Tech billionaire Elon Musk, like most people, can be susceptible to flattery and typically responds in kind to others who speak nicely about him, regardless of any overarching disagreements they may otherwise have.

That happened last week when Musk spoke positively of Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) after Fetterman first complimented him, but at least one Republican lawmaker called "bulls--t" on the kumbaya moment, according to Fox News.

Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) cautioned Musk to pay closer attention to Fetterman's leftist voting record and give him less credit for the likeable things he occasionally says.

Musk praises Fetterman after complimentary remarks

Last week, Sen. Fetterman was asked by a reporter if he foresaw himself working cooperatively with Musk and the soon-to-be-established Department of Government Efficiency he's been tasked by President-elect Donald Trump to lead, to which the Democratic senator replied affirmatively.

"I admire Mr. Musk," Fetterman said. "He has been involved in very important parts of American society -- AI, SpaceX, and other kinds of things."

"Yes, he's on a different team, but that doesn't make me an enemy. I'm not automatically gonna become a critic," the senator added. "It's like, hey, he has made our economy and our nation better, and our politics are different and I don't agree with some of the things he might say, but that doesn't make him, like I said, an enemy."

NEW: Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) has kind words for Elon Musk, vows to work with him.

"I admire @ElonMusk. He has been involved in very important parts of American society."

"Yes, he's on a different team, but that doesn't make me an enemy [...] Hey - he has made our economy… pic.twitter.com/FDuzYb7us7

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) December 5, 2024

After that video clip went viral on X, Musk shared it on his account and remarked, "Hard not to like @SenFettermanPA. He puts country over party."

Mixed reactions

According to Fox News, Rep. Van Orden, who otherwise is a strong supporter of Musk and his forthcoming mission to tackle and reform government inefficiencies, weighed in on that exchange with a decidedly different view of Sen. Fetterman than Musk's.

Bulls--t," Van Orden wrote in a post that tagged Musk to catch his attention. "It is hard to not like what @SenFettermanPA what he says, it is easy to hate how he really votes. Do not fall for this."

To be sure, the congressman was not alone in that respect, as plenty of other X users similarly warned Musk to be more skeptical of the Democratic senator, given his solidly left-leaning voting record and expressed support for much of the policy agenda put forward by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

That said, there were also plenty of other commenters who've been pleasantly surprised by Fetterman's at-times common sense and pragmatic musings and seemingly somewhat right-leaning stance on a handful of critical issues, and there is some speculation that Fetterman might be open to supporting some of President-elect Trump's Cabinet nominees and policy proposals.

Be skeptical but open-minded

Rep. Van Orden and other Republican skeptics are likely not wrong to urge caution with respect to fully embracing seemingly moderate Democrats like Sen. Fetterman, who can and sometimes do say all of the right things to please conservatives but then turn around and largely vote in lockstep with their fellow left-leaning colleagues.

However, perhaps more so than any other elected Democrat right now, Fetterman has signaled a willingness to engage in bipartisan compromise on particular issues where he sees common ground with the right, and that sort of attitude is crucial to making lasting progress and ought to be encouraged instead of dismissed and downplayed.