Podcaster Joe Rogan spoke to actress Cheryl Hines Tuesday about the risks of going against the grain in modern politics. Rogan cited Senator John Fetterman as a prime example of a politician being targeted by his own party for deviating from the groupthink. "Once you get in, for the most part, you have to adhere to the mindset of all the other people that are in your business," Rogan explained during the "Club Random" episode.
Rogan argued that the Democratic establishment has essentially "cast out" Fetterman for his common-sense stance on election integrity. The Pennsylvania Senator recently broke ranks to support voter ID requirements, a move that sparked immediate backlash from progressive leaders. "They're mad at him because he says, ‘I think you should probably have ID to vote,'" Rogan told Hines.
Cheryl Hines, whose husband Robert F. Kennedy Jr. serves as Health and Human Services Secretary, agreed with Rogan’s assessment. "I know. I like John Fetterman," Hines said, noting the "theatrics" often involved in political gatekeeping. Rogan praised Fetterman’s authenticity, highlighting his lifelong dedication to philanthropy and his "everyman" persona in his signature Carhartt hoodie.
The discussion touched on the House’s recent passage of the SAVE America Act, which would require documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration. While Democrats have compared such measures to "Jim Crow-era" laws, Fetterman has rejected those comparisons entirely. "It's not a radical idea for regular Americans to show your ID to vote," Fetterman said, pointing to successful ID laws in states like Wisconsin.
Rogan noted that the Republican Party faces similar issues when members like Representative Thomas Massie break from the party line. He argued that both sides often prioritize "groupthink" over individual opinions, labeling dissenters as traitors. "There's a lot of people that are in that business that start off with really good intentions," Rogan observed.
Fetterman’s shift on the issue marks a significant departure from his 2021 stance where he called voter ID "insidious and unnecessary." Other Republicans, including Senator Eric Schmitt, have applauded Fetterman’s "courage" for speaking the truth to his own party. They argue that voter ID is an "80/20 issue" that the vast majority of Americans support despite the radical opposition from Democratic leadership.