Rogan ‘Fan’ John Fetterman Smacks NYT, Dems for Mocking ‘Bros’ Reached By Rogan and Elon Musk
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Pennsylvania Democrat Sen. John Fetterman said Democrats and The New York Times have both mocked so-called “bros” at their own peril, while talking to that newspaper in a new interview this week. And added that he’s a “fan” of mega-influencer Joe Rogan.
The decision by Vice President Kamala Harris not to appear on The Joe Rogan Experience has been widely pinpointed as a key mistake in her campaign, and not just by those on the right but by liberal and progressive commentators as well.
Fetterman mentioned Rogan along with billionaire tech CEO Elon Musk in his answer to Jess Bidgood this week on whether the major losses Democrats suffered across the board and across the country were simply “inevitable.”
Fetterman described Musk getting involved as a “one-off” but “an active surrogate” for Trump, but said that Musk’s money, while “helpful,” was not the big worry with Musk.
“I was concerned that he’s going to have a lot of sway with a part of the demographic that the Democrats have to win, and we’ve struggled with,” he said.
“You’re talking about the tech billionaire Elon Musk, but what’s the demographic in question?” he was asked.
“Whether it’s the ‘bros,’ that negative term that perhaps even your publication uses, as a negative — it’s the bros, or, you know, males, blue-collar guys, just people. It’s very rare, in my opinion, that surrogates have ‘fanboys,'” Fetterman said. “Making fun of him or make light of it, you do that at your peril, because it is going to matter.”
Bidgood then asked how Democrats should be talking to “bros” and others, including working class voters, with whom Donald Trump made major gains again in 2024.
In his response, Fetterman said Democrats should be having “honest” conversations even outside their ecosystems, in places like Rogan’s podcast or even on Fox News. And he expressed his fandom for Rogan, as well as comic and pundit Bill Maher and talk host Stephen Colbert.
How do you think Democrats should be talking to bros, and should be talking to men, and should be talking to working-class voters?
Have a conversation. Have a conversation with anyone that’s willing to have an honest conversation. That’s always been the rule, and that’s what I’m going to continue. I’ve had conversations on Fox News, and they’ve played me straight. I’ve shown up on Newsmax, and they’ve played it straight. And Rogan. Rogan was great. He was cordial and open and warm.
Why was it important to you to go on Joe Rogan?
I’m a fan. I’m a huge fan of Bill Maher, a huge fan of Colbert.
Read the full interview, including Fetterman advising Democrats not to “freak out” so much, here from The New York Times.
