Joan Walsh is a journalist, author, and national affairs correspondent for The Nation. Her work covers American politics and public affairs; she also writes books and produces documentary work.
Role at the time: Author and national affairs correspondent for The Nation
Condemned
Statement summary
Walsh criticized Fetterman's convention appearance and questioned whether Democrats could rely on him as their deciding Senate vote.
“I think Democrats have to make sure they win a 52nd vote, given his odd behavior of late.”
Open source (opens in a new tab)Joan Walsh: The Embarrassment of Trump's Midterm ConventionFinal Fetterman paragraphs, especially the sentence about Democrats needing a 52nd vote
Why we used this label
Her recommendation that Democrats secure an additional vote is explicit criticism of Fetterman's conduct and reliability, not an institutional position of the publication.
At the September 9, 2026 Republican convention, Democratic Senator John Fetterman introduced Republican Senator Dave McCormick and promised cooperation with President Trump on Pennsylvania steel. Supporters welcomed bipartisanship; critics called it campaign-stage help for an administration Fetterman’s voters expected him to oppose.
