11/10 Playbook: Fetterman: 'I Should Have Quit'

11/10 Playbook: Fetterman: ‘I Should Have Quit’

November 10, 2025 | 8:04 AM EST

Steve Ulrich

???? Monday. It’s day 133 of the state budget impasse and day 41 of the longest federal government shutdown in history.

????️ In Today’s PoliticsPA Playbook. Fetterman: ‘I Should Have Quit’. Could Climate Compact Break a PA Budget Deal? Does Lanco Dems Election Success Foreshadow 2026? Lake Effect Snow.

???? Your Morning Pick-Me-Up. Rock and Roll, Pt. 2. Gary Glitter

PA Weather
????️ Meadville | Mostly Cloudy, PM Snow, 34
???? Bloomsburg | Cloudy, Slight Chance of Showers, 45
????️ Wayne | Partly Sunny, 49

???? What We’re Hearing. ESPN announced Sunday afternoon that its iconic college football pregame show, College GameDay Built by The Home Depot, will broadcast live from the North Shore of Pittsburgh on Saturday, Nov. 15, from 9 a.m. to noon, ahead of the No. 24 Pitt Panthers’ Week 12 matchup with No. 10 Notre Dame at Acrisure Stadium.

???? The PoliticsPA Playbook is compiled by Steve Ulrich. To read in your browser, click here. Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe for free.

Top Story

1. John Fetterman: ‘I Should Have Quit’

“Senator John Fetterman is known for many things—his unconventional wardrobe, his towering 6′8″ frame, and his blunt, unapologetic personality. More recently, he’s drawn attention for breaking with the Democratic Party on several major issues: backing Israel, calling for tighter control at the southern border, and showing a willingness to meet and even collaborate with President Donald Trump.

But before all that, Fetterman made headlines for a far more personal reason—the stroke he suffered in 2022 during his run for the Pennsylvania Senate seat. He went on to win the race, but not before facing intense public scrutiny over his health and ability to serve.

In his new memoir, Unfettered, Fetterman lifts the veil on the experience. Today, we bring you an exclusive excerpt from the book, in which Fetterman describes the stroke, the deep depression that followed, and the moment he realized, “In hindsight, I should have quit.”” (The Free Press)

Elsewhere

Chief Justice Roberts Faces Career-Defining Decision on Trump. “Chief Justice John Roberts faces a defining challenge as he enters his third decade leading the Supreme Court: how far to let Donald Trump’s presidency rewrite the bounds of executive power.” (Wall Street Journal)

Fetterman Casts Key Vote in Shutdown Deal That Other Democrats Call ‘Capitulating’. “early six weeks into being one of the only Democrats to side with Republicans to end the government shutdown, U.S. Sen. John Fetterman saw seven of his colleagues move to his side on Sunday night in a vote that still deeply divided his party but that put the end of the shutdown closer than ever.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Trump Pardons Giuliani, 76 Others Accused of Bid to Overturn 2020 Election. “President Trump pardoned Rudy Giuliani and 76 other allies accused of attempting to interfere in the 2020 presidential election results, U.S. pardon attorney Ed Martin said late Sunday.” (Axios)

What to Know About Trump’s $2K Tariff Check Proposal. “President Trump announced on Sunday that most Americans will receive “at least” $2,000 from the tariff revenue collected by the Trump administration.” (The Hill)

State

2. With PA Budget Stalemate in Fifth Month, Could Climate Compact Break a Deal?

“Democrats in the state legislature are openly warning their own party leadership against cutting a budget deal with Republicans that would prevent Pennsylvania from entering the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), as the state budget impasse hurtles through its fifth month.

It’s unclear if any major changes to climate or energy policy will be part of a final budget agreement, but the recent outpouring of concern illustrates a pitfall involved in cutting a deal.” (PennLive)

Elsewhere

PA Begins Distributing SNAP Benefits As Shapiro Offers Rebuke of Vance, Tells Trump Administration to ‘Give Up’ Fight. “Whether the Trump administration will successfully block the remaining $266 million due to Pa. in November SNAP benefits is unclear. It secured temporary relief from the Supreme Court late Friday.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Uncertainty Over SNAP Benefits Hits Home in PA’s Coal Region. “More than 18,000 people use the program in Northumberland County – that’s 20 percent of the county, among the highest rates in the state.” (Penn Capital-Star)

The Major Cases Awaiting Decisions From PA’s Highest Courts. “The Pennsylvania Supreme Court hears appeals from the state’s two lower appellate courts — Commonwealth and Superior — and has discretion about the cases it considers.” (Spotlight PA)

The Bethlehem Project: An Immigration Raid Divides A Community. “Over the next several years, the Financial Times is diving in deep on some of the US’s biggest economic and political issues, all through the lens of one city: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.” (Financial Times)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Democrats In A Central PA County Had A Good Year. Does That Mean Blue Wave Will Ensue in 2026?

“Tuesday was a big day for Democrats. The party flipped control of the school boards and municipal boards in Manheim and East Hempfield townships, two of the most-populated municipalities in Lancaster County.

But among those who follow county politics, the true impact of Tuesday’s election for Democrats remains a matter of debate.” (LNP)

Elsewhere

Corey O’Connor’s Early Administration Picks Reflect Emphasis On Experience. “Is he making smart choices, relying on experience in Pittsburgh government that will get the new administration off on a strong footing? Or is he attempting to recreate the kind of moderate administration that voters rejected in 2021.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Maps Tell The Story Of 2025 Election in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. “These four maps help explain what happened at the polls in Southwestern Pennsylvania this week.” (Public Source)

Councilwoman Pledges Vote Against Tax Increase, Could Sink Allentown Mayor’s Budget. “Councilwoman Cynthia Mota last week secured a historic fourth term — she’ll soon be the city’s longest-ever-serving councilwoman. But she used much of her victory speech Tuesday night to signal how she plans to finish out her third term.” (LehighValleyNews)

Election Shows Democratic Label Continues To Carry Weight In County. “Democrats of different stripes and styles dominated here, taking advantage of a considerable Democratic voter registration advantage and other factors.” (Scranton Times-Tribune)

Editorial

4. What Do You Think?

Mamdani Isn’t the Future of the Democrats. This Guy Is | Binyamin Applebaum
Candidate Trump Boosts Republican Turnout. President Trump Boosts Democratic Turnout | Harold Meyerson
The Ideal That Underlies the Declaration of Independence | Walter Isaacson
America Has An Obligation to Care For Its Veterans | Charles D. Allen
The GOP is Becoming the Party of White Christian Nationalism | Nick Fish
Trump’s Tariffs Face A Skeptical Supreme Court, But Only Congress Can End The Chaos | Philadelphia Inquirer
City of Opportunity: A New Vision For Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Voters Deliver Resounding Rebuke of GOP Across the Nation and in Pennsylvania | PennLive
Pittsburgh’s New Mayor Must Be the Bridge to What’s Next | TribLIVE

1 Thing

5. Lake Effect: The Real Reason Erie Gets So Much Snow

“Erie, Pennsylvania, is one of the snowiest cities in the country. Last winter, Erie saw almost 112 inches of snow—second only to Syracuse, New York, which got 115. Yet the city isn’t among the coldest places in the U.S., with that distinction going to cities in Alaska and the upper Midwest, where the temperature rarely crawls above freezing for months at a time.

So if it’s not constantly, bitterly cold, why does Erie get so much snow? The answer lies in the lake effect. Erie sits on the southern shore of its namesake Lake Erie.

Western Pennsylvanians often invoke the lake effect when shrugging off blizzard conditions. But what does it actually mean for a place to get “lake effect snow”? ” (The Keystone)

Thanks for starting your week with us.
Man, it’s getting windy. See you tomorrow.

Steve Ulrich

Ulrich has worked as managing editor of PoliticsPA since January 2022 after spending two years as the Director of Elections in York (Pa.) County. Prior to that, he spent 35 years as a college athletics administrator. Send email to [email protected]