‘Warped’: Fetterman Blames TikTok For Young Voters Breaking With Biden on Israel-Hamas War

CNN anchor Jake Tapper spoke to Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) on Tuesday about a host of a variety of issues, including waning support among younger voters for President Joe Biden’s staunchly pro-Israel stance.

“Let’s go back to talking about Israel and the divisions in the Democratic Party, particularly among young voters when it comes to Israel’s war against Hamas,” Tapper said at one point, adding:

Seventy-two percent of young voters, according to this new poll, disapprove of how President Biden is handling the Israel-Hamas war. You’ve been very vocal in your full support for Israel. I see the Israeli flag behind you and your office there. You’ve been very clearly arguing that Hamas bears responsibility for the tragedy of what’s going on in Gaza. Why do you think so many younger people, especially in your party, see it differently?

“I really, I really don’t know. I do know that a lot of people are getting their perspective from TikTok,” Fetterman, replied, adding:

And I think if you’re kind of getting your perspective on the world on TikTok, it’s going to tend to be kind of warped or not reflective of the history and actually the way things absolutely are. And what is very clear is, is that Hamas started this and they actually broke the ceasefire and they attacked and murdered babies, children, women – attacked a music concert and everything. It’s outrageous. And from now on, it’s been very clear that Israel would very much want there to be peace. But they’ve made it very clear that after October 7th, that’s just not possible so long as Hamas is allowed to exist.

Tapper then asked Fetterman about his recent rejection of the “progressive” label. “On immigration, which is a big issue going on in the Senate right now. You recently said, quote, ‘hope Democrats can understand that it isn’t xenophobic to be concerned about the border,’ unquote. And even though you did run for lieutenant governor and senator as a progressive, you’re now rejecting that label. What would you call yourself?” he asked.

“I would just call myself a Democrat,” Fetterman shot back, adding:

And I believe that I’m on the right side of issues, whether that’s being very pro-choice, maybe that I believe that is being pro-union. And if I believe that’s for pro-Israel on that as well, too.

There’s absolutely different kinds of opinions in the Democratic Party, and I’ve always been very clear that I’m going to stand on the right side of what I believe it is. And I’ve been very upfront on that as well, too. And I really have been able to find anybody that can say there’s not any kind of an issue right now on the border that has around 270,000 people being encountered on the border just in one month.

And to put that in perspective, as I’ve said before, that’s the side of Pittsburgh and it’s roughly the size of Pittsburgh is showing up in the border. If that’s what you need to say, that’s fine. That’s not really an issue. As a progressive, then I guess that’s why I wouldn’t be a progressive. But I have remained and will always be very, very pro-immigration, perhaps as much as anybody in there.

Watch the full clip above via CNN.