Democrat Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) joked during an interview on MSNBC that the network “stopped inviting” him on air, following months of growing tension between the senator and members of his own party.
Fetterman made the comment during a segment with MSNBC host Katy Tur, who interviewed him about his recent decision to break with Democrats and support a Republican-led measure to end the government shutdown.
After the discussion, Tur thanked Fetterman for appearing on the show.
“It’s a pleasure to be back,” Fetterman said. “Hey, have me back. You know, I miss MSNBC. They stopped inviting me. I’m not sure why.”
Tur immediately responded, rejecting the idea.
“No, that’s not true,” she said. “We always love having you. You can come whenever you want. Just give us a call.”
“Yeah, absolutely,” Fetterman replied.
WATCH:
Although Tur claimed Fetterman’s remark was “not true,” the Pennsylvania senator has not appeared on MSNBC since March, when he gave an exclusive interview to host Stephanie Ruhle.
During that earlier appearance, Fetterman made headlines for criticizing his own party’s messaging and tone, arguing that Democrats have grown disconnected from ordinary Americans.
“I would just ask Democrats, like, start talking like a regular person,” Fetterman said at the time.
“Most people are not sure what an oligarch is, you know?
“You know, it’s, like, OK, is an oligarch?
“Is it like a rich dude or woman?”
He went on to suggest that Democrats were inconsistent when it came to wealth and influence.
“OK, well, but there’s also another little secret too,” he added.
“Democrats, you know, we like billionaires if they’re giving to our causes or to our party as well too.”
The exchange prompted a brief debate between Fetterman and Ruhle over the distinction between wealthy political donors and powerful individuals in government.
“That’s different from being a Democratic donor who has the president’s ear or, at the very least, his phone number,” Ruhle said.
“I’m not sure if they necessarily are motivated just, you know, based on money,” Fetterman argued.
“Whether it’s [Jeff] Bezos or [Elon] Musk, they have far more than you could spend in 100 lifetimes.
“So, for that, I think scarcity defines the luxury, so that’s why a lot of them want to be engaged on that, because they have unlimited money, so I think they want to just be part of the conversation.”
Breaking with His Party
Fetterman was among eight Senate Democrats who joined Republicans in voting to end the government shutdown, approving a temporary spending measure that keeps the government funded through January.
The move marked the second time in recent months that Fetterman sided with Republicans to avoid a federal funding lapse.
In September, he also backed the GOP’s “clean” continuing resolution to extend government operations.
Fetterman has increasingly positioned himself as a more centrist voice within the Democratic Party.
He has been frequently clashing with the party’s progressive wing and defending Israel’s right to self-defense amid protests from the far Left.
His lighthearted jab at MSNBC appears to reflect both his willingness to distance himself from partisan orthodoxy and the uneasy relationship he now shares with much of the liberal media.
READ MORE – Fetterman: Democrats ‘Crossed a Line’ with Schumer’s Shutdown, Put Politics Over Country
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