Senator John Fetterman walked into The View on Tuesday — and walked straight into a firestorm.
Co-host Sunny Hostin tore into the Pennsylvania Democrat over his vote to reopen the government alongside Republicans, accusing him of betraying his party right after Democrats scored one of their biggest election wins in years.
“You had momentum. Why give in now? Why bring a butter knife to a gunfight?!” Hostin demanded, her voice sharp enough to cut glass.
The Democrats Had the Upper Hand — And Blew It
Hostin wasn’t alone in her outrage.
Even Bernie Sanders called the move a “horrific mistake,” while California Governor Gavin Newsom called it “pathetic” and a “surrender.”
And they weren’t wrong. Poll after poll showed voters across the board blaming Republicans for the shutdown. Even Marjorie Taylor Greene blamed her own party. Democrats were winning — until a handful of senators, including Fetterman, flipped.
On Sunday, Fetterman and nine other Democrats joined Republicans to pass a deal that reopened the government. The catch? It came with no guarantees that the GOP would protect Affordable Care Act subsidies for millions of Americans.
All Democrats got in return was a promise — with no date, no plan, and no teeth.
Hostin didn’t let that slide.
“Are you really willing to gamble with people’s health care?” she pressed. “Because if you’re wrong, hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians will pay the price — literally.”
Fetterman Fires Back: “I Don’t Need Lectures”
To his credit, Fetterman stayed calm — but his response raised more eyebrows than it lowered.
“If Democrats are celebrating Crazy Pants like Marjorie Taylor Greene, that’s on them,” he shot back. “I don’t need a lecture from Bernie or Newsom. They represent deep-blue states. I represent a purple one.”
In other words: don’t compare Pennsylvania to California.
Fetterman insisted he’s not interested in playing extremes — but critics say this time, he didn’t just play it safe. He folded.
The Fallout
The backlash was immediate. Progressive activists slammed the vote as a complete surrender, arguing Democrats finally had the leverage to push back on Republican obstruction — and blew it.
Even longtime supporters of Fetterman, who built his image on being blunt and unafraid, were left wondering what happened to the guy who once promised to “fight like hell” for working people.
Because, as Sunny Hostin put it best “When you bring a butter knife to a gunfight, you’re not just outmatched — you’re out of touch.”