Sen. John Fetterman has been under the microscope since early in his candidacy.
Sure, go ahead and make fun of his speech and auditory difficulties and his awkwardness fitting in among a bunch of seasoned career politicians. But you can’t knock him or mock him for the courage he showed to continue on undaunted after a stroke and after treatment for major depression, all before the watchful eyes of mockers and scoffers.
The John Fetterman I know is a fighter; a survivor. He’s far from the buffoon some tried to paint him as after what even I believed to be a terrible performance in his campaign debate. Recently, he was again painted with a broad brush as “not up to the task” because in a committee meeting he read in a monotone, guiding his finger under each word as he read. Like the debate, it was excruciating to watch. But, my friend pressed on, not dissuaded even by snickers among his peers and colleagues.
John Fetterman is more real people-oriented than most other wanna-be alpha males of Congress than that Capitol has seen in a long time. He is unabashedly unashamed. And rightly so. He earned the right to be where he is. The voters have spoken. He should not be embarrassed or ashamed. Or put to shame by anyone.
I’m ashamed of and embarrassed by those who belittle him and cast him as “less” — than themselves, than you or me. John is someone I admire and want our young folks with legislative aspirations to look up to, someone to emulate.
D. Michael Blackie
Rossiter