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Fetterman says Democrats have ‘forgotten why we lost’ and Trump is ‘not an autocrat’
CNN ^ | September 14, 2025 | Alison Main

Posted on 09/14/2025 8:57:47 AM PDT by MinorityRepublican

Democratic Sen. John Fetterman has a warning for his party: learn from the politically charged whirlwind that put Donald Trump back in the White House and secured Republicans control of both chambers of Congress or risk staying in the minority.

“They have forgotten one of the reasons why we lost in 2024,” Fetterman said of his fellow Democrats in a wide-ranging interview with CNN’s Manu Raju on “Inside Politics Sunday.”

The Pennsylvania Democrat, who was first elected by just a five-point margin in 2022, said some of the party’s more left-wing views were “weaponized” against Democrats last fall.

“Some people think now we have to double down on those things or we must become more progressive or more extreme,” said Fetterman, who has renounced the “progressive” label in recent years, continuing, “That’s absolutely not true. The seven or eight states that are going to determine who’s going to be our next president, you know, we have to win in those states, and I understand what that takes.”

Fetterman’s comments come as the Democratic Party reassess how to talk to voters about crime, immigration and culture wars ahead of the 2026 midterms elections. The first-term senator hasn’t shied away from outspoken criticism of his Democratic colleagues on issues he finds to be reactive, like their response to Trump federalizing Washington, DC’s law enforcement, or potentially explosive, like withholding votes on a government funding bill.

“Clearly, we’ve lost the argument” on the issues that delivered Trump a second term, Fetterman lamented.

“We’ve really lost our connection with American voters in ways,” he said, declaring that Democrats won’t find political success from just being “reactive” to the Republican president.

Though the Democratic presidential ticket made labeling Trump a “threat to democracy” a central campaign theme, Fetterman cautioned against comparing him to an autocrat.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: certainlynotnews; clintonnonnews; cnn; johnfetterman; manuraju; pennsylvania; stillademocrat
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1 posted on 09/14/2025 8:57:48 AM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

They just didn’t lie as well as they used to.


2 posted on 09/14/2025 9:00:10 AM PDT by Texas Eagle ("Throw me to the wolves and I'll return leading the pack"- Donald J. Trump)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Interesting comments. Is Fetterman a halfway sane Democrat?

Yes, I know, the bottom line is that in Senate votes, he votes the way Chuck Schumer tells him to vote. It’s just interesting to hear what he has to say.He deviates from Democrat orthodoxy sometimes, in some of his public comments.


3 posted on 09/14/2025 9:00:22 AM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: MinorityRepublican

Forgot, I’d say they never knew and never will know. They’re too far brainwashed.


4 posted on 09/14/2025 9:00:54 AM PDT by Jonny7797
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To: Dilbert San Diego
the bottom line is that in Senate votes, he votes the way Chuck Schumer tells him to vote.

Maybe Fetterman is afraid.

5 posted on 09/14/2025 9:01:07 AM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

Democrats have zero credibility, they can change what they say, but they will always be 100% full of sht.


6 posted on 09/14/2025 9:02:34 AM PDT by GrandJediMasterYoda (As long as Hillary Clinton remains free, the USA will never have equal justice under the law)
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To: Dilbert San Diego

he is being held at gunpoint (at least politically)... by the lunatic left.


7 posted on 09/14/2025 9:02:58 AM PDT by MIA_eccl1212 (10-10-10-10)
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To: Dilbert San Diego

I actually watched this interview this morning. The little Indian boy from cnn was desperately trying to get him to say ORANGE MAN BAD. Fetterman sounded very reasonable. But like others have said he will vote lockstep with the democrats.


8 posted on 09/14/2025 9:03:32 AM PDT by shelterguy
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To: MIA_eccl1212
Moment activists chase Sen. Sinema into BATHROOM at ASU and demand she back Biden's $3.5T social bill to address immigration issues
9 posted on 09/14/2025 9:03:57 AM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

It’s your move Fetterman. Action, not talk.


10 posted on 09/14/2025 9:04:38 AM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: dfwgator; MIA_eccl1212
It’s your move Fetterman. Action, not talk.

I think he's aware that they'll come after him if he does not toe the party line.

11 posted on 09/14/2025 9:06:20 AM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

++++


12 posted on 09/14/2025 9:07:31 AM PDT by MIA_eccl1212 (10-10-10-10)
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To: MinorityRepublican

“Maybe Fetterman is afraid.”

Up to this point the Democrats have maintained a voter and finance machine. I think it is or already has broken. But the reason Democrats toe the line is because, at least to this point, not doing so leaves them facing a variety of political kill shots fired by their own side. The Republicans have nothing similar.


13 posted on 09/14/2025 9:08:58 AM PDT by Gen.Blather (Wait! I said that out loud. Sorry. )
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To: MinorityRepublican

An illegal alien in the USA making demands and threatening a sitting US Senator who is using the toilet.

Unreal, truly unreal.

I hope Trump can hunt down those two Mexican terrorist, and deport them to Uganda. /spit


14 posted on 09/14/2025 9:11:41 AM PDT by Flavious_Maximus (Tony Fauci will be put on death row and die of COVID!)
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To: Gen.Blather
Up to this point the Democrats have maintained a voter and finance machine. I think it is or already has broken. But the reason Democrats toe the line is because, at least to this point, not doing so leaves them facing a variety of political kill shots fired by their own side.

They operate similar to how the Mafia used to run back in the day. You can't leave the Mafia. If you were a "made" man, you're set for life. Similar if you decided to join the Democratic Party.

You can see how they are treating Tulsi and RFK Jr especially since they've "betrayed" the party.

15 posted on 09/14/2025 9:16:03 AM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: Texas Eagle

The Dems are going through a self-inflicted collapse and will never recover. The radicals/Marxists control the party, and they will never allow moderates to have a say.

The Dems are in a loose, loose position.

The only thing certain about the Marxists leading the Democrat Party is they are desperate and nothing can be put past them.


16 posted on 09/14/2025 9:20:37 AM PDT by laplata (They want each crisis to take the greatest toll possible.)
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To: laplata

At the time of the Russian Revolution in 1917, the Bolsheviks had the support of about 2% of Russians.

Did it matter? They had the will to do whatever it took to gain power, and so do these people.


17 posted on 09/14/2025 9:21:31 AM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: MinorityRepublican

I have to say, this guy is a complete surprise based on what I assumed he would be.


18 posted on 09/14/2025 9:30:44 AM PDT by Dave911
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To: MinorityRepublican

The one democrat who recovers from a serious life threatening brain injury and admits to needing mental health help for debilitating depressing is the sole voice of sanity in that rotten evil terrorist bloodthirsty party.

What’s that say?


19 posted on 09/14/2025 9:37:02 AM PDT by Organic Panic ('Was I molested. I think so' - Ashley Biden in response to her father joining her in the shower. D)
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To: Dilbert San Diego

Or it is all Kayfabe. Fetterman has to say what he says to convince the old time democrats that there is some good still left in that evil party to keep their votes and donations coming in. While on the other side they send out the Jasmine Crock’o’s to let the terrorist insane stupid wing of the party that they are welcome and supported by the democrats.


20 posted on 09/14/2025 9:39:04 AM PDT by Organic Panic ('Was I molested. I think so' - Ashley Biden in response to her father joining her in the shower. D)
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