Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) doesn’t think Democrat consultant James Carville is relevant and he should just shut up already about Joe Biden’s re-election campaign. How about them apples?
In a new interview with Politico, Fetterman said that Carville should ‘shut the f*** up’ about Joe Biden running for re-election at the age of 81. Carville, a mere 79 years of age, may not be relevant to Fetterman but he is still a regular commenter on cable news networks, mostly CNN and MSNBC. Carville, the Ragin’ Cajun, is known for his blunt talk and is not afraid to deliver a hot take on any political subject. Fetterman took an opportunity during his interview with Politico to say what he has said before – Carville needs to shut up.
The topic was Biden’s horrible poll numbers and the fact that polls show Trump beating Biden. Fetterman isn’t concerned, or so he says, and points out that there is a lot of time until the 2024 election. Anything can happen, including a Biden comeback.
But that doesn’t really matter. There’s a whole lifetime in politics between now and next November as well. I’m not worried about that. And I’m very vocal about this, too, while there are Democrats that are being very critical about the president. … I’ll use this [as] another opportunity to tell James Carville to shut the fuck up. Like I said, my man hasn’t been relevant since grunge was a thing. And I don’t know why he believes it’s helpful to say these kinds of things about an incredibly difficult circumstance with an incredibly strong and decent and excellent president. I’ll never understand that.
Ouch. Carville hasn’t been relevant since grunge was popular, he said. He’s trolling Carville over his age since Carville is concerned about the demented old man in the White House. Above everything else, Carville wants a Democrat to win the presidential election in 2024. He is a partisan’s partisan. It’s true he’s been around for decades, having made a real name for himself for his help getting Bill Clinton elected president in 1992. “It’s the economy, stupid.” Since then, Carville has been thought of as a wise and successful political adviser. That’s why he has endured the test of time for all these years. He’s entertaining with his honesty and he usually knows what he is talking about in politics. He’s an old-school Louisiana Democrat, not some fire-breathing progressive.
Normally, Fetterman would probably agree with Carville on many subjects, especially since Fetterman has declared he is not a progressive but a regular Democrat. What set him off, though, is what he sees as inappropriately talking down about Biden’s chances of re-election. Carville is being honest, though, and that probably stings the most. Most Democrats are privately saying the same thing but publicly claiming that Biden will win in 2024. They don’t want to air dirty laundry in public.
It is possible that both men are right. Carville is right about the horrendous poll numbers and the gloomy outlook for Biden. But, Fetterman is also right. It is less than a year to election day and anything can happen. Fetterman just doesn’t want Carville to say the quiet part out loud during television appearances. We don’t yet know how Trump’s indictments will land with voters until voting begins. So far they rally the base and others who realize the two-tier justice being meted out to Trump. It is the ultimate election interference. The Democrats are using lawfare against Trump because that is what they do. But, if none of Trump’s trials move forward before the presidential election, will voters see the indictments as an issue or do they want to get rid of Biden? We just don’t know yet.
Carville’s point is that a younger and more energetic candidate would be a stronger competitor against Trump. Anyone can see Biden isn’t up to the job. Democrats know it but are staying with their man. Biden has convinced them he is the only Democrat who can beat Trump because he did it in 2020. But, this isn’t 2020 and there is not a pandemic to keep Biden comfortably in his basement during the campaign season. Voters notice his easy schedule and he mostly stays close to his home in Delaware when he leaves the White House. In other words, he isn’t breaking a sweat out on the campaign trail.
Fetterman is grateful that Biden campaigned for him in Pennsylvania after he suffered a life-threatening stroke. Fetterman is showing loyalty. He also knows that Pennsylvania will likely not be an easy win for either party.
The senator was asked if he is concerned about Biden’s ground game in Pennsylvania.
I don’t give anybody advice unless on fashion. … All I do know is that the president will win Pennsylvania. And I do believe if he wins Pennsylvania, and I believe he will, he will be a second-term president.
He’s a Democrat. He’s ridin’ with Biden. Fetterman may be saying some things that Republicans appreciate these days – like his stalwart support for Israel and his declarations that the southern border has to be closed – but he’s still a Democrat.
Asked for a response to Fetterman by Politico, Carville took the high road. Kinda.
Asked if he’d like to respond, Carville said other Democratic senators “apparently haven’t gotten the memo yet” that he’s not relevant. “His colleague Sen. Casey asked me to host a fundraiser with him last week,” he said. “Sen. Brown asked me to go to Cleveland to campaign with him.” Of Fetterman, he added: “I’m glad he’s feeling better.”)
Carville is pretty good at trolling, too.
