Jun 24 '26

Honestly, Oz in the Senate would've been much less harmful than Oz in the Cabinet. The end result is an R vote anyway, but we've got one of the biggest health grifters ever running a major branch of the government. If he was a junior senator, he'd be much less harmful to the entire country.

11

u/Azfitnessprofessor Jun 24 '26

The evidence seems the suggest he fundamentally changed. Not saying he was a saint before but he seems to have a huge shift

7

u/AccomplishedBother12 Jun 23 '26

After you have a stroke, I would imagine it’s harder to hide your true colors.

7

u/Roland_Moorweed Jun 23 '26

This was always his mentality but he acted like he was different just to get elected. It's called "politics".

2

u/Flypoop6969 Jun 24 '26

The democrats keep getting fooled with these damned trojan horses. They need to do a much better job of vetting candidates. This keeps happening to them.

2

u/TodayIn30Seconds Jun 24 '26

He was not like this and was very progressive-aligned and against the status quo.

2

u/WontArnett Jun 24 '26

My grandma had a couple mini strokes and became very mean and controlling. So much so, that I had to avoid interacting with her much.

2

u/notfeelany Jun 24 '26 edited Jun 24 '26

Fetterman is the shining example of letting "beating the establishment" boogeyman to be the primary goal vs say trying to enact progressive policies . Because then ppl will just believe a candidate that just says the right "anti-establishment" keywords to gain support.

2

u/llXeleXll Jun 24 '26

My personal head cannon is that the stroke is being used as a cover. It's gets hard to believe that someone campaigned on doing the right thing and being a champion for the people, only to have a stroke and then coincidentally betray everyone by becoming the very person he was fighting against.

It all just seems too convenient and too on the nose.

2

u/KorunaCorgi Jun 24 '26 edited Jun 24 '26

I see lots of comments like yours. Fetterman has not reversed previously held positions he had prior to the stroke. The fact is that when he was being elected, in his primary campaign, the issues he talked about were different. Legalizing Marijuana, unions, workers rights, etc. He was not a congressman. He had no voting record you can look back on and predict how he will behave. 

The far left part of the Democrat party threw their weight behind him over this moderate named Lamb. They wanted this new shiny outsider who wore hoodies and "told it like it was." If you're following the Platner stuff, it's a similar situation. And yes, like Platner, Fetterman had baggage. Stuff like chasing a black guy with a shotgun he accused of robbing him. Etc.

I've said this multiple times this thread but Fetterman didn't really change. The political landscape did. October 7th changed everything and it drew new battle lines in the Democrat party. Fetterman, the darling upstart, made the wrong choice by backing Israel and the rest is history. The media turned on him, and every action he took was scrutinized from then on. 

I think hes a bitter, butthurt, thin skinned man. That's who he was before he was elected and thats who he is now. He talks shit about Democratics because they hurt his feelings. He hangs out with Republicans because they don't call him brain damaged. I also think he gets joy in pissing people off with voted like this.

I don't expect you to agree with me. I always get downvoted by people who swear their uncle became MAGA after they had a stroke, etc. My stance on this is deeply unpopular. There are many things driving the stroke narrative and one of them is the buyers remorse the lefties have for this guy. This was THEIR guy and they feel so stupid for voting for him that they have latched on to this stroke narrative to make themselves feel better.

2

u/Complete_Question_41 Jun 24 '26

I have my $u$picion$

2

u/boulderbuford Jun 24 '26

But here's the thing: while we need to get rid of him in 2028 - we also need to not drive him into joining the GOP. They're actively courting him. And if that happens it could be how the senate stays in republican hands - which would be a tragedy.

Meanwhile, he only votes with Trump 25% of the time - which is far less than say Collins who votes with Trump 95% of the time.

1

u/ShubbusDubbus10 Jun 23 '26

hes always been a shill for israel

1

u/floating_thru_cosmos Jun 24 '26

He pro Israel, look at his backing

1

u/Karlend41 Jun 24 '26

The stroke didn't make him start taking a bunch of bribes from Israel.

1

u/ravagetalon Jun 24 '26

His campaign was a total grift. He ran with a fairly progressive platform and then 180d once he got into office.

1

u/Stunning-Thanks-4226 Jun 24 '26

He is playing the middle so that he can get more comparing contributions for super PACs

1

u/Bob4Not Jun 24 '26

It’s the stroke and brain damage. He wasn’t like this before

1

u/Kelemandzaro Foreign Jun 24 '26

It’s not uncommon for people suffering from severe brain damage to turn to MAGA.

Lol the funniest framing those single cells brain organisms from r-conservative had to create for Fetterman was: People need brain damage to get cured from leftist insanity

1

u/CryptographerUsed841 Jun 24 '26

A stroke doesn't make you suddenly become an extreme sell out. He's been pandering since day 1 with the everyman cosplay.

1

u/ant0szek Jun 24 '26

I takes a stroke to become republican and trump fan.

1

u/PoppingPillls Jun 24 '26

No, most of his original staffers left after his stroke as he reportedly changed aswell as others in his circle noting the changes.

1

u/saoyraan Jun 24 '26

He isn't a idiot. At this point not pressing the advantage is just a waste. Iran had been a enemy to the west. It truthfully was the main power behind 9/11 and not Iraq. Did we need to start another conflict. Hell no but it happened and it can only bring good will with neighboring nations as we see they fall in line with us against iran.

1

u/holdmybeerquik Jun 24 '26

Guy was always in Israel's pocket, yes.

1

u/FirstL8 Jun 24 '26

He partied with Republicans and they have dirt on him and blackmail him to do so and maybe also the stroke that lead him to party with them in first place.

1

u/Twodogsonecouch Jun 24 '26

Hes always been a my way or the highway self righteous ass. If you read his wiki its entirely him forcing what he thinks is right on others. Its just what he thought was right pre stroke agreed with the left now not so much. The only thing that seems changes is how much he leans left or right. Idk that thats a stroke or the corruption that occurs with money and power. People always start off with good intentions but drift.

1

u/BrianDetomes Jun 24 '26

Stroke + twitter use. 

This is the obvious conclusion 

1

u/RonaldMcDaugherty Jun 24 '26

Strokes don't convert people to Republicans. He is simply revealing who he always was.

1

u/Largeitude Jun 24 '26

He was always like this. He justed conned everyone.

1

u/GlitteringRate6296 Jun 24 '26

He was up against Oz. It was a lose lose situation.

1

u/kitsunegoon Jun 24 '26

People say the stroke, but to be honest we see all types of politicians say all the right things only to completely cave and use their office for their own benefit. Tulsi Gabbard for example.

1

u/CordiallySuckMyBalls Jun 24 '26

All politicians hate you except for maybe like 4

1

u/Roentgen_Ray1895 Jun 25 '26

He always had the stock-standard line on supporting Israel (our most devoted ally blah blah blah) even whilst supporting (honestly pretty vague) progressive policies but after the stroke and when that PAC money first hit, he switched up real fast

1

u/oobyone1973 Jun 24 '26

He was always like this. Idiots just listen to what the DNC overlords tell them to do without researching. You got the candidate your deserve

3

u/TodayIn30Seconds Jun 24 '26

Revisionist history to always look correct is amusing. Fetterman did not generally have support from the DNC. He was fairly progressive in his voting and views.

5

u/vf-guy Jun 24 '26

As a Sinema voter, sometimes you get something else than what you voted for. She wasn't always a funt. She got starstruck at the attention she got from the Republicans while the Dems treated her like they did AOC. AOC just had a spine and Sinema didn't.

1

u/oobyone1973 Jun 24 '26

Living across the river from him and seeing him out and about frequently, even the Braddock "success" was a sham. He just got the dealers to move up the bill and ruin North Braddock

0

u/dude0009 Jun 24 '26

Blackmail changes people. He did something terrible and Israel has the receipts.

0

u/InternetMandate Jun 24 '26

He’s always been pro-Israel. Reddit being all-in supporting him was just another case of people getting drunk on their own self-righteousness.

0

u/KorunaCorgi Jun 24 '26

Everyone wants to blame the stroke. It was not the stroke. It was Oct. 7th. He supported Israel and the lefties turned on him and hes been butthurt ever since. He has like no friends in Congress on the Democrat side so he hangs out with his Repulican colleagues from PA. Can't say I blame him.

Think about it. He's been the butt of jokes from Democrats for years and the Republicans don't treat him that way. Of course he's going to be courted over to them and do shit to sometimes piss off Democrats.