Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman was criticized for wearing his signature shorts and hoodie with President Biden during the recent I-95 bridge collapse tour.
Biden arrived in Philadelphia on Saturday for an aerial tour of the fall site, along with Democratic politicians, Fetterman, Gov. Josh Shapiro, Sen. Bob Casey, Rep. Brendan Boyle and Mayor Jim Kenney.
All were dressed in suits except Fetterman, who casually wore shorts and a hoodie. His appearance drew harsh criticism online with one person tweeting that Fetterman ‘looks ready to play hoops.’
It comes just days after the embattled Pennsylvania senator raised new health concerns at a Senate Environment Committee hearing Wednesday when he stumbled through his comments about the I-95 bridge collapse.
A stretch of the east coast’s main north-south highway collapsed last Sunday after a tractor-trailer carrying gasoline overturned on an off-ramp and caught fire. State transportation officials said the driver was trying to navigate a curve and lost control.
Biden was welcomed by Democrat politicians in Pennsylvania – including Senator John Fetterman, who wore basketball shorts and a hoodie pic.twitter.com/s7lKSqUtjJ
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 17, 2023
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman was slapped for wearing his trademark shorts and hoodie to meet a smartly dressed President Biden on Saturday, as the two lawmakers toured a collapsed freeway in Philadelphia.
The politicians were all dressed in suits except Fetterman, who was casually dressed in shorts and a hoodie. His appearance was met with harsh criticism online, with one person tweeting that Fetterman was ‘ready to play hoops’.
On Wednesday, months after Fetterman headlined a six-week hospital visit for clinical depression, he was asked at a Senate Environment Committee hearing if he had any comment on the overpass disaster.
‘I, uh, just, um, really want, you know — 95, 95, 95. You know?’ He responded.
‘Obviously, you’re very busy with 95, and I, I’m certainly very… and we know it’s a major artery (sic), not just for Pennsylvania, but for the East Coast.’
The senator’s rambling statement came as he neared the end of his sentence amid concerns that he had yet to fully recover from a debilitating stroke he suffered in May 2022.
Sen. John Fetterman (pictured) stumbled through his comments about the I-95 bridge collapse during a Senate Environment Committee hearing Wednesday.
A portion of the I-95 highway collapsed Sunday after a truck carrying gasoline exploded
The lawmaker’s attendance has been a hot-button issue for conservatives since he joined the Senate in January.
One commenter on Twitter asked: ‘Does Fetterman have any business attire or is he literally always dressed like a schlub?’ Others called the senator a clown and an embarrassment.
Last month, Fetterman wore his favorite Carhartt hoodie as he appeared alongside several Democrat heavyweights, including Bernie Sanders, to advance debt ceiling talks.
GOP Congresswoman Lorraine Bobert took to Twitter to express her displeasure at the sartorial decision, calling her outfit ‘really unusual’.
By comparison, his four Democratic colleagues all wore suits, ties and more formal footwear.
‘John Fetterman redefined casual Friday on Thursday mornings. It’s really unpleasant for someone to show up like that in any job, let alone a job that only 100 people are selected for. There’s no excuse for that,’ he fumed.
Democrat Senator John Fetterman wore his signature hoodie and shorts, which led Rep. Lorraine Boebert to take to Twitter to express her disapproval.
Rep. Lorraine Boebert, of Colorado, described Democratic Senator John Fetterman’s choice of clothing as ‘truly offensive’ during a Senate press conference.
Fetterman’s four Democratic colleagues were dressed in suits and ties
By comparison, his four Democratic colleagues all wore suits, ties and more formal footwear.
But for Fetterman’s regular followers, it wasn’t a surprise to see him dressed so casually.
Braddock was often seen wearing a hoodie and shorts during his time as mayor and during his campaign for the Pennsylvania Senate.
Fetterman recently returned to the Senate after six weeks in the hospital for clinical depression.
He was also seen wearing a hoodie and shorts on several occasions during that time.
The 53-year-old had previously suffered a stroke, his stumbling and sometimes incoherent congressional appearances causing repeated concerns for his health.
John Fetterman, a Democratic senator from Pennsylvania, wore an oversized Carhartt hoodie.
Fetterman wore a pair of sneakers on his feet, unlike the formal shoes of his colleagues
Criticism of Fetterman’s mental skills reached a fever pitch before he was elected to the Senate, when he appeared to struggle to finish his thoughts during a debate with Republican challenger Mehmet Oz in October.
After opening the night by addressing the crowd with ‘hi, good night everyone’, it became clear that Fetterman was still suffering from chronic speech and hearing problems due to the stroke he suffered in May 2022.
Fetterman sometimes struggled to get through his hour-long debate with Oz, his delivery often halting and fragmented.
At one point Fetterman was asked to clarify his position on fracking, as moderators pointed to a 2018 interview in which the lieutenant governor expressed broad opposition to the practice, but not a ban.
‘I support fracking – I don’t, I don’t – I support fracking and I support fracking,’ he replied.
A month later, he was denounced by Donald Trump Jr., who characterized the then-candidate as ‘brain dead’.
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