Senatorial Candidate John Fetterman Visits Allentown

U.S, Senatorial candidate John Fetterman had a very friendly reception at the Allentown Brew Works on Saturday night. Most were there to cheer for Bernie Sanders in the Democratic Presidential Debate being shown on the big screen later that evening. You might say Fetterman was the undercard.

In person, he's just as big as he looks in video. He's the kind of guy I'd expect to see in a bar, but he looks more like an NFL lineman than a community organizer. I'd expect to see him at Big Woody's scarfing wings or Stahley's inhaling a few dozen steamed clams, not at a pub that makes and serves hand-crafted ales. I'd expect to hear him talk about the Eagles or the Steelers, not income disparity. With his tattooed arms, he might be even be a retired member of the Warlock or Pagan motorcycle gang, not someone who refurbished a bicycle and brings it to a lady who kicked heroin and needs transportation to and from her job.

Those tattoos, incidentally, have a story. On one arm is the Braddock zip code, where he is Mayor. On the other arm, he has the date of every person killed since he assumed office to a mostly ceremonial position after winning by one vote in 2005.

That one vote, incidentally, was a provisional ballot that counted.

Fetterman is originally from a rather well-to-do and Republican family in York."I'll be the first Democrat they ever voted for," he joked.

He night have been one of those Republicans himself but for a life-changing event during his last year in college, when his best friend died in an automobile accident. Fetterman joined Big Brothers and then ultimately went to work for Americorps. He worked in Pittsburgh and went from there to Braddock.

In just the last 13 years, Braddock has lost 26% of its population. It was a steel mill town and now has a population of about 2,100, not much larger than West Easton. It's 73% black has a per capita income of just $12,627.

His agenda is what I'd call working-class liberal, and his argument is that he's the only Democrat who can beat Pat Toomey. He's pro-Obama, pro-Obamacare, and favors a more compassionate view towards immigration. But he's also a gun owner, actually took his shotgun to respond to a robbery in his community and believes any gun reform needs to be based on a scientific study as opposed to emotion. He supports the legalization of marijuana, but decries the heroin epidemic.

His over-riding theme is inequality, whether it is in wages or living conditions.

I'm not crazy he attended the Pa Society Gala. because, as he said, that was where the "Pennsylvania political universe" is. Last time I checked, the Pa political universe is in Pennsylvania, and consists mostly of the very people who elected him, not the oyster-eating, tuxedo-wearing aristocrats.

Though he's very outspoken on domestic matters, he offered no comments about foreign policy and no one bothered to ask him any questions. That is the Achilles heel of both the Democratic party, President Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Fetterman has also been attacked for failing to file the required financial disclosure, but he claims it's on its way.

After giving his speech, Fetterman was soon back on the road for the five-hour trip to Braddock. He and his wife, a Brazilian immigrant, are the parents of three children.

Fetterman is running against Joe Sestak and Kathleen McGinty for the Democratic nomination in next year's race for the U.S. Senate. Allentown Mayor Edwin "Fed Ed" Pawlowski has suspended his campaign.

The presumptive Republican nominee is Pat Toomey.