DeSantis Slams Fetterman — ‘Who’s Got a Lot of Problems’ — for ‘Disrespectful’ Senate Wardrobe, Democrats for ‘Dumbing Down’ Standards

Isaac SchorrSep 18th, 2023, 3:55 pm
 

Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis slammed Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) for wearing shorts and hooded sweatshirts inside the upper chamber of Congress on Monday, deeming his wardrobe “disrespectful” of the institution.

“Did you guys hear the U.S. Senate just eliminated its dress code because you got this guy from Pennsylvania — who’s got a lot of problems, let’s just be honest — like how he got elected, well I mean he got elected because they didn’t want the alternative,” began DeSantis, inserting a veiled swipe at former President Donald Trump and Mehmet Oz, his handpicked GOP candidate into his critique of Fetterman.

“He wears like sweatshirts and hoodies and shorts, and that’s his thing. So he would campaign in that — which is your prerogative, right? I mean, if that’s what you want to do,” he continued. “But to show up in the United States Senate with that and not have the decency to put on proper attire? I think it’s disrespectful to the body, and I think the fact that the Senate changed the rules to accommodate that I think speaks very poorly to how they consider that.”

“Look, we need this country, we need to be lifting up our standards in this country. Not dumbing down our standards in this country and this is an example why,” he added.

“I dress like he campaigns,” shot back Fetterman on X, seemingly in reference to Trump’s large polling lead over DeSantis in the Republican presidential primary.

Fetterman conceived of the comeback earlier in the day when the confused legislator mistook commentator Nate Silver’s defense of him for an attack.

Fetterman easily prevailed over Oz in 2022’s midterm elections, besting the Republican by nearly 5%. The Democrat suffered a stroke last spring that kept him off the campaign trail for months and led to widespread speculation over whether he was fit to serve, with one NBC reporter noting that he required captions to help understand her verbal questions.

Fetterman also checked into a hospital shortly after being sworn into the Senate earlier this year, with his chief of staff explaining the decision by noting that “While John has experienced depression off and on throughout his life, it only became severe in recent weeks.”

His wardrobe choices, however, are unrelated to his various health conditions, and have long been touted by some as contributing to his appeal as a candidate.

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