Sen. John Fetterman Defends Biden After Debate Backlash: ‘Chill The F*** Out!’

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania) came to the defense of President Joe Biden after his widely criticized debate performance against former President Donald Trump on Thursday evening.

Fetterman shared a screenshot of a Politico story that outlined how “panicked” Democrats have started to look for alternatives to Biden after the debate, which was viewed by many as a disaster. However, Fetterman firmly stated, “I refuse to join the Democratic vultures on Biden’s shoulder after the debate.”

Fetterman emphasized that “no one knows more than me that a rough debate is not the sum total of the person and their record.” This statement clearly referenced Fetterman’s own experience in the heated Pennsylvania Senate debate in late October 2022, during which his health complications were a major talking point.

In that debate, Fetterman addressed his recent stroke, “I had a stroke. He’s never let me forget that. And I might miss some words during this debate, mush two words together, but it knocked me down, and I’m going to keep coming back up.” The reaction from Capitol Hill was brutal, with some Democrats expressing concerns about Fetterman’s decision to debate at all.

However, Fetterman went on to win his Senate race in November 2022, which defied the predictions of pundits and pollsters. “Morning-after thermonuclear beat downs from my race from the debate and polling geniuses like 538 predicted I’d lose by 2,” Fetterman wrote on X on Friday. “And what happened? The only seat to flip and won by a historic margin (+5). Chill the f*** out.”

Similarly, Biden’s debate performance on Thursday night has sparked concerns among Democrats, with some strategists close to potential presidential candidates reportedly receiving texts about the party’s need to find an alternative. However, Biden has announced that he plans to stay in the race and participate in the second debate scheduled for September.

Pennsylvania is one of three Democratic-leaning states in the Midwest that Biden needs to win to secure reelection, along with Michigan and Wisconsin, with the assumption he doesn’t pull off more unlikely states.