Fetterman says he'll oppose Gabbard, RFK Jr.

[Polybius]

Source: Politico

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who has been willing to buck his party to confirm some of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks, is ruling out voting for two of the president's most controversial nominees: Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Fetterman said in a post on X Thursday night that he won’t vote to confirm Gabbard as director of national intelligence or Kennedy as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Both are now expected to be confirmed after their nominations had been seen to be in jeopardy.

“I have met with most of the cabinet nominees and have carefully watched their confirmation hearings,” Fetterman wrote. “After considering what’s at stake, I have voted against moving forward to the confirmation of Ms. Gabbard and Mr. Kennedy, and will be voting NO on their confirmations.”

Fetterman was the lone Democrat to vote to confirm Pam Bondi as Trump’s attorney general, was one of two Democrats to vote to confirm Scott Turner as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and was the sole Democrat to cast a committee vote advancing billionaire Howard Lutnick’s nomination to lead the Commerce Department.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/02/06/congress/john-fetterman-rfk-gabbard-00203047

[JBTaurus83]

1. I live in his state

We are by no means a safe state for him to win re-election. I don’t care for him and I would prefer for another candidate, but, outside of his theatrics, his votes are reliably with us on legislation. He’s pulling a bit of a Susan Collins, vote with them when it doesn’t matter.

[Think. Again.]

4. Publicly condoning a nazi regime "doesn't matter"?

[berksdem]

13. I live in PA

and went door to door for him on way too many occasions. Fuck Fetterman!

[Mawspam2]

2. Too late, asshat. You already let in the worst of them.

People either vote for Democrats or vote for Republicans. Nobody votes for Republican-lite. Ask Sinema. Just quit now and draw your lifetime pension in Tahiti.

[Wiz Imp]

3. He already let in the worst of them?

So you think none of the people he voted for would have been confirmed if not for his vote? Sorry, his vote was ultimately meaningless. His votes let in nobody as they all have been confirmed unanimously by Republicans.

Also, already the worst of them? So you think the people already confirmed are worse than Gabbard & Kennedy? He has also already voted against Hegseth and Vought, truly the 2 worst nominees confirmed so far.

[Think. Again.]

5. Publicly agreeing that those people should be confirmed...

...is far from "ultimately meaningless".

[Oopsie Daisy]

9. Bernie voted for Rubio... it was 99 to zero.

I've heard people describe his vote as being "meaningless" because a no-vote would have not stopped his appointment either. Do you agree?



https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/01/20/us/politics/rubio-senate-confirmation-vote.html

[Think. Again.]

12. I do not agree.

Public perception of this administration must be made clear.

There is absolutely no reason to give an appearance of acceptance and legitimacy to ANY of trump's nominees.

[Skittles]

6. THEY ARE ALL TRUMP WHORES

SO YES THEY ARE *ALL* BAD

[hlthe2b]

8. Good gawd. Are we at the enabling the Fascists is "just fine" stage now?

Stop excusing the FASCISTS! ANY OF THEM!

[hlthe2b]

7. So apparently he's realized his obfuscation and enabling of a NAZI regime might just not be popular.

Despite his voting for some of the worst we could have, among Trump's nominations.

I no longer trust this guy and I phone banked for him long ago. NO MORE.

[Javaman]

10. at this point I dont give a shit what he thinks. he's the susan collins of the left. nt

[Paladin]

11. I'm honestly surprised by this. And that's no compliment.

I figured that Fetterman would continue his trump-pleasing ways by voting for another couple of dangerous, goosestepping, cabinet incompetents. Fetterman still needs to be removed from Democratic office---the damage has already been done.

[kansasobama]

14. No voting for Bondi, election denier, was off limits

He went there and that means he is the man with no backbone . Can you trust him anymore? NO. Also he lied by portraying himself as a progressive. His no backbone approach will not save us from fascism. Fascism is the biggest threat of 2025. He cannot be counted to fight it. Connor Lamb was not progressive. But, he would have been a stronger person to fight fascism. Granted, he is not the only one

[Deminpenn]

15. Maybe the PA senator you should be mad at is Dave McCormick

How he votes matters as he is in the R majority. If McCormick had opposed Hegseth, he would not be SecDef, for example.
McCormick could have burnished his military leadership credentials on which he endlessly campaigned. We were all told about his West Pt education, combat tours where he commanded a unit, duty, honor, country and all. But when it came time to show real leadership, McCormick meekly squeked "aye" to confirm Hegseth.

Fetterman's vote does not matter one way or the other because Dems have only 47 votes including the 2 INDs.

[KatyBR]

16. What about KASH PATEL?

[republianmushroom]

17. DINO