September 22, 2024

Watch Senator Fetterman deal with the question of fracking by repeatedly invoking the old eating-the-dogs-eating-the-cats foofaraw.

You may question your brain function:

64 comments:

Ann Althouse said...

I love the background. Apparently, he wanted to create the impression that he's being held somewhere.

Darkisland said...

Yes, the background caught my eye too. Looks like a basement cell or something.

Then I watched the video. He has an expression of a person being held hostage and told to say certain things by his captors. That, even more than the background did it for me.

It looks very sad overall.

John Henry

John Henry

Darkisland said...

Really shifty eyes, too.

And why can't he at least pretend to look like a senator?

John Henry

Narayanan said...

is he under lockdown by someone? Just watching is claustrophobic claustrophock

policraticus said...

In his defense, repeatedly mentioning allegations by Vance and Trump has to be a better strategy than actually telling the truth, "I was lying then or I'm lying now."

Gunner said...

If these dopes weren't bringing up the dogs and cats thing, they would be bringing up Trump's lawsuits or something similarly stupid.

boatbuilder said...

He's obviously recovered enough from his stroke to revert to the blatant lying and deflection that is a staple of Democrat politicians.

She should have pivoted and asked: "Alright, then, Senator, since you brought it up, notwithstanding the question of whether the claims about eating cats and geese are true or false, are you concerned about the disruption to towns like Springfield, Illinois that occurs when you have a sudden influx of large numbers of migrants? Isn't that the real issue?"

Steven said...

From his nonresponse, we can conclude Fetterman and Harris have no justification for their policy flipflop on fracking. Despite his call for serious debate, he obviously has no desire for such a debate on fracking, since he is trying to straddle the green element and the working-class element of his party. Of course, the greenies know he is lying now, so they sit quietly and wait until Harris has more flexibility after the election.

Similarly with the dog and cat issue, which is merely shorthand for questioning the immigration policy of the Democrats, who seem fine with bringing massive numbers of culturally hard to assimilate people into small towns often under cover of darkness and with a doubtful legal basis. If he wants serious debate, why does he not make a case for dumping 20,000 refugees in a city of 60,000 people? Harris and Fetterman need to explicitly state their policy and offer a rationale for it. That they do not do so is a sign that they know their policy is unpopular and unsupportable by any reasonable argument.

Gerda Sprinchorn said...

That's about as good as you can do when caught red-handed like that. So I give him credit.

1. Eye roll, scoff
2. I'm too superior to answer this question seriously [because I don't have a serious answer]
3. Sneering reference to something stupid someone else said
4. Gotta love his point that something or other was way back in 2020.

About the background: his whole shtick is that he doesn't look presentable or respectable. The wall in the background is just another riff on that schtick.

Roger Sweeny said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Original Mike said...

They (Harris, Fetterman) won't explain their change in position. Absent that, any PA voter (or anywhere else) who believes them is dishonest or stupid.

Original Mike said...

It ain't rocket science.

Critter said...

So the way to have a serious conversation about fracking is to avoid the question? Democrats are scared shitless to explain their purported support for fracking because they will be primaried and shunned in leftist circles. Far easier to ban fracking once elected if there is little said to get votes.

Mason G said...

"Dishonest and stupid" is their base. There wouldn't be a Democratic party without them.

Gerda Sprinchorn said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Gerda Sprinchorn said...

Note that he is not centered on the wall. The wall is not just bare brick and its paint flaking, but he is "casually" placed off center in the composition.

The background was carefully chosen just like his outfit and his shorts. Such a chill and casual dude can't be expected to have a boringly serious answer to a squaresville question by a suit.

I get beatnik vibes from the visuals. He's in a cellar listening to some cool jazz with the ghosts of Kerouac and Ginsberg. They sneer at squares like us don't ya know daddy-o.

Gerda Sprinchorn said...

He's even got a goatee and a jazz dot. Chicks in black berets totally dig him.

Limited blogger said...

He wants to talk policy, not dog or cat eating foolishness. Well, what's your policy?

Did you order your Handmaids Tale Outfit yet?/ Rachel Maddow is a Psychopath said...

The only thing good about this man is his support for Israel. Otherwise - he's just another democrat toady.

Old and slow said...

To be fair to the man, he has suffered a serious stroke with attendant brain damage. I'm not sure that reminding people about Haitians eating the dogs is a great idea, but it is funny that it is all he could think of to fall back on.

tcrosse said...

He's speaking from the proverbial brick shithouse.

Michael K said...

Honesty is not allowed here. This is the Truth Room ! Apologies to Dr Strangelove.

Political Junkie said...

Yep. Funny.

Just asking questions (Jaq) said...

If they can shut down fracking, they can depopulate the "Pennsyltucky" part of PA again and turn it into a proper blue state.

gadfly said...

Hmm . . . I have been given to understand that Trump and Vance started and have continued the "eat pets" in Springfield, OH bullshit, and yet Sen. Fetterman's mention of the lies is suddenly foofaraw - a description not even close to the ugly threats made by MAGA nutcases against Haitian immigrants. When the Trump ticket admits to their lies, then perhaps the problem will go away.

As for fracking, Pennsylvania has long been the source of coal, oil, and natural gas since colonial times so the environmental ban on fracking gas in some parts of the state occurred only recently, supposedly because of water pollution claims. On the other hand, fracking is okay in Ohio along with all other immigrants except legal Haitians.

Did you order your Handmaids Tale Outfit yet?/ Rachel Maddow is a Psychopath said...

gadfly - your lie is the big lie. The "bomb" threats came from outside of the US.
You know - Iranian or Russian pro-Democrat influencers.

gilbar said...

serious questions about immigration.
after large numbers of culturally and ethnically different (JEWS!) moved into the mid east.. Moslem Arabs were allowed (and Encouraged) to resist those new immigrants.. By ANY MEANS NECESSARY; up to and including murder and rape (see: Oct 7th).
That resistance (murder and rape (with torture)) was considered GOOD! by the left..
[now for my questions]
will the left be OKAY with similar actions against THESE immigrants?
if large gangs of native born Ohioans round up, murder, and then rape THOUSANDS of Haitian immigrants (JUST Like homas did) will the left consider This to be GOOD??
If not.. Why Not

ps. i Never said that these questions Weren't rhetorical.. Just that they were Serious

n.n said...

I did, but now I'm defined.

foofaraw
The earliest known use of the word foofaraw is in the 1840s.

OED's earliest evidence for foofaraw is from 1848, in the writing of G. F. Ruxton.

foofaraw is of multiple origins. Partly a borrowing from French. Partly a borrowing from Spanish.

Etymons: French fanfaron; Spanish fanfarrón.

Inga said...

I think he’s trying to say it’s absurd to try to hold Democrats to account on changing their minds on fracking when Republicans are doubling down on the lies about Haitians eating cats and dogs in Ohio. I suspect he thinks the mainstream press should go after Republicans more vigorously on such blatant lies and demonization of an ethnic group of people who are in Ohio legally.

Ann Althouse said...

"Hmm . . . I have been given to understand that Trump and Vance started and have continued the "eat pets" in Springfield, OH bullshit, and yet Sen. Fetterman's mention of the lies is suddenly foofaraw...."

I didn't say his mention of the lies is foofaraw. I said he kept invoking the old foofaraw. That is, it was foofaraw the other day, and it got processed through the media and popular culture. Later, completely separately, he was asked about fracking, and he went grasping at a distraction and what he found was the old foofaraw. You can see that, in my way of talking about it, anyone bringing it up as a distraction from something else would be "invoking the old... foofaraw."

The word speaks of a big fuss about something, which there clearly was. I didn't say Fetterman's talking about the big fuss was itself a big fuss. It was just dull and routine evasion in a boring TV interview.

Original Mike said...

Inga said..."I think he’s trying to say it’s absurd to try to hold Democrats to account on changing their minds on fracking…"

They haven't changed their mind on fracking.

Lazarus said...

John Fetterman -- Possibly now in fetters but unburdened by what has been and unfettered by what he has said in the past.

Yes, it does look like a hostage video. At least one point, Fetterman's eyes dart off to the side as if to see what his captors want him to say. Also, is "decrepit basement dungeon" really the image that Fetterman wants the world to have of his hometown?

Conservatives have seen Fetterman's comments on the Middle East online and concluded that his recovered from his stroke, but apparently that's not the case.


NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

I think that's his house. He lives in some sort of industrial building that he renovated.

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

Meant to add; It's is house in Pennsylvania.

Darkisland said...

He is centered in the shot. But something that jumped out at me was how he is crowded into a corner. Is that what you meant?

It gave the impression of a couple of hard men standing just off camera to prevent him escaping.

John Henry

Did you order your Handmaids Tale Outfit yet?/ Rachel Maddow is a Psychopath said...

As soon as the left realize their horrible ideas are not going to help them at the ballot box - they turn on a dime. Such strong moral leadership. pffft.

Michael Fitzgerald said...

I'd like to see where Trump blames the Jews. Shrek here spews boilerplate Party misdirection instead of directly answering a straightforward question. Keep this in mind the next time you hear Fetterman say something commonsensical. He is not red-pilled.

Mason G said...

"They haven't changed their mind on fracking."

Nope. There's the "Before the Election" thinking: "Well, it might be okay in certain circumstances" and there's the "After the Election" thinking: "No fucking way".

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

I conclude that if he's against fracking he loses votes, if he's for fracking he loses donors and Dem party support. That's pretty much the crux of the biscuit.

jaydub said...

I doubt seriously that anyone believes Gadfly or Inga are actually concerned about the pet eating controversy. They seem to only use it as a diversion and distraction tactic when someone is questioning some democrat policy position, i.e. fracking support. This is no different from Fetterman's diversion (nor more effective.) But when one's candidate is walking enigma and one is trying to keep it that way until after the election one has to grasp at the first straw available. Besides, when have Gadfly or Inga ever been anything other than dishonest, fanatic partisans?

Rabel said...

Surprisingly blunt questioning from Welker.

Were you lying then or are you lying now.

Breezy said...

In the US legally, Temporary Protective Status, but the city was not consulted on this, and therefore never agreed to it. This is especially egregious given the numbers they’re now dealing with. There would be outrage in any town having to absorb a 30% increase in population without notice. Our government literally treats people on both sides of this issue in Ohio like crap. Par for the course with these govt people. No respect for anyone anywhere. And that includes their colleagues.

Michael K said...

Gadfly has his end talking points at hand. Good work gadflop!

Michael K said...

You think? Come on dullard.

Gerda Sprinchorn said...

Darkisland: yes, I was being sloppy. The wall is off-center, intentionally so.

MadTownGuy said...

I get the impression that he was told not to answer the question, lest his answer would cast shade on Kamala. I don't lay his deflection to after effects of his stroke, but to Party loyalty.

That said, he's been candid, even forceful, about Israel's right to defend itself.

tcrosse said...

What difference does it make what Kamala thinks about fracking? If (God forbid) she is elected she will not be making any substantive decisions about anything. Leave that up to the Éminence Grise which has been running things for the past 4 years.

Maynard said...

Gerda gets it.

Michael K said...

That was DNC talking points before auto correct got it.

FullMoon said...

Thanks for that, I knew he reminded me of someone, Maynard Gwalter Krebs...

BUMBLE BEE said...

Seems that nearby Chicago will be cookin up some concern for it's neighbors next summer. Doesn't sound like foofaraw either.

https://nypost.com/2024/09/22/us-news/chicago-gangbangers-face-off-against-venezuelans/

Christopher B said...

Yup. "My values haven't changed" but the words sure did.

Jim at said...

demonization of an ethnic group of people who are in Ohio legally.

Are you volunteering to put them up at your place? No? Why not?

Josephbleau said...

Kamala says she owns a gun and will shoot people who come into her house. Joe Beiden said you should fire your shotgun out the front door if you are in danger. These are not democrat beliefs. They say what they think voters will vote for, then immediately forget it. They lie. Anyone who thinks differently is stupid.

Ralph L said...

Democrats are dumb to keep reminding voters about the mass Haitian influx.

Promises made Promises kept said...

Great answer by Fetterman.

Narayanan said...

that could means he knows his main donors?!

boatbuilder said...

Yes, Inga, that's exactly what he is saying. And repeating every time the question about fracking gets asked. He's avoiding the question by raising a distraction.
Do YOU think its absurd for journalists to ask Fetterman and Harris about why they did a 180 on fracking? Is fracking no longer important, because ... Republicans?
Do you think the journalist is entitled to an answer to her question?
Is this too complicated for you?

boatbuilder said...

They took the Trump bait.

boatbuilder said...

Did you hear an answer, Rich?

Mason G said...

"demonization of an ethnic group of people who are in Ohio legally."

White people are an ethnic group. One which the Democrats demonize almost by reflex.

tcrosse said...

Did you hear the question, Rich?

Jupiter said...

The straitjacket is also a nice touch.

rehajm said...

…just boggles my mind. Is he like a big bumbling pet to lefties?