The Elite Media FREAK OUT over Potential Fetterman Party Switch

Jorge Bonilla
September 10th, 2026 12:35 AM
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Senator John Fetterman’s brief speech introducing Senator Dave McCormick to the Republican Midterm Convention seems to have thrown the Elitist Media into a tizzy. It appears that Fetterman has triggered a full-blown media freakout over the idea that he might switch parties after the midterms.

Here’s the speech that started this whole thing:

 

 

JOHN FETTERMAN: Yes, I’m Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania. Yes, I’m a Democrat. Why am I here talking to you today? because, well, I’m a common sense Democrat. I’m always going to stand with America. I’m always going to reject the extremes in socialism and that anti-American way of life. Dave McCormick is the kind of senator that gets the job done and he’s going to fight for Pennsylvania. I’m proud to count him as my friend. Right back over my shoulder, That’s the iconic U.S. Steel mill. And that’s exactly the kind of thing that will work together and we will work with President Trump to fight and defend the steel way of life right here in the Steel Valley. I have this opportunity to introduce this great American, a great senator, and yes, he’s in a different party, but I’m proud to count him as my great friend. So, for everybody in Dallas, I’m here to introduce Dave McCormick. 

It was the sort of bipartisanship that the media praise under other circumstances. Not this time, though. Here is that collective crashout, in no particular order:

On NBC News Now, Chief White House Correspondent Garrett Haake bemoans what he thinks the Dems will view as a “betrayal” from Fetterman:

 

 

TOM LLAMAS: Garrett joins us tonight from the convention in Dallas. And Garrett, I know you have some new reporting for our viewers.

GARRETT HAAAKE: Yeah, that's right. Tom, a source familiar with the planning here tells me that Pennsylvania Democrat- Democrat John Fetterman is going to make an appearance here at this convention tonight, perhaps in the next hour or so, via video in which he's expected to praise President Trump and his Republican Senate colleague, Senator McCormick, for saving the U.S. steel industry in this country. It comes as Fetterman has faced and denied persistent questions about how whether he might change parties and become a Republican. This move tonight will only fuel those questions after Fetterman skipped the Democrats’ actual convention back in 2024. Tom, it's tough to overstate how much I think Democrats will view this as a betrayal by the Senator from Pennsylvania.

To be clear, Haake projected his own feelings of betrayal onto the Democrats and then presented that as “reporting.” This is what passes for “context” and “analysis” these days. 

Before signing off, Haake was joined by Congressional Correspondent Ryan Nobles, who sneered that Fetterman is irrelevant for the midterms, regardless of party affiliation.

 

 

HAAKE: And in a scripted event like we had tonight, the one surprise for a lot of folks was the appearance of a Democrat, John Fetterman, boosting Republicans to a certain extent. What's the reaction been?

RYAN NOBLES: I think what it tells us more than anything is that John Fetterman will probably never run as a Democrat again. He's got no shot at winning reelection as a Democrat. So the bigger question is, as we head into 2028, is he running as a Republican or as an independent, or is he not running at all? Whether or not that materially impacts these midterms, I think is probably very small.

Over at ABC News Live, Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott called Fetterman's speech “a profound moment.”

 

 

LINSEY DAVIS: So Rachel- Senator John Fetterman, who's a Democrat, released a video that was played at the convention a short time ago. Tell us what he had to say.

RACHEL SCOTT: Yeah. You know, Lindsey, this is certainly interesting because when I was talking to sources who were flying with President Trump today, they had mentioned that this convention would have some sort of element of surprise. And so that was definitely one right there playing this video with Democratic Senator John Fetterman. He was talking about the importance of steelworkers. He was praising Senator McCormick, a Republican, and then also praising President Trump as well, saying he wants to work with him on that issue. You know, look, listen, we've talked about this many times before. And, Lindsey, you certainly have interviewed Senator Fetterman. I remember you asking him directly if at that point he was ready to switch parties. He has not said that. But certainly it is a profound moment seeing a Democrat in this room, in this stadium full of Republicans for a first ever Republican Midterm Convention, Linsey.

One only imagines what superlative Scott might have cooked up had she covered Senator Zell Miller (D-GA) addressing the Bush 2004 convention. With two wars raging. 

Finally, here’s Jen Psaki at MS NOW, commiserating with Mitch Landrieu:

 

 

JEN PSAKI: John Fetterman, Senator from Pennsylvania, still a Democrat, he stated again today in this video that played. He didn't embrace Trump in this video. I just want to play the video in case people haven't- haven't seen it, because this played at the convention tonight.

JOHN FETTERMAN: A big room of Republicans in Dallas. Yes. I’m Senator John Fetterman, Pennsylvania. Yes, I'm a Democrat. Why am I here talking to you today? Because, well, I'm a common sense Democrat. I'm always going to stand with America. I'm always going to reject the extremes and socialism and that anti-American way of life.

PSAKI: I mean, his biggest risk right now is he's going to be primaried, like, Chris Deluzio. Who knows what he'll do. Others may primary him. I don't understand why he's doing that. But to me, it feels like Democrats need to be clear eyed that he might flip parties. But what do you think? 

MITCH LANDRIEU: I just saw.

PSAKI: That you haven't seen it.

LANDRIEU: I have not seen it. And I'm flabbergasted by it in this sense- that I'm a common sense Democrat that doesn't like the extremes either. But I would never do something as stupid as that. 

PSAKI: Yeah.

LANDRIEU: And I am very clear eyed in the way that we count votes. And whether we are going to win the Senate or not Senate. You got to put him in the questionable category. He has been flirting with, you know, changing or not changing and trying to explain why he does. But a second grader in politics would understand why it would not be wise for a sitting Democratic senator to address a Republican convention unless he was open to the possibility of changing. And I just think that reality being what it was, Democrats have to, like, take all the scales out of their eyes and, you know, be open to the possibility that Senator Fetterman, before it's over, may decide to switch parties. Now, he swears he won't. I hope he honors his word. He ran and got elected as a Democrat, but we've had people betray the public before. I hope John does not do that. I think what he did was a bad mistake and bad judgment. But to be clear, there are many Democrats in this country, most of us that are very common sense, very practical, and the working people of this country are pissed that Donald Trump has betrayed them and we’re gonna deliver for them if they give us a chance.

Once again, the word “betrayal” pops up. Here, again, projection. Fetterman’s foremost act of “betrayal” would be to the Democrat Party if he switches affiliation.

One can reasonably predict that the Elitist Media will make Fetterman’s speech a big story going forward, with freakouts like these being increasingly common. Will the media settle down or moderate? Probably not. But they should. After all, Fetterman’s seat was once held by Arlen Specter. That switch was cheered. And it was (D)ifferent.

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