Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman wore his signature hoodie and shorts while speaking for more than a minute at a press conference lead by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in which high-profile Democrats urged Joe Biden to use a controversial interpretation of the 14th Amendment to avoid compromising with Republicans to raise the national debt limit.
Sens. Fetterman, Sanders, Jeff Merkley, Edward Markey, and Peter Welch held a press conference yesterday afternoon in which the men – all wearing suits and ties except Fetterman, who suffered a stroke last year and was hospitalized for weeks due to depression this year – urged Biden to ignore Republican calls for fiscal responsibility.
“We’re here for one simple reason,” said Fetterman in an odd cadence. “President Biden needs to consider using the 14th Amendment if necessary.”
What is John Fetterman doing wearing shorts and a hoodie, redefining, business casual? pic.twitter.com/ckycR7bSuQ
— • ᗰISᑕᕼIᗴᖴ ™ • (@4Mischief) May 19, 2023
“The entire GOP debt ceiling negotiation is a sad charade. And that’s exactly what’s wrong- what’s wrong about, what’s wrong in Washington. We’re playing with the livelihoods of millions just so the GOP can just turn the screws against hungry Americans. This is the whole reason why the 14th Amendment exists.”
He declared, “We need to be prepared to be using it. Again, remember, say that again, we must be prepared to in order to use it. We cannot let reckless Republicans hold the economy as a hostage. An unelected Supreme Court Justice will try to blow up our economy? That’s on them if they judge on that. So, thank you.”
Conservatives were quick to draw attention to the strange outfit worn by Fetterman as much as they were the controversial ask put forward by the Senate Democrats.
Turning Point USA founder and talk show host Charlie Kirk mockingly wrote that “Constitutional scholar, John Fetterman dressed up today to encourage Joe Biden to weaponize the 14th Amendment and usurp Congress’s constitutional authority to determine federal spending as it relates to the debt ceiling.”
“At least,” Kirk added, “I think that’s what his aides wrote down for him.”
Constitutional scholar, John Fetterman dressed up today to encourage Joe Biden to weaponize the 14th Amendment and usurp Congress's constitutional authority to determine federal spending as it relates to the debt ceiling.
At least, I think that's what his aides wrote down for… pic.twitter.com/trCItuZcPy
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) May 18, 2023
