Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman endorsed an op-ed by The Washington Post calling on Republican Utah Sen. Mitt Romney to serve as the president of Harvard University to “recalibrate” it “from far-left orthodoxy.”
The piece, “Harvard is in an almighty mess. Let Mitt Romney clean it up,” called on Romney to use his “unique bridge-building character” to break apart Harvard’s “age of toxic polarization.” The op-ed’s writer, David Rosen, condemned his alma mater for allegedly failing to combat the growing antisemitism on campus since the Oct. 7 terror attack on Israel.
Fetterman, who has broken from his party on several issues, called on Harvard to “recalibrate from far-left orthodoxy” in response to the op-ed.
“As an alumnus of Harvard, and after this mad season of antisemitism at Columbia, I co-sign,” the senator said Monday. “This former Governor of Massachusetts doesn’t need a paycheck, but Harvard and its academic peers needs to recalibrate from far-left orthodoxy.”
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. pic.twitter.com/eaT0F5VaiR
— Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) April 22, 2024
Rosen argued Romney would be the needed “flag-bearer of our values” who will defend “what is right.” (RELATED: ‘Squatters Have No Rights’: John Fetterman Rips Soft Treatment Of Home Occupiers)
“As we saw with the disastrous congressional testimony of then-President Claudine Gay, leadership matters,” Rosen wrote. “The university president must be the flag-bearer of our values. 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. 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.”
He further noted how Romney has been “a staunch supporter of civil rights” and admired his criticism of Harvard over its response to the anti-Israel sentiment on campus.
Former Harvard University President Claudine Gay resigned from her position in early January over her infamous testimony before Congress on countering antisemitism. She refused to answer Republican New York Rep. Elise Stefanik’s repeated questioning on whether steps would be taken to counter antisemitism.
“Will admissions offers be rescinded or any disciplinary action be taken against students or applicants who say ‘From the river to the sea’ or ‘intifada’ advocating for the murder of Jews?” Stefanik asked during a Dec. 5 hearing.
“As I have said, that type of hateful, reckless, offensive speech is personally abhorrent to me,” Gay said in response.
“What action will be taken?” Stefanik questioned, to which Gay said actions would not be taken against students’ free speech.
She later refuted her responses by saying calls for violence against Jewish students “will be held to account” in a Dec. 6 statement.
Statement from President Gay: There are some who have confused a right to free expression with the idea that Harvard will condone calls for violence against Jewish students. Let me be clear: Calls for violence or genocide against the Jewish community, or any religious or ethnic…
— Harvard University (@Harvard) December 6, 2023
Over 30 student groups signed a letter placing blame on Israel for the deadly attack carried out by Hamas, and over 100 Harvard faculty signed a letter defending the antisemitic phrase, “From the river to the sea.” Gay released a statement saying the letter does not reflect the stance taken by the university.
Fetterman has been publicly critical of his own side, repeatedly calling on Democratic New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez to resign and be expelled by the chamber over his bribery charges. He told “The View” in early December that Menendez, who is accused of accepting bribes to wield political power in Egypt and in his state, is worse than the now-ousted Republican New York Rep. George Santos.
He said during a Dec. 15 interview that he is “not a progressive,” given how he is staunchly pro-Israel and has called for tougher immigration policy.
“I’m not a progressive,” Fetterman told NBC News. “I just think I’m a Democrat that is very committed to choice and other things. But with Israel, I’m going to be on the right side of that. And immigration is something near and dear to me, and I think we do have to effectively address it as well.”