John Fetterman's Introduction of Joe Biden Mocked by Conservatives

Conservatives slammed Senator John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, for his introduction of President Joe Biden on Saturday at an event in Philadelphia to address the federal government's response in rebuilding a collapsed portion of the Interstate-95 highway.

Biden traveled to the state to see the damaged portion of I-95 that collapsed last Sunday and to get an update on ongoing repairs. The collapse has caused major disruption to a vital travel and commuting artery that runs along almost the entire length of the East Coast. The collapse was reportedly caused by a truck that caught fire underneath the northbound portion of the road, with officials adding at the time that the southbound lane, which did not collapse, was structurally compromised by the flames.

"I'm standing next to the president again, next to a collapsed bridge here. And he is here to commit to work with the governor, and the delegadation [delegation] to make sure that we get this fixed quick, fast as well too. This is a president that is committed to infructurer [infrastructure] and then on top of that the jewel...kind of law of the infration [infrastructure] bill that is going to make sure that there's going to be bridges all across like this all across America getting rebuilt," Fetterman said while introducing Biden on stage after the president toured the damage.

The Democratic senator's introduction caused a stir amongst conservatives on Twitter.

"Guys, we just got John Fetterman introducing Joe Biden. It went exactly as you expected. If the Lincoln-Douglas debates represented the pinnacle of American democracy Biden-Fetterman represents the all time bottom," political commentator Clay Travis tweeted.

Internet personality and co-owner of Trending Politics, Collin Rugg, also commented on the video saying, "I don't know what's worse. Having leaders like Biden and Fetterman holding high positions of power and not even being able to complete a sentence or the fact that the Republican Party is so weak that they can't even beat these clowns."

Turning Point USA ambassador and political commentator ALX tweeted on Saturday, "Whose idea was it to have John Fetterman introduce Joe Biden?"

Meanwhile, RNC Research tweeted a separate portion of the event where Fetterman incorrectly introduced Representative Brendan Boyle, a Pennsylvania Democrat, as Boyle Bile.

Conservative commentator Steve Guest reacted to the video saying, "So sad to watch."

However, social media personality Ed Krassenstein was sympathetic to Fetterman as well as Biden, who has been open about suffering from a stutter.

"If you are mocking Senator John Fetterman or even Biden for the issues they have speaking, you are no better than the childhood bullies we teach our children not to be. The motivation to use disabilities to shame people and groups of people is something that shows your own weakness and your own insecurities. You show you have no compassion for humanity. Perhaps you don't know this so I thought I'd just let you know," he wrote.

In late March, Fetterman was released from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center following six weeks of treatment for depression. Previously, Fetterman suffered a stroke about six months before last year's midterm election in which he defeated former President Donald Trump's endorsed candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz.

Newsweek has reached out to Fetterman's director of communications via Twitter for comment.

"It's admirable that John Fetterman is continuing to campaign for his party and serve in the Senate after his stroke," political analyst Craig Agranoff told Newsweek on Saturday. "He is an inspiration to many voters who have faced health challenges. However, I also think it's important for voters to be aware of his health status and to decide for themselves whether they believe he is fit to serve in the Senate."

Agranoff continued: "The GOP's argument that Fetterman should focus on his health instead of serving in the Senate is a valid one. But, it's also important to remember that Fetterman has been cleared by his doctors to resume his normal activities. The GOP attacks on his health are likely to be seen as cynical and opportunistic by many voters."

Update 6/18/2023, 10:55 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.