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Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman broke with fellow Democrats again Friday, criticizing what he called the party’s overreliance on anti-Trump messaging and urging a shift toward a more constructive approach.
“My colleagues, and people that are running, whether for the Senate or the House, they’re literally running on f— Trump,” Fetterman said on the latest episode of “Real Time with Bill Maher”
“They have campaign commercials [with that message]. It’s absurd…” he added.
“I refuse to engage in those extreme terms, and we have to find a better way forward, and now I’ve been punished [for] find[ing] value in certain views.”
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Fetterman, who has increasingly positioned himself as an independent-minded voice within the party, framed his comments as a larger critique of partisan strategies as the country eyes the high-stakes midterm election cycle.
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Fetterman did not defend Trump directly, but suggested that defining campaigns primarily in opposition to him risks dismissing valid ideas simply because they belong to Trump’s side.
“Like the ballroom… I don’t care about the ballroom,” he said, referring to the proposed White House space that the left has vehemently resisted.
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“I don’t either… it’s so stupid,” Maher chimed in.
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Maher added, “We saw a couple of weeks ago with the assassination attempt [at the WHCA Dinner], America probably does need [a ballroom].”
Fetterman also rejected the idea of switching parties, framing his comments as a personal criticism rather than a political realignment.
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“If I ever decide to change, and I won’t, have me on, and I’ll announce that,” he said, laughing.
“But I’m a committed Democrat… I vote 93% of the time [with the Democrats]. I thought we were supposed to be a ‘big tent’ party, so I’m not sure how I became an issue for any of the Democrats, just by having some different views.”