'He retired for a reason': Internet split as John Fetterman backs Mitt Romney as next Harvard president to end 'mad season of antisemitism'

HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA: On Monday, April 22, Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.), expressed support for the candidacy of retiring Senator Mitt Romney (R-Utah) as the next president of Harvard University.

Sen Fetterman cited concerns about the elite institution's response to antisemitism on its campus in recent months.

Since the commencement of the new year, the seat of the university president has remained unoccupied.

The former president of Harvard University, Claudine Gay, resigned from her position after coming under a lot of pressure from university alumni and government officials after her much-publicized contentious congressional testimony regarding campus antisemitism and amid incipient allegations of plagiarism.

Per The Hill, Alan Garber, the former provost, is serving as interim president until a permanent replacement is appointed.

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Sen John Fetterman referred to recent reports of antisemitism at Columbia University, and argued in a statement posted on X, that Romney's leadership could aid in "recalibrating" academics away "from far-left orthodoxy."

The Keystone State Democrat shared a screenshot of a Washington Post op-ed titled "Harvard is in an almighty mess. Let Mitt Romney clean it up," written by American Jewish Congress President Daniel Rosen.

Fetterman wrote, “As an alumnus of Harvard, and after this mad season of antisemitism at Columbia, I co-sign. This former Governor of Massachusetts doesn’t need a paycheck, but Harvard and its academic peers needs to recalibrate from far-left orthodoxy.”

In his op-ed, Daniel Rosen stated that he is "a lifelong Democrat" who "did not vote for Romney when he ran for US president in 2008" and has "no personal connection to him."

Regardless, he asserted, “I make this suggestion in the sincere and robust hope that he is someone who can navigate the university through painful but necessary reform and drive back the antisemitism that is tarnishing the institution’s credibility.”

“As the grandson of Holocaust survivors and president of the American Jewish Congress, I find it devastating that Harvard has failed to vigorously address the unchecked antisemitism on campus,” Rosen remarked in the opinion piece published a week ago.

In 2021, Sen Mitt Romney was honored with the JFK Profile in Courage award for his noteworthy actions during the first impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump.

He became the first Republican senator to vote in favor of the conviction of a member of his own party, which demonstrated his integrity and commitment to upholding the rule of law.

During the second impeachment trial in 2021, six Republican senators, including Romney, voted in favor of convicting the former POTUS following the attack on the Capitol.

Although the vote fell short of the necessary two-thirds threshold for conviction, the actions of these senators reflect their dedication to the principles of justice and accountability, even in the face of political pressure.

Rosen praised Romney's independent spirit, stating, "Romney has been nothing short of a profile in courage in the Senate."

“There is no doubt that there are other Americans of similar standing and stature, but Romney’s unique bridge-building character is precisely what Harvard needs in an age of toxic polarization,” Rosen claimed.

Furthermore, he added, “A Harvard alumnus, he is an eloquent and experienced administrator who has consistently demonstrated his political independence in defense of what is right, rather than what is expedient.”

Internet divided as John Fetterman throws his weight behind Mitt Romney

One X user remarked, "I like it - Is a shame Romney is leaving the Senate we need guys like him."

Another user said, "Fetterman is quickly becoming the new Kyrsten Sinema. Elected as a progressive and moving to the right."

"Romney would be good. I wasn't a fan of his politics but he's shown he has the ability to find compromise in turmoil and he seems pretty grounded and fair," another user claimed.

One user wrote, "Seems like Fetterman wants to be a one term senator."

Another X user argued, "He retired for a reason. He is not going to want this."

Finally, this user tweeted, "Extremism, either to the far right or to the far left, is not healthy to lean into. Harvard will need to make up its mind about how they want to manage their schools. Balance and non-extremism is where I hope all land."

 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.