Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., offered rare bipartisan praise this week, hailing Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., as a political maverick whose blunt authenticity, in his view, outweighs rigid party loyalty in an increasingly polarized Capitol.
According to Fox News, Kennedy told The Will Cain Show that Fetterman stands out precisely because he refuses to conform to Washingtons scripted politics. He plays outside the pocket. He just doesn't give a damn who's mad at him, Kennedy said Monday, underscoring that kind of independence as a welcome contrast to the Democratic Partys usual lockstep discipline.
Kennedy went further, describing Fetterman as someone largely indifferent to elite opinion and media outrage. If you ask him, Fetterman, how do you sleep at night knowing that there are people out there that hate you? He's likely to say something like, With the fan on. He just doesn't care, and I find that refreshing.
The Louisiana Republican, a consistent conservative voice, also labeled Fetterman a total banger, stressing that their frequent policy clashes do not diminish his respect for the Pennsylvanians candor. That respect is notable given Fettermans party alignment with President Biden and Senate Democrats, who have often pushed expansive federal spending and lenient border policies that conservatives strongly oppose.
Fetterman has nonetheless carved out an independent profile as Pennsylvanias senior senator, backing Israel, taking tougher positions on illegal immigration, and supporting resolutions to reopen the government when his partys leadership has been more willing to tolerate shutdown brinkmanship. Kennedys praise follows similar comments on The Sunday Briefing, where he applauded Fettermans unorthodox public image.
He is what cool looks like because he dresses like Adam Sandler, Kennedy said, smiling, highlighting the senators casual attire as a symbol of his disregard for Beltway pretensions. His latest remarks came as Washington entered a third day of a partial government shutdown driven by a House funding standoff.
The House is slated to vote Tuesday on a funding package that could end the partial shutdown and restore money to key federal agencies, a test of whether Congress can still function amid deep ideological divides. For conservatives, Kennedys comments underscore that while policy differences with Democrats remain stark, there is still room to recognize those on the left who break with progressive orthodoxy on issues like border security, support for Israel, and basic government operations.
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