Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was meeting last week with representatives from a teachers union in his home state when things quickly devolved.

Before long, Fetterman began repeating himself, shouting and questioning why “everybody is mad at me,” “why does everyone hate me, what did I ever do” and slamming his hands on a desk, according to one person who was briefed on what occurred.

As the meeting deteriorated, a staff member moved to end it and ushered the visitors into the hallway, where she broke down crying. The staffer was comforted by the teachers who were themselves rattled by Fetterman’s behavior, according to a second person who was briefed separately on the meeting.

  • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works
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    8 days ago

    I have had to watch this happen to a close friend.

    Back in 2015, I had a buddy who got into a nasty bike accident, and suffered a TBI. He was always a bit of a snarky asshole, but we definitely did see eye to eye on political matters before that happened. But during his recovery, he became a lot more viciously vindictive and outright mean, and also ended up going full MAGA later on. It was weird and depressing to watch a close friend spiral out of control and lash out at people who were previously his very close friends, to the extent that he alienated basically all of them.

    It sucks, and it’s very real.

    • Olhonestjim@lemmy.world
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      8 days ago

      I wonder how much high school athletics have contributed to conservatism via head injuries and groupthink?

      • Ledericas@lemm.ee
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        8 days ago

        its either cte, strokes, or drugs turn into a nutty christian right winger. or if you have something like undiagnosed schizophrenia.

        • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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          7 days ago

          drugs turn into a nutty christian right winger.

          Uhhhhh yeah I don’t think so. I think you’re seeing former addicts that go hard for religion, and yeah that’s real… But it’s usually not the drugs that do it.