How John Fetterman will fit in the U.S. Senate | Morning Newsletter

Winter is here.

We’re in for another wet day today, and this time it comes with heavy winds and a slight chance of snow. Temperatures will be dropping throughout the day with a low tonight of 10 degrees and a wind chill as low as -7. (In other words: Tonight would be a good night to stay inside and admire your Christmas tree, make some latkes, or cuddle up on the couch with some eggnog and a feel-good holiday movie.)

First up today, our politics team checked in with John Fetterman to see how the soon-to-be senator is preparing for his new job in Washington.

Also, Penn Medicine has opened a Center for Living Donation with the goal of increasing the number of live organ donors.

If you see this 🔑 in today’s newsletter, that means we’re highlighting our exclusive journalism. You need to be a subscriber to read these stories.

— Felicia Gans Sobey (@FeliciaGans, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

Looking for John Fetterman? For now, the soon-to-be senator can be found in a temporary colorless office in the basement of a Senate building — just across from a stationery shop.

“It’s not a part of the building people tend to venture to,” Fetterman’s chief of staff, Adam Jentleson, told The Inquirer. “This is the life of a freshman senator, and we are basically at the bottom of the food chain.”

With his swearing-in less than two weeks away, Fetterman is getting ready for the adjustment to life as a new senator. And the country is watching. The former Pennsylvania lieutenant governor has long been an advocate for union rights, marijuana legalization, and criminal justice reform. But, as my colleagues Julia Terruso and Jonathan Tamari point out, “he often campaigned in broad strokes and themes.” What will he prioritize as a U.S. senator, and what will fall to the back burner? That isn’t yet clear.

Read more about the questions that remain unanswered and what experts expect from Fetterman’s term.

In an effort to increase the number of living organ donors, Penn Medicine has created a Center for Living Donation that brings its kidney, liver, and uterus transplant service under one roof.

The problem Penn Medicine hopes to solve: Demand for organs far outstrips supply, so patients often sit on waitlists for years — and sometimes die before they get the organ they need. Penn wants its new center to increase the number of transplants, while also addressing racial disparities among recipients.

“Any amount of time they can shave off the wait is a health benefit,” Therese Bittermann, the medical director of Penn’s living donor program for liver transplant, told my colleague Sarah Gantz.

Keep reading to learn more about donating organs as a live donor.

One of the largest manufacturers of giant red car bows is — you guessed it — right outside of Philly. Approximately how much does an individual bow (measuring about 30 inches) cost?

A) $10

B) $25

C) $40

D) $75

Find out if you know the answer.

😢 Still crying over: Jim Gardner’s touching tribute during his final moments on air Wednesday night.

🥂 Toasting with: One of these exceptional sparkling wines, recommended by wine critic Anna Lee C. Iijima.

📅 Adding to the calendar: At least one of these 10 things to do around Philly to get into the holiday spirit.

Hint: The new 6ABC at 6 p.m.

BAFF IRNTA

We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Send us your own original anagram to unscramble if you’d like. Email us if you know the answer. Today’s shout out goes to Maureen Heisinger, who correctly guessed Thursday’s answer: Fashion District.

Thanks for starting your Friday morning with The Inquirer. 👋 Stay warm this weekend, and for all those celebrating, have a wonderful Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa.

Taylor will be back in your inboxes on Wednesday.