It's John Fetterman's Senate Now
The Senate's unwritten dress code goes Delta Tau Chi, catapulting Pennsylvania's Freshman US Senator into its most influential icon in years, tossing tradition and decorum out the window.
Whenever conducting tours of the US Capitol, I love pointing out symbols of tradition and nods to history, especially in the US Senate.
And I’m almost always wearing a business suit.
The two nicely polished brash spittoons that rest symbolically near the Republican and Democratic leaders’ desks; the Japanese-influenced small black snuff boxes that can be found, now encased in plexiglass, near the Senate chamber’s rear entrances on both sides of the President’s desk; and, of course, the Senate’s desks, many of which predate the Capitol’s pre-Civil War expansion that created not just the nine-million-pound cast iron dome atop the home of our Article I branch of government but the current House and Senate chambers.
When I was Secretary of the US Senate, I remember pages making sure the rosin containers on each desk were full, reminiscent of days when Senators wrote with quill pens and ink. The quill pens were long gone, and the inkwells dry, but by GOD, pages kept the rosin bottles filled, each resembling little salt shakers on each Senator’s ornate desk. Same with the snuff boxes. They are sadly empty now. The rosin was used to help dry the ink on correspondence written by Senators eons ago. Today, a few baseball pitchers and batters use rosin bags in on-deck circles to keep their hands dry, especially during hot and humid games. It’s the only “sticky substance” allowed in our national pastime.
I’m often asked why the Senate keeps such artifacts around, such as spittoons and snuff boxes. “A nod to tradition,” I always say. “The Senate and its procedures are deeply rooted in tradition.”
Until now. The Senate’s Majority Leader announced with little fanfare over the weekend that he was scrapping unwritten but well-known and largely respected dress codes for the Senate floor requiring coats and ties for men (no word about socks, but perhaps we should ask former US Sen. Richard Burr [R-NC], who was often seen wearing shoes sockless, but not on the Senate floor).
This is mainly due to one man, six-foot eight-inch freshman Democratic US Senator and former Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor, John Fetterman. The Senate is dumbing itself down to its lowest denominator.
Fetterman, who suffered a stroke that was covered up by his campaign and a compliant media in the Keystone State during the week Democrats nominated him in May 2020, has long favored Carhartt hoodies (pro tip: buy stock now!) and gym shorts over the business attire long associated - required! - by the US Senate.
Axios, the left-leaning media that often assumes the role of apologists for Democrats, wasted no time defending Fetterman’s vast influence as consistent with, if not inspired by, women in the Senate. Senate Rules Committee Chair Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) has advocated relaxing dress codes. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I/D-AZ) blazed new trails by wearing go-go boots on the floor and going sleeveless, barring her impressive arms (she is reportedly a bisexual tri-athlete).
Women have long had more flexibility over what qualifies as “business attire.” I recall when some House members required women staff to wear dresses (with hose!). I remember the day newly-elected Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) wore a turquoise pantsuit on her swearing-in day in January 1997. That was considered revolutionary. No male Senator questions what a female Senator wears on the Senate floor. I get that.
But today, Majority Leader Schumer has lowered the bar. Fetterman, now the Senate’s official fashion icon, has set the standard. Such as it is.
I can’t wait to see what Sen. Sinema wears now.
Some younger US Senators, such as Tom Cotton (R-AR), are very fit. Perhaps he will opt for tank tops and running shorts. Perhaps Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), an ophthalmologist, will resort to medical scrubs. Maybe Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) will sport his sideline attire, complete with the Auburn hat he used to wear on the sidelines for the college football team he once coached. Freshman US Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) might appear dressed as a plumber to reflect his former profession or in a wrestling singlet. Perhaps Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican up for reelection, will demand the right to wear a cowboy hat on the floor to match his ever-present boots.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) could dress up in the attire he wears to his all-white beach club. This could be very interesting. Never having been to an all-white club, I wonder what that might look like.
Sen. Schumer should be careful what he wishes for. Senators may begin conspiring to wear casual shirts with particular political messages.
But don’t worry, the new dress code - such as it is - applies only to Senators. Staff and others with access to the Chamber and other facilities, such as staff or visitors to the Senator’s Dining Room, will still need to sport business attire. That’s a nod to our new two-tiered system of government, especially justice. Rules for thee, not for me.
This strikes me as a very odd time to change Senate customs on attire. Floor time for things like military promotions and appropriations bills, as we approach the end of the fiscal year in 12 days, is in short supply, especially since we’re now largely adjourned for the Jewish New Year. Usually, such rule changes, if we can call them that, coincide with the start of a new Congress following an election. Schumer’s timing is strange.
And it doesn’t appear that his colleagues were consulted, perhaps except for Mr. Hoodie himself.
The Senate’s imposition into clothing wars may interest the House, where most such battles have occurred in recent years. Former Speaker John Boehner was a stickler for rules on floor attire. The late Rep. Bella Abzug (D-NY) was denied the opportunity to wear her massive hats on the floor, as has current Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL), but she has been seen wearing them to Committee hearings.
Former US Rep. and US Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (D/R-CO) raised a stink when he wore a bolo tie on the House floor but won the battle to have it qualify. He had no problem in the US Senate. The late Ted Risenhoover (D-OK) was famous for his denim leisure suits, complete with bell-bottom trousers, but he always featured a jacket and tie, which qualified.
But scrapping the Senate’s long-standing requirements for business attire has huge implications. I wonder if Schumer has thought this through. He may be catering to the stroke-recovering Fetterman today, but what happens when Senate Republicans begin showing up with hoodies of their own this winter with specific political messages?
Bottom line - this is a terrible idea. But in fairness, it reflects our culture, and politics always runs downstream of that, as the late Andrew Breitbart told us.
There was a day when corporate headquarters and offices had dress codes. We dressed for the job we aspired to. Then the pandemic happened, and we wore what we had to within eyeshot of our Zoom calls and meetings. Dress codes have been dumbed down for all resorts and restaurants here and worldwide, opening up all kinds of mischief on Zoom calls. Just ask CNN’s Jeffrey Tobin.
Let’s face it: most of you, especially remote workers, dress like John Fetterman. Why should you expect your US Senate to behave or dress any differently? What was that about double standards?
Still, Schumer’s unilateral action undermines the Senate’s decorum and opens the door to mischief.
Let’s hope the GOP wins control of the Senate and reverses this awful decision in January 2025. If our military, police, and firefighters can wear uniforms, so can our elected representatives.
Maybe it will inspire a trend that runs upstream.
Fetterman may not be able to button buttons. Hoodies and zippers are his salvation.
Bill