Bernie Sanders Shrugs Off John Fetterman: ‘I Would Not Put Too Much Credibility’ in What He Says

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) dismissed Sen. John Fetterman’s (D-PA) attacks on Wednesday, saying he doesn’t put “too much credibility” in the Pennsylvania Democrat’s criticism.

CNN’s Kaitlan Collins presented the Vermont senator with footage of Fetterman calling for him to “sit a few out” because he’s “not helping,” referring to Sanders’ frequent support of Democratic candidates. As was recently the subject of contention, Sanders backed former Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner before a slew of serious allegations of sexual abuse led him to withdraw from the race.

“Well, the last poll that I saw in Pennsylvania, not a whole lot of Democrats think that he is representing them,” said Sanders on Wednesday. According to a July Quinnipiac University poll, 52 percent of 895 Pennsylvania voters said they want Fetterman to leave the Democratic Party. The poll had a margin of error of +/- 4.3 percentage points.

“And as you know, there’s some question whether or not he flips and becomes a Republican,” he added, referencing the Pennsylvania senator’s recent threats that he’d leave the party willingly over its declining support of Israel. “So I would not put too much credibility in what somebody like Fetterman says.”

After Collins reiterated that Fetterman asked Sanders to “sit this one out,” the Vermont senator clarified, “Is that what he said? Do you think I should take his advice? I probably won’t. John — not gonna take your advice. We’re gonna work as hard as we can.”

Ironically, Sanders actually backed Fetterman during his 2018 Pennsylvania lieutenant governor campaign and his 2022 Senate run.

As for his threats to desert the Democratic Party, Fetterman called support for Israel his “red line,” adding to Fox News in mid-July, “Look at the people who are winning these primaries right now. They are not just, ‘I’m just pro-Palestinian. I’m deeply anti, anti-Israel.’”

Watch the full clip above via CNN.

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