The Most Interesting Man in Congress

There are some extreme members of Congress on both sides of the aisle who seemingly try to outdo each other in saying outlandish things. Not Senator John Fetterman. He speaks the language of compromise and bipartisanship. Stidency is not interesting. Partisan hacks are not interesting.

Despite this conciliatory approach, or partly because of it, this Democratic senator from Pennsylvania is a fascinating figure in Washington.  Fetterman's independent voice is refreshing. He cuts an unusual figure in national politics with his shaved head, hoodies, and gym shorts. He even donned this attire at the inauguration ceremony.

Why is Fetterman being profiled here? Following a stroke during his campaign and subsequent heart surgery, Fetterman checked himself back into the hospital for major depression. He had gone through depressive episodes earlier in his life, but it became significantly worse after the stroke. Depression after a stroke is quite common.

Health Problems

Fetterman’s health challenges were used against him in his 2020 campaign. Would he be able to serve his term? Was he cognitively sharp? He had trouble expressing himself sometimes. But he won a close race.

Mental illness is not well accepted in national politics. We have not really evolved since Thomas Eagleton was dropped from the Democratic presidential ticket in 1972.  Anonymous staffers expressed concern that Fetterman had become withdrawn, which is not acceptable in the highest levels of the political world.

Conciliatory

Pennsylvania is a purple state, and that may have a lot to do with his bipartisan approach, as it was with Arizonan Kristen Sinema. But political followers from around the country are polarized in their opinions of Fetterman.

Fetterman was the only Democratic senator to vote to confirm Pam Bondi as attorney general. He had been an early critic of President Biden’s border policies. He visited President-Elect Trump at Mar-a-Lago. And he has brutally assessed his party’s loss in November:

"I think their primary currency was shaming and scolding and talking down to people and telling them hey, I know better than you, or you’re dopes, or you’re a bro, or you’re ignorant or, how can you be this dumb? I can’t imagine it. And then, by the way, they’re fascists. How can you vote for that?"