Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) joins FOX News host Kayleigh McEnany on “Saturday in America” to discuss the failed vote to pay federal workers amid the ongoing government shutdown and backlash from both parties.

KAYLEIGH MCENANY, FOX NEWS HOST:  The headline in The New York Times was Democrats block federal worker pay bill as shutdown drags on. The vote to pay military and essential workers broke down like this, 54 yes, 45 no.   Just three Democrats joined Republicans and voting to pay furloughed workers and Senator John Fetterman was quick to point out. “I’m a Democrat. I voted yes.” Senator Fetterman has been one of the clearest voices and calling for an end to the shutdown analogizing the situation to Groundhog Day.   (BEGIN OF VIDEO CLIP)   REPORTER:  Are you surprised that vote after vote, it’s just been three Democrats time and again who voted for this bill. Does that surprise you?   JOHN FETTERMAN (D) PENNSYLVANIA SENATOR:  Yes, it’s Groundhog Day. You know, and I’m just saying and it’s not entertaining. That’s a great movie, but this is (BLEEPS)   (END OF VIDEO CLIP)   MCENANY:  Senator Fetterman joins me now.   Senator, an honor to have you. That clip was from Tuesday and you said you weren’t surprised by the continual votes by your party to not reopen the government. But were you surprised when the vote came on Thursday to pay military to pay furloughed workers? And you were just one of three Democrats saying let’s pay these essential workers.   FETTERMAN:  I mean, I’m not, I’m not surprised when they — I do believe that there’s a critical mass of my fellow Democrats that are dug in and out until there’s an absolute ironclad kind of a deal and I do, I do fundamentally believe leader Thune is an honorable guy. And I do believe we could have a sincere conversation, you know, after we can open it up.   And then we don’t have to do this three-card monte about, you know, do this, do that. Let’s just open it up and then we have our SNAP, you know. We have everyone’s paid and then we can have that conversation to see if we can extend those tax credit deals because I do believe there enough Republicans that would like to see that, too.   And now for me, I don’t check. It’s like are we winning? Are we losing and the thing? It’s like — because I guarantee America is losing in this place right now.   MCENANY:  You know, no doubt America’s losing in this, Senator. And I wonder, you know, you’re in the halls of Congress. You are in some of these meetings with fellow Democrats.   And do you hear privately some of your Democratic colleagues saying we got in this thing?   FETTERMAN:  Well, I mean, I just know that two things must be true in this situation right now, you know. SNAP depends on 2 million Pennsylvanians to feed themselves and I believe it’s about 40 million Americans across the nation. That’s a big deal right now.   And now we all realize that a lot of the Premiums are going to go up and we might want to address that, too. We can support those two things, but I think it’s fundamentally wrong regardless to shut our government down for those things. You know, the Republican side has their priorities. We have our priorities, you know. I think we have to agree that our government must be open.   MCENANY:  And you think it’s time for Republicans to nuke the filibuster and end this thing?   FETTERMAN:  I mean, I think I’ve broached that before. I think it’s entirely appropriate and I would remind, you know, all of us, the Democrats, we wanted to nuke the entire filibuster.   You know, I’m referring to right now carving out this specific right now. I’m not talking about eliminating the entire filibuster, not — it’s really not much different than they — about the en blanc kind of nominees and I think that was appropriate to do that in that situation as well, too. And carving it out, the filibuster now would make it almost impossible to shut our government down in the future regardless if it’s a Democrats or the Republicans doing these things. We should remove ourselves, our power to shut this down in this way.   MCENANY:  Senator Fetterman, you know, I want to talk to you about the ideological way forward for the Democratic Party because we’ve seen this rise of Democratic socialism and progressivism and, you know, I’m wondering what do you think the ideological path is for your party?   FETTERMAN:  Well, my — and really that the party’s going to go its own way, but I’ve been going my way. I’m going to fight for wins in Pennsylvania and there’s issues that I will agree and align with on the Republican side specifically like Israel. And I celebrated those great peace deal.   And I also really very strong that we have to secure our border and I was the co-sponsor of the Laken Bill as well. And right now, I’m in a Minority that I think it’s wrong to shut our government down in this situation right now. And now, so for me, and there’s things that I strongly believe in, too, on the Democratic side.   But I’m just going to — I’m always going to vote country over party. I’m always going to vote for paying for the military over my party and those things because I think that’s what’s appropriate right now. The direction where my party’s going, I mean, well, won’t see but I can control my vote and my voice and that’s exactly where I am. And I’m going to call balls and strikes and it’s an easy, easy choice to pick my country over the party especially in circumstances like this.   MCENANY:  Senator, Axios had this and it was eye-opening. Democrats have not flipped a GOP Senate seat since Fetterman did in 2022. He still is popular with Pennsylvania voters. Looked at a morning consult poll, you are plus 11 in favorability. A lot of people like you in Pennsylvania.   And I wonder has anyone in the party come to you and said you’re the last time we flipped a Senate seat, how did you do it? And what can we do? What can we learn from that?   FETTERMAN: Yes. Well, that’s the thing. And if I become a problem for Democrats to being up 11 points, you know, like in a state as purple as difficult as Pennsylvania is it’s like that’s very strange.   But I’m going to be honest and I would say this to Democrats. I’ll be an honest Democrat that’s going to tell you what I think is fundamentally right in these circumstances. And now, I think many, many Democrats would agree in certain circumstances we’re going to vote for our country, not just the party lines on this.   And I’m not going to hate everything that President Trump does. I mean, there’s things I’m going to agree with and there’s things I’m going to disagree on. And I represent Pennsylvania and I just don’t represent Democrats in Pennsylvania. I represent 13 million people and there’s a lot of Republicans and independents as well, too.   MCENANY:  Yes. I was in Pennsylvania last night. I was actually in Hershey, Pennsylvania at an event where there were a ton of deep conservative Republicans.   And some of them said to me, we’re just really surprised that Senator Fetterman, you know, he’s this voice of truth and he’s willing to cross the aisle. And, you know, they wondered if there was a transformation or is this just who you’ve always been at your core, someone who really deeply wants to work with the other side.   FETTERMAN:  No, really, honestly, nothing’s changed, honestly, you know. I’ve always been very, very strong ally for Israel and, of course, 10/07 changed a lot of things for those things, you know. I’ve always wanted to have a secure border. I remain very strongly pro-immigration as well, too.   And then I have never had a time in my career when I’m like, hey, let’s shut our government down. I mean, I’ve always been very pro on a lot of these things. I think what’s maybe different now is that, you know, there’s very few Democrats that, you know, it’s going to just say, hey, I’m going to follow Israel through this. Or, hey, I think we really do need to address our border. And I do think of a lot of those other issues.   So for me, fundamentally, it’s my vote and my voice. And Pennsylvania is up plus 11. I mean, I’m not really sure if someone has an issue with it, that’s okay.   But I’ll be very honest, and I’ll play it straight.   MCENANY:  Yes. And Senator, I just want to ask you a fun question on the way out here. Tomorrow, big game, Steelers, Green Bay.   I imagine I can guess who you’re supporting and your thoughts on the game.   FETTERMAN:  Yes, I think the most controversial thing I could say is, like, I’m a secret Packers fan or whatever, and I’m absolutely not Steelers, Steelers, Steelers. Oh, my God. I mean, Steelers, that’s one of the state religion in western Pennsylvania.   And of course, you know, now, I’m also, western Pennsylvania is also part of that. I mean, there’s the Sheetz Wawa. That’s another one of the Pennsylvania arguments, that we’re Sheetz.   But — absolutely. And now, when I just landed, I came back from D.C. this morning, and I see a lot of Packers hats, you know, in the airport. So I think it’s going to be a brawl, and I will keep it nice, clean, clean, clean, fine.   But it’s an amazing weekend for football, absolutely, in Pennsylvania right now.   MCENANY:  It is. It is. Senator Fetterman, I love your hoodie, and everyone on my Instagram Live said they love it, too.   So thank you so much.   FETTERMAN:  Thank you.   MCENANY:  Thanks. Keep up the great work.   FETTERMAN:  Oh, yes. Okay.   MCENANY:  All right.

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