Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman has said that left-wing figures on the social media platform Bluesky are crueler than those associated with the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.
Speaking to CNN’s Dana Bash on Wednesday, Fetterman said the left have wished for his death on the platform while the right have called him names.
Newsweek reached out to Fetterman’s team by email to comment on this story outside of normal business hours.
Why It Matters
American politics has become increasingly polarized in recent years with the left and right attacking each other online, sparking conversations about the line between free speech and allowing unbridled discourse, including hate speech.
While he was speaking generally about social media, Fetterman’s experiences also come after he voted with Republicans to end the government shutdown on Sunday evening, something that has caused a huge backlash among Democrats. The ongoing reaction on social media networks including Bluesky shows the extent to which the decision to end the shutdown without ensuring health care subsidies are extended has stoked controversy.
What To Know
Speaking to CNN, Fetterman said his digital team had found that Bluesky was the “harshest” social media platform. “The difference is, the right would say rough things and some names I won’t repeat on TV,” he said, “but on the left, it was like they want me to die or that ‘we’re cheering for your next stroke.'”
Fetterman had a stroke in May 2022 and was hospitalized as a result.
He added that left-wing figures also share messages wishing he would die. “That’s much different from just calling me a name,” he said. “That’s really been consistent in that community online.”
Fetterman was promoting his new book, Unfettered, in which he wrote: “I’ve drunk deeply of the venom of both the left and the right. And as a connoisseur, I can confirm that the most poisonous, the bitterest, is from the far left.”
It also comes after Fetterman was among the seven Democrats and one independent who voted with Republicans in the Senate to end the record-breaking 40-day government shutdown.
The deal was made despite the parties not agreeing to extend the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits expiring in January. This had been a key point of contention for the party as the shutdown continued.
Fetterman has also voted with Republicans on other key votes in the past, causing left-wing individuals to take umbrage with the Pennsylvania politicians.
What People Are Saying
John Fetterman wrote on X: “After 40 days as a consistent voice against shutting our government down, I voted YES for the 15th time to REOPEN. I’m sorry to our military, SNAP recipients, gov workers, and Capitol Police who haven’t been paid in weeks. It should’ve never come to this. This was a failure.”
Andrew Kolvet, a Turning Point USA spokesman and executive producer of The Charlie Kirk Show wrote on X: “He’s being 100 percent honest and I respect it.”
What Happens Next
Fetterman will continue promoting his new book.