Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) delivered some of his sharpest criticism yet of Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner during a Monday appearance on Fox News, arguing that Platner’s campaign is effectively over and criticizing fellow Democrats who had previously supported him.
Speaking on The Ingraham Angle, Fetterman said Platner no longer has meaningful support within his own party following the allegations against him and the wave of endorsements that have since been withdrawn.
“He was already a dead man walking politically,” Fetterman said. “Now, when the entire Democratic Party in Maine has called him to leave, and now, also, as far as I know, whether it’s Schumer, Gillibrand and other leadership… have all called for him to go, he’s a dead man walking.”
Fetterman questioned why Platner continued to campaign despite losing the backing of prominent Democratic leaders.
“I don’t know why he’s trying to pretend that he’s not done,” he said.
The Pennsylvania senator also criticized progressive media figures who had previously promoted Platner’s candidacy, specifically mentioning the hosts of the Pod Save America podcast.
“Even those Pod Save America people that pushed that dirtbag, and they dismissed those things in The New York Times article, maybe they ought to apologize to the women that clearly they didn’t believe or they dismissed that,” Fetterman said.
He broadened his criticism beyond Platner, arguing that some Democrats have shown poor judgment in the candidates they choose to support.
“I know Democrats that have back-to-back endorsed and got all in on Swalwell and were on the Platner train as well, too,” Fetterman said. “So, maybe stop getting in bed with absolute dirtbags, someone like Platner.”
Platner has denied the allegations made against him, and his campaign has characterized them as false and politically motivated. Nevertheless, the accusations have led numerous Democratic officials and organizations—including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee—to withdraw their support and call on him to end his campaign.
