John Fetterman, the Pennsylvania senator known for his pro-Israel stance, decided to avoid the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in order to keep his party out of any disputes over the war between Israel and Hamas.
In an interview with the Free Press, the Democratic politician explained that there was no connection between his absence from the DNC and his views on Israel. However, he made a strange excuse: he was not in Chicago because he wanted to spend these four days with his children.
He claimed that the decision not to attend the convention was made long before the CNN debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.
Fetterman, who is not Jewish, issued a statement condemning Hamas’s “cowardly, horrific, unprovoked attacks on Israel” after the Oct. 7 attack in Israel. Fetterman lost support within his party after Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called him a “tyrant.”
Fetterman expressed frustration with the decisions of some of his members on how to deal with the Israel issue. “I don’t agree with many of their views, but whatever political decisions or political costs I’ve incurred in doing so, I don’t care.”
Meanwhile, hundreds of anti-Israel protesters breached the original fence outside the DNC. While some of them were later arrested by Chicago police, others were pushed back by police officers who stood behind them to ensure the security of the site.
After arriving at Union Park on Monday, protesters marched to Park 578, not far from the United Center. President Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton and other speakers will address a crowd of up to 4,000 Democratic delegates on Monday.
“On August 19, protesters breached a portion of the barrier fence along the outer grounds of the Democratic National Convention near the United Center. Police officers were immediately on site and were able to bring the situation under control. At no point was the inner grounds breached and there was no danger to the protected persons,” police said in a statement.
Read also: Trump attacks “comrade” Kamala Harris and the Democrats for the “first coup in the USA” and claims Biden said “Sorry, Joe…”
Fetterman’s spokesman reacts and says: “I disagree with …”
Carrie Adams, Fetterman’s communications director, told the Free Press that she “disagrees” with his views on Israel and Palestine.
Carrie Adams told him she disagreed, and the senator hung up, the report said.
“I get the impression that his international views are much less nuanced than those of my generation, because when he was growing up, the strongest was right. My generation and the younger ones, who are of course the ones protesting against this, have a much more nuanced view of the region,” Adams said.
Adams began working with Fetterman after the senator’s former communications director resigned due to Fetterman’s open support of Israel.
According to Republican communications strategist Erin Perrine, it’s a “big deal” when employees criticize their employer.
“But when the person whose job it is to speak for the boss, defend his decisions, and direct the press does this – it shows an unprecedented level of hubris,” Perrine wrote on X.
In a post on X, Democratic strategist Symone Sanders-Townsend asked whether Adams should be fired after her comments.
“I’m not saying I disagree with their opinion. Rather, since when does the communications director call reporters to say he disagrees with the director’s opinion?” he wrote.
Meanwhile, New York Post columnist John Podhoretz noted that Adams’ X-Feed was temporarily private.
