John Fetterman demands Bernie Sanders apologize for backing Graham Platner amid Senate fallout

WASHINGTON, DC: Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) called on Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and the hosts of the ‘Pod Save America’ podcast Monday to publicly apologize for endorsing Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner, who is facing controversy that has disrupted his campaign and led to several prominent Democratic figures withdrawing their support.

On Monday, Politico published an interview with Jenny Racicot, a 41-year-old Maine resident who had previously dated Platner. Racicot, who met Platner on a dating app in 2019, shared allegations about an incident involving him, which Platner denied, calling the claims "troubling, serious, and false" and the reporting "inaccurate."

Fetterman says Sanders should 'sit a few out'

"I would really call Bernie Sanders to apologize for pushing this kind of candidate more than anyone," Fetterman said during an appearance on Fox News' ‘The Ingraham Angle.’

"I don't know why you want to keep pushing these kinds of people. Maybe he should consider, sit a few out and stop pushing these kind of communists and people like Platner. He has been credibly accused, and that's fairly recent too. That was only less than five years ago."

Fetterman has frequently criticized Platner over the controversies surrounding his campaign and has often done so during appearances on Fox News.

Platner called the allegations "troubling, serious, and false" and said the Politico reporting was "inaccurate," while acknowledging his campaign understood the impact the report would have.

"He was already a dead man walking politically," Fetterman said, pointing out that "the entire Democratic party in Maine" and other Democrats, including Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), were calling on him to drop out.

Fetterman also called out the ‘Pod Save America’ hosts by name, demanding they issue an apology for their support of Platner.

The progressive podcast, hosted by former Obama administration staffers, had been among the high-profile voices backing Platner's campaign to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.

"Those Pod Save America people that pushed that dirt bag — they dismiss 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."

Democratic leaders pull support from Platner campaign

Reps. Ro Khanna and Ruben Gallego both pulled their endorsements following the Politico report, while Democratic organizations and senior party figures urged Platner to abandon his campaign or face a funding freeze in the Maine Senate race.

"I know Democrats that have back-to-back endorsed and got all in on" former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), and "were on the Platner train as well, too," Fetterman said.

"So maybe stop getting in bed with absolute dirt bags, someone like Platner."

When Ingraham asked Fetterman if there was anything he wanted to say directly to Platner, he replied, "I don't have anything to say to that trash bag," again calling Platner "a dead man walking politically."

He added that his thoughts were with the woman who came forward and said he wanted to "salute the courage for the women to come forward."

The episode has become another flashpoint in the broader debate within the Democratic Party over its direction, with progressive supporters of Platner facing criticism from more moderate voices like Fetterman.

Fetterman said those who backed Platner put the Democrats' "majority path" back to the Senate at "serious risk" and should "maybe look in the mirror" and think about "the kind of person you were pushing."