Fetterman explains why he crossed party lines to support Mullin for DHS chief
Last edited Fri Mar 20, 2026, 05:09 AM - Edit history (1)
Source: CNN
Democratic Sen. John Fetterman cast the deciding vote Thursday to advance Markwayne Mullins nomination to serve as US Department of Homeland Security secretary, crossing party lines to send President Donald Trumps nominee to the full Senate for consideration.
He explained in a post on X his decision to join Republicans on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in backing the Oklahoma Republican senator to replace outgoing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
In January, I called on the president to fire Noemand he did. I truly approached the confirmation of my colleague and friend, Senator Mullin, with an open-mind, Fetterman wrote.
We need a leader at DHS. We must reopen DHS. My AYE is rooted in a strong committed, constructive working relationship with Senator Mullin for our nations security, he continued.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/19/politics/john-fetterman-mullin-dhs-vote
Since Rand Paul voted No, the vote would have sunk had Fetterman not went along.
Trump's DHS pick Mullin advances by one vote after Sen. Fetterman votes yes
paleotn
(22,204 posts)jfz9580m
(17,182 posts)I was watching that DOGE kid and how he decided which grants to drop based solely on what appear to be triggers for thought terminating cliches.
In fairness, that is a flaw in human cognition that most humans are well aware of.
I would normally say that if Rand Paul is a No on something I would likelier to be a yes on the same thing than not. But that is danger of reductive thinking reducing everything to one factor or metric. In this case or say wrt the marijuana industry I would agree with even Paul. But he is a still a piece of shit.
Quanta Magazine has some interesting pieces I do not understand, but my osmosis one vaguely absorbs something that makes sense:
I do not think the extremely online ( a group my horrible former adminstrator has forced me to join) know any feminists honestly. They know various online personas and that warps their perception of reality, which is sucky enough, but in a differently shaped way and with different dynamics.
Which will further now be afflicted with a flood of similar aw shucksy takes on reality on top of all the other scourges and nuisances imposed by the dominant narratives which espouse sensibly extractive, deregulation friendly, mindless hedonism - a sensibly suicidal death spiral of extravagant, even ostentatious stupidity. Work in this view of the world exists to be strenuous and pointless and bent towards the least meaningful and positive outcome of all possible ones at least in the net-however unrealistically utopian or rather dystopian it might be to shoot for things with no redeeming value whatsoever.
travelingthrulife
(5,176 posts)Fetterman voted for him because he is his friend.
What the hell kind of Senate decisions are these?
jfz9580m
(17,182 posts)But that is how kakistocracies are..what else is there to go on often?
I am reduced to decisions like that when I look up technocratic types to try and decide which of these unpromising types is minimally insane. And I make decisions going by things like writes clunky and insipid opeds in Politico but seems well intentioned and could still, for one of these CS guys, be not as insane as some.
These are not kakistocrats as they are CS majors. But that field needs a reckoning along with the rest of society.
Nstural scientists, doctors and some legitimate workers aside, the fact that these guys did all this restructuring of society absent any serious public comment, in parallel with Trumpism ramping up, pandemics etc. is a sign that field - so key to social engineering the world needs a reality check. It is never the real scientists who are as bad at math as CS majors and economists.
I think treating most living things as externalities and..The funny thing is how bad at math and science they are in any meaningful sense as they data mine and sell drivel.
How does it sell?
paleotn
(22,204 posts)but then again Paul doesn't seem to be too in synch with the totalitarian bent Pukes have taken under Shitler's reign. He does at least try to stick with his libertarian roots on occasion. Ironically, some of those are the rare times his and our interests coincide. In this case, he's not terribly thrilled with DHS becoming a quasi national Gestapo. Particularly if it's run by a guy he detests. Neither are we on both counts.
MLWR
(1,017 posts)BlueKota
(5,338 posts)AZJonnie
(3,695 posts)Basically he just cast the deciding vote to install this BOZO Mullin.
I know we "must support Dems" per the TOS, but
NOT COOL, man. NOT COOL!
pat_k
(13,333 posts)The support Dems rule is all about elections and the party in general.
No rule against calling for someone to run against a turncoat like Fetterman.
No rule against applauding the actions of someone like NC Chair Anderson Clayton, who awesomely denied Dems who joined Repubs in overriding vetoes (among other things) access to VoteBuilder, helping to sink them.
AZJonnie
(3,695 posts)I try to err on the side of caution when it comes to the ToS, so I didn't rip him as hard as I wanted to
mdbl
(8,641 posts)Did someone promise him a yacht?
mountain grammy
(29,021 posts). This isnt a good vote.. Mullen is unqualified and not good for the job. That should at least be a consideration.
Jack Valentino
(4,996 posts)Practically NONE. What they WERE qualified for, was Trump ass-kissing.
Possibly Rubio was qualified , but if so he was the ONLY one--- although I can't approve of anything he's done since getting the job.
travelingthrulife
(5,176 posts)I don't think we need DHS at all.
angrychair
(12,267 posts)Is an elected Democrat. We need to listen to him as an elected Democrat is always right and in my opinion should never be questioned because we have to support the big tent and we need Democrats that support Trump because how else can we defeat Trump?
FoxNewsSucks
(11,689 posts)I wish it weren't the case that sheeple actually do think that way.
Initech
(108,728 posts)And he can go shove that "Trump Derangement Syndrome" straight up his worthless ass. Yes, we fucking hate Donald Trump. Yes, we think he's horrible and dangerous for this country. Yes, he should have been fired and imprisoned years ago, so deal with it, assholes.
The man is never happy. He shits on and destroys everything he touches like a monkey in the zoo. I am so pissed off. This was a slap in the face and a middle finger to us. Fuck Fetterman, fuck Trump, and fuck Markwayne Mullin.
flamingdem
(40,886 posts)Haven't thought of this.. had to be something.
Initech
(108,728 posts)Vinca
(53,970 posts)FoxNewsSucks
(11,689 posts)will actually support the Democratic Party and OPPOSE the orange piece of shit fascist dictator.
msongs
(73,736 posts)Miguelito Loveless
(5,742 posts)This tells me all I need to know.
not fooled
(6,675 posts)It was shown on MSNOW yesterday (sorry, can't remember which show). The future senator--spiffily clad in a red shirt bearing the "Mullin Plumbing" logo--demonstrated how to clean your garbage disposal by putting ice into it. His narration was first rate.
While I am all in favor of learning home maintenance tips, nothing evinced "future United States Senator", let alone head of security for the nation.
Martin68
(27,712 posts)pat_k
(13,333 posts)niyad
(132,330 posts)usonian
(25,226 posts)Fetterman's brain is a bit scrabbled.
That's probably a damn high word score. I haven't checked though.
Initech
(108,728 posts)And fuck Markeayne Mullin too.
Cheezoholic
(3,718 posts)not fooled
(6,675 posts)with the "Markwayne" persona.
There's a silver lining to everything, I guess.
Blue Owl
(59,067 posts)Throw on a red baseball cap and it really brings it all together
Botany
(77,309 posts)
. Feeding people, restoring a run down former Steel town, and bringing their powerful presence
for the commons good cant be taken away but he is now a liability to the people of PA and the
America. The stroke has taken its toll. Is he up for primary this year?
Polybius
(21,891 posts)He's not up for reelection until 2028.
bamagal62
(4,501 posts)everyonematters
(4,142 posts)Senator Warren has a housing proposal. Fetterman seems to making his whole purpose in life to antagonize his own base.
yardwork
(69,352 posts)This is a Lindsey Graham level of groveling. I don't believe it can all be explained by a stroke or by Fetterman being some kind of maverick. This is a descent into absurdity that is most likely due to Fetterman being threatened by Trump.
Edited to add that for me the tell is that Fetterman is now using MAGAT talking points. He didn't do that before. I think he's being handed a script and told to say this or else.
republianmushroom
(22,319 posts)LetMyPeopleVote
(179,716 posts)Fetterman will probably not run in 2028. If he does, Fetterman will be primaried
CNN's Harry Enten zeroed in on a Democratic senator who will "no doubt" face a primary challenge, and history suggests he will likely lose.
— Raw Story (@rawstory.com) 2026-03-20T18:00:13Z
https://www.rawstory.com/stringr/john-fetterman-democrat
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) has seen a stunning reversal in his support from his own party's voters since he was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2023, and Enten told "CNN News Central" that he has never seen an elected official lose backing so dramatically.
"I would just say that John Fetterman is doing as well with Pennsylvania Democrats as the New York Giants are as liked in the state of Pennsylvania, the commonwealth of Pennsylvania," Enten said. "I mean, just look at this: Among Pennsylvania Democrats and that approval of Fetterman, back in 2023, he was a Democrat, liberal darling. He was at plus-68 points. Look at how low he has fallen, down to minus-40 points. He's down there with the Titanic among Democrats in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and, you know, put a comparison point on it."
"You know, we always talk about how [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer is not well liked by the Democratic base nationwide," Enten added. "Chuck Schumer has a net popularity rating of about minus-two points. He is 38 points more popular than John Fetterman is with Pennsylvania Democrats, and I was also looking at Kyrsten Sinema, who, of course, ended up leaving the Democratic Party in Arizona. She was considerably more popular just before she shifted over than John Fetterman is, at minus-40 points."
Anchor John Berman marveled at Fetterman's drop. "This is 108-point swing," he said, and asked Enten what bearing that might have on his fortunes when he faces re-election in two years.