Social and news media commenters seize on senator’s gaffe, with some characterizing it as a Freudian slip

With speculation about whether he may defect from the Democratic party swirling around him, US senator John Fetterman described himself seemingly unintentionally as a “lifelong Republican” during a fireside chat in Texas over the weekend.

Fetterman made the comment when someone listening to him speak with CBS News political correspondent Major Garrett at the Texas Tribune Festival on Saturday asked the Pennsylvania senator why he had not become an independent.

“Because I’m a lifelong Republican,” Fetterman replied. Garrett promptly corrected him by saying, “Democrat,” as Fetterman raised a hand and shook his head in disbelief.

    • oopsgodisdeadmybad@lemmy.zip
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      6 hours ago

      Now that part we need to normalize. Ties are useless, annoying, uncomfortable, and I’m done cases potentially dangerous. I think they’re ugly af personally, but I think women think they look good? Or maybe they’re more attached to the status that sometimes comes with them.

      I could go on a whole rant, but I understand that in certain circumstances a uniform might be useful, it helpful. But I’m so other circumstances, wearing something formal should never ever be expected or demanded.

      Leave it as an option for the sickos who convince themselves they really want to and it’s not a phase, but I have a feeling that once getting rid of suits and ties becomes the default, no one will ever want to outside of actors playing characters dated sometime between their invention and riddance), and maybe for some weird sex stuff.

      People look better when they’re comfortable. Let them be comfortable, even at work.

      I’ve already told my younger siblings that when I’m dead (not that I’ve decided exactly what should happen at all yet), that under absolutely no circumstances do I want a stuffy formal funeral, or even burial. Humans made a mistake creating the funeral industry.

      One of my brothers is a little annoyed at that, as I do have a funeral director as a brother. But he’s known me longer than he’s worked there, so he’ll get over it. Not like I would ever sit a funeral anyway. But that’s not why I don’t want one.

      This is where the rant would really start, but I could go for a while on this subject (and the tangential ones that would come up, like getting to funerals from ties).

      • 5318008@lemmy.ml
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        6 hours ago

        Ties are a descendent of the cravat. It’s just another way to accessorize. We used to have plain shirts and coats, and it was something to add a little pizzazz somewhere.

        You might do the same thing, but with graphic tees, face piercings, tattoos, hairstyles, or any other thing that differentiates your appearance from anyone else’s. Basically, our monkey brains see other people with a cool new look, and we want it, too. That’s what happened with the necktie, once upon a time.

        • oopsgodisdeadmybad@lemmy.zip
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          5 hours ago

          I feel the same towards those. Like I said, it can still exist, but should not be the default for “serious business”.

          I realize (or assume) that was the royal “you” there, but personally I have a cartoon character’s wardrobe basically. Shorts and solid colored tees. No piercings or tattoos, and I’m bald.

          There is one tattoo I have picked out that I might get eventually, but my doctor has strongly advised against it. But I might just say “fuck it” one day and just be super duper careful about infection prevention (in my condition that is very likely to happen, while also being a waaay bigger problem potentially than it is most people).

          But it would be more personally significant than a decoration to me.

    • A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world
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      21 hours ago

      Dude, he didnt become a republican because of the stroke.

      He’s always been one. and a piece of shit asshole too

      his locals have been saying that from the damn start.

    • stoly@lemmy.world
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      24 hours ago

      I’m convinced that it’s his stroke causing a personality change and possibly cognitive decline.

      • A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world
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        21 hours ago

        his locals that have known and dealt with him long before the election have all said he’s been a fucking cunt his entire life.

        the stroke had nothing to do with anything

      • FilthyShrooms@lemmy.world
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        21 hours ago

        I’m convinced the stroke was fake and his run as a democrat was a ruse to get elected on false promises

        • FudgyMcTubbs@lemmy.world
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          8 hours ago

          Well the big three in Fetterman’s election were himself, Dr. Oz, and Dave McCormick. At the time, Fetterman seemed like the better pick. But now I know “it’s the same picture.” Fetterman won’t make it out of his next primary unless he runs as a Republican… Then maybe, but probably not still.

  • Denfa@lemmy.world
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    21 hours ago

    He’s getting paid to deliver Republican wins. Fetterman loves the money. I doubt he cares which party he aligns with as long as the grift keeps paying.

    • Mulligrubs@lemmy.world
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      19 hours ago

      Practically everyone in office is getting paid to deliver something.

      For example, Biden was paid to stop minimum wage.

      Trump was paid to invade Iraq.

      You can tell what they were paid for by watching what they do. Viola! That’s what was paid for.

      Dollars are free speech and corporations are people.

  • ayyy@sh.itjust.works
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    1 day ago

    If you listen to him, he clearly still has issues with speech after the stroke. A speech impediment isn’t inherently disqualifying from being a lawmaker, but such a dramatic change to someone’s brain should have automatically triggered a re-election that allowed the voters to evaluate if he could still perform his duties to the same degree as when he was elected by the people.

    • Bob Robertson IX @discuss.tchncs.de
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      1 day ago

      Except, the stroke happened before the election. The stroke happened before the primary.

      The people of Pennsylvania elected him to office knowing that he’d had a serious stroke.

      • Jtotheb@lemmy.world
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        24 hours ago

        Yeah dog. Welcome to representative politics. The primary was never even close. Stroke was a few days beforehand. His campaign talked up his recovery. Feel free to look up quotes about just needing surgery for a pacemaker and how he’d be fine. All the messaging stayed progressive; campaigns are run by staffers, so him being absent meant nothing for outward appearances. And who would progressives have voted for after he won the primary—Doctor Oz? Or should everyone have banded together to call the Fetrerman campaign liars and form a write in push for one of the primary losers? And risk losing Pennsylvania to DOCTOR OZ?!

        Pennsylvanians were lied to and they have no true representation. But there’s no mechanism to fix that. You’re supposed to wait a couple years and just take what you get, because it’s more important that you follow the rules than it is to be heard. And that’s called democracy.

        • FudgyMcTubbs@lemmy.world
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          8 hours ago

          Between Oz, McCormick and Fetterman, at least Fetterman lives in Pennsylvania. That’s how shitty the choices for that election ended up being.

  • ExtremeDullard@piefed.social
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    1 day ago

    “Accidentally”…

    Either this guy’s brain was so deprived of oxygen that it’s now unable to lie, or - more likely - he’s sending not-so-subtle messages to his soon-to-be new political family.