NEW YORK — A handful of people descended upon the Waldorf Astoria lobby Friday evening and checked their coats, revealing an unusual wardrobe choice: the tuxedo t-shirt.
Most everyone else was sporting suits or cocktail dresses so, yes, they seemed out of place. Then U.S. Senate candidate and Braddock mayor John Fetterman appeared, and it all made sense.
The people wearing the tuxedo tees were Fetterman’s entourage — yes he calls them an entourage and acknowledges it’s kind of “douchey” to call them that. And he had one, too, underneath his usual attire of a short-sleeved black collared shirt and jeans.
This is Fetterman’s first Pennsylvania Society, and he’s clearly trying to go about it in his own way.
“It’s definitely a culture shock from Braddock,” he said.
Fetterman and his wife drove six hours from Braddock to New York and spent the day attending receptions and connecting with as many people as possible. The Pennsylvania Society, he said, isn’t his ideal place to spend a weekend.
Fetterman’s “entourage” was mostly made up of people doing consulting work on his campaign. Some are from New York and others Pennsylvania. They have plans to wear the tuxedo t-shirts all weekend.
“It’s supposed to be a party,” one of them said. “We’re having fun.”
