On Saturday, President Joe Biden flew to Pennsylvania to meet with Senator John Fetterman following the collapse of a bridge in Philadelphia. The hourlong meeting between the president and the senator was marred by controversy, however, as many have voiced concerns about Fetterman's unconventional – and possibly inappropriate – attire.
Joe Biden was greeted by John Fetterman in Pennsylvania, who showed up wearing shorts and a hoodie. pic.twitter.com/BTf1oRhpfR
— Real Mac Report (@RealMacReport) June 17, 2023
On the tarmac, Fetterman, 50, greeted Biden wearing a hoodie and shorts, prompting many to question whether he was dressed appropriately to meet with the president. This criticism increased over the weekend, as many began to speculate that Fetterman's casual dress could be indicative of a deeper issue – namely, that he may not be mentally fit to fulfill his position as a US senator.
But others, including Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, have pointed out that Fetterman has been dealing with depression for some time, and that his clothes are a way of coping with it. "Senator Fetterman has endured some degree of depression in the past," Kenney said. "Whatever he wears to public events shouldn't be a cause for judgment. We should accord him the same respect we would give to any other US Senator, and wish him best as he works his way through these difficult times."
Regardless of the reason, it's clear the clothing choice raised some eyebrows. And while Fetterman's attire certainly raised some concerns, the meeting itself was no less controversial.
The press conference that followed Biden and Fetterman's meeting was almost comical, to say the least. Biden attempted a joke about sleeping alone, but it fell flat. The room was silent before he said that his wife's a Philly girl, leading some to speculate that he wasn't making any sense at all. Meanwhile, Fetterman's gaunt and weathered appearance raises significant questions about his mental state.
FETTERMAN: "[Biden] is here to commit to work with the governor and the delegadation to make sure that we get this fixed quick, fast, as well, too. This is a president that is committed to infructure, yeah, and then on top of that the jewel kind of a law of the infration." pic.twitter.com/9kBdp9MKK7
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 17, 2023
The controversy surrounding the meeting doesn't end there. On the same day as the meeting, a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio killed and injured hundreds and left a toxic cloud over the town. While East Palestine has not seen assistance or even so much as a visit from the president, West Philadelphia is immediately receiving help following the bridge collapse. And many have questioned why Biden suddenly made himself available for this meeting when he refused to set foot in Ohio.
President Biden's visit to Pennsylvania to meet with Sen. John Fetterman contained multiple elements of controversy – his clothing choices, the press conference, and the issue of East Palestine. While the clothing controversy is interesting in itself, it's important not to overlook the residual questions that have been raised by this visit. Most importantly, why was Biden present for this bridge collapse but was unreachable following the tragic train derailment in Ohio? That's a question that likely won't be answered with a simple explanation.