John Fetterman, a Democratic candidate for the Senate in Pennsylvania, said Tuesday night that he will not take part in a debate against Dr. Mehmet Oz the next week because the Republican’s team is mocking him for recovering from a stroke.
It is very evident from today’s comments from Dr. Oz’s crew that they find it amusing to make fun of a stroke victim.
In May, just a few days before the Pennsylvania primary, Fetterman had a stroke. “I opted not to participate in this charade,” he stated.
If Fetterman agreed to take part in a debate on September 6 that would be televised by Pittsburgh’s CBS station, KDKA-TV, Oz’s team had announced a number of “concessions” the GOP candidate would make.
The list made reference to Fetterman’s stroke by stating that Oz would allow the Democrat to use the restroom as needed, have his notes in front of him and an earpiece, and that Oz’s campaign would “paid for any extra medical staff [Fetterman] would need to have on standby.”
Bathroom breaks could be taken as needed, and Oz claimed his team would “paid for any extra medical staff [Fetterman] would need to have on standby.”
He also said he would let the Democrat have “his notes in front of him combined with an earpiece.”
It also said, “Doctor Oz pledges that he would never purposefully offend John’s sensibilities.”
The Democrat had been off the campaign road for months before Fetterman’s stroke, which was brought on by an uncontrolled heart disease.
In July, the candidate admitted to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he may “skip a word” or “slur two together.”
Since then, he has resumed attending live campaign events.
In a statement released Tuesday night, Fetterman said, “I look forward to continuing to engage with the people of Pennsylvania as I heal from this stroke and strengthen my auditory processing and speaking.”
Closer to the election on November 8th, the Democrat left open the possibility of discussing Oz.
When Dr. Oz and his team are prepared to take this seriously, Fetterman said, “I will not be taking part in a debate the first week of September, but look forward to having a fruitful discussion about how we can go ahead and have a meaningful discourse on this.”
Along with Rep. Conor Lamb and state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, Fetterman took part in a primary debate in April. There, he was asked about a contentious 2013 event in Braddock, where he was the mayor, when he approached an unarmed black man who he believed was falsely associated with a shooting.
On Wednesday, Oz’s campaign claimed that Fetterman would “accidentally uncover a health problem that is worse than previously revealed!” and that the Democrat wants to dodge questioning about some of his leftist positions on matters like prison reform.
Before the press conference announcing the “concessions” on Tuesday, a spokesperson for Oz’s campaign criticised Fetterman for having the stroke, saying, “If John Fetterman had ever eaten a vegetable in his life, then maybe he wouldn’t have had a major stroke and wouldn’t be in the position to live about it constantly,” according to communications advisor Rachel Tripp.
When Oz recorded a video criticising high costs and placing the blame on President Joe Biden, Fetterman made fun of him for using the French phrase “crudite,” claiming Pennsylvanians refer to it as a “veggie tray.”
In a Tuesday interview, Oz clarified that he disagreed with the assertion made by his spokeswoman.
The campaign has made several statements, both of them. I can only talk to what I’m saying, in my opinion,” Oz told KDKA.
At a campaign appearance in Mercer County over the weekend, Fetterman brought up the remarks made by the Oz campaign; after withdrawing from the debate, he released what he said to supporters in video form.
How many of you—possibly even you—have had a significant health difficulty in your own life? Do you have any parents?
Maybe one of your kids? Can you even begin to fathom if your doctor made fun of your sickness or ridiculed it? While hearing boos from the crowd, Fetterman said.
But, the Democrat said, “here we are, here we are right now.”
If you’re going to make fun of someone who had a stroke, I’d like to assume that Dr. Oz genuinely lost his way, but the fact that he made a living off of peddling magical diet pills makes me doubt that. Fetterman said.