Fetterman explains why he crossed party lines to support Mullin for DHS chief
Last edited Fri Mar 20, 2026, 05:09 AM - Edit history (1)
Source: CNN
Democratic Sen. John Fetterman cast the deciding vote Thursday to advance Markwayne Mullins nomination to serve as US Department of Homeland Security secretary, crossing party lines to send President Donald Trumps nominee to the full Senate for consideration.
He explained in a post on X his decision to join Republicans on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in backing the Oklahoma Republican senator to replace outgoing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
In January, I called on the president to fire Noemand he did. I truly approached the confirmation of my colleague and friend, Senator Mullin, with an open-mind, Fetterman wrote.
We need a leader at DHS. We must reopen DHS. My AYE is rooted in a strong committed, constructive working relationship with Senator Mullin for our nations security, he continued.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/19/politics/john-fetterman-mullin-dhs-vote
Since Rand Paul voted No, the vote would have sunk had Fetterman not went along.
Trump's DHS pick Mullin advances by one vote after Sen. Fetterman votes yes
paleotn
(22,146 posts)jfz9580m
(17,108 posts)I was watching that DOGE kid and how he decided which grants to drop based solely on what appear to be triggers for thought terminating cliches.
In fairness, that is a flaw in human cognition that most humans are well aware of.
I would normally say that if Rand Paul is a No on something I would likelier to be a yes on the same thing than not. But that is danger of reductive thinking reducing everything to one factor or metric. In this case or say wrt the marijuana industry I would agree with even Paul. But he is a still a piece of shit.
Quanta Magazine has some interesting pieces I do not understand, but my osmosis one vaguely absorbs something that makes sense:
I do not think the extremely online ( a group my horrible former adminstrator has forced me to join) know any feminists honestly. They know various online personas and that warps their perception of reality, which is sucky enough, but in a differently shaped way and with different dynamics.
Which will further now be afflicted with a flood of similar aw shucksy takes on reality on top of all the other scourges and nuisances imposed by the dominant narratives which espouse sensibly extractive, deregulation friendly, mindless hedonism - a sensibly suicidal death spiral of extravagant, even ostentatious stupidity. Work in this view of the world exists to be strenuous and pointless and bent towards the least meaningful and positive outcome of all possible ones at least in the net-however unrealistically utopian or rather dystopian it might be to shoot for things with no redeeming value whatsoever.
travelingthrulife
(5,119 posts)Fetterman voted for him because he is his friend.
What the hell kind of Senate decisions are these?
jfz9580m
(17,108 posts)But that is how kakistocracies are..what else is there to go on often?
I am reduced to decisions like that when I look up technocratic types to try and decide which of these unpromising types is minimally insane. And I make decisions going by things like writes clunky and insipid opeds in Politico but seems well intentioned and could still, for one of these CS guys, be not as insane as some.
These are not kakistocrats as they are CS majors. But that field needs a reckoning along with the rest of society.
Nstural scientists, doctors and some legitimate workers aside, the fact that these guys did all this restructuring of society absent any serious public comment, in parallel with Trumpism ramping up, pandemics etc. is a sign that field - so key to social engineering the world needs a reality check. It is never the real scientists who are as bad at math as CS majors and economists.
I think treating most living things as externalities and..The funny thing is how bad at math and science they are in any meaningful sense as they data mine and sell drivel.
How does it sell?
MLWR
(998 posts)BlueKota
(5,315 posts)AZJonnie
(3,674 posts)Basically he just cast the deciding vote to install this BOZO Mullin.
I know we "must support Dems" per the TOS, but
NOT COOL, man. NOT COOL!
pat_k
(13,308 posts)The support Dems rule is all about elections and the party in general.
No rule against calling for someone to run against a turncoat like Fetterman.
No rule against applauding the actions of someone like NC Chair Anderson Clayton, who awesomely denied Dems who joined Repubs in overriding vetoes (among other things) access to VoteBuilder, helping to sink them.
mdbl
(8,598 posts)Did someone promise him a yacht?
mountain grammy
(29,001 posts). This isnt a good vote.. Mullen is unqualified and not good for the job. That should at least be a consideration.
Jack Valentino
(4,936 posts)Practically NONE. What they WERE qualified for, was Trump ass-kissing.
Possibly Rubio was qualified , but if so he was the ONLY one--- although I can't approve of anything he's done since getting the job.
travelingthrulife
(5,119 posts)I don't think we need DHS at all.
angrychair
(12,231 posts)Is an elected Democrat. We need to listen to him as an elected Democrat is always right and in my opinion should never be questioned because we have to support the big tent and we need Democrats that support Trump because how else can we defeat Trump?
FoxNewsSucks
(11,677 posts)I wish it weren't the case that sheeple actually do think that way.
Initech
(108,617 posts)And he can go shove that "Trump Derangement Syndrome" straight up his worthless ass. Yes, we fucking hate Donald Trump. Yes, we think he's horrible and dangerous for this country. Yes, he should have been fired and imprisoned years ago, so deal with it, assholes.
The man is never happy. He shits on and destroys everything he touches like a monkey in the zoo. I am so pissed off. This was a slap in the face and a middle finger to us. Fuck Fetterman, fuck Trump, and fuck Markwayne Mullin.
flamingdem
(40,863 posts)Haven't thought of this.. had to be something.
Vinca
(53,888 posts)FoxNewsSucks
(11,677 posts)will actually support the Democratic Party and OPPOSE the orange piece of shit fascist dictator.
msongs
(73,655 posts)Miguelito Loveless
(5,707 posts)This tells me all I need to know.
not fooled
(6,664 posts)It was shown on MSNOW yesterday (sorry, can't remember which show). The future senator--spiffily clad in a red shirt bearing the "Mullin Plumbing" logo--demonstrated how to clean your garbage disposal by putting ice into it. His narration was first rate.
While I am all in favor of learning home maintenance tips, nothing evinced "future United States Senator", let alone head of security for the nation.
Martin68
(27,624 posts)pat_k
(13,308 posts)niyad
(132,053 posts)usonian
(25,012 posts)Fetterman's brain is a bit scrabbled.
That's probably a damn high word score. I haven't checked though.
Initech
(108,617 posts)And fuck Markeayne Mullin too.
Cheezoholic
(3,700 posts)not fooled
(6,664 posts)with the "Markwayne" persona.
There's a silver lining to everything, I guess.
Blue Owl
(58,968 posts)Throw on a red baseball cap and it really brings it all together
Botany
(77,207 posts)
. Feeding people, restoring a run down former Steel town, and bringing their powerful presence
for the commons good cant be taken away but he is now a liability to the people of PA and the
America. The stroke has taken its toll. Is he up for primary this year?
Polybius
(21,862 posts)He's not up for reelection until 2028.
bamagal62
(4,489 posts)everyonematters
(4,123 posts)Senator Warren has a housing proposal. Fetterman seems to making his whole purpose in life to antagonize his own base.