The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Editorial Board stated on Tuesday that it “has serious concerns” about whether Democratic Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, who is recovering from a May stroke, will be physically able to serve in the U.S. Senate if he wins in November due to the lack of debates between him and Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz.
“John Fetterman, the lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania and a contender for the U.S. Senate, is still recovering from the catastrophic stroke he experienced in May. His campaign has acknowledged his clear difficulties with speech and “auditory processing,” but the persistence of those difficulties contrasts with the campaign’s more optimistic predictions of a return to the demands of campaigning, including debating his opponent, Mehmet Oz, “Tuesday’s editorial in the newspaper. The ability of Mr. Fetterman to serve as a United States Senator is seriously questioned if he is not healthy enough to debate his opponent.
Days before the May 17 primary, where he easily defeated Democratic rival Connor Lamb 58.6% to 26.3% to win the party’s nomination, Politico claimed that Fetterman experienced “a major stroke.”
According to the New York Times, Fetterman recently returned to the campaign trail on August 12 after having a pacemaker and defibrillator implanted.
According to the article, he was found to have cardiomyopathy, a disorder of the heart that makes it more difficult for the heart to pump blood to the body’s other organs. While still actively campaigning, Fetterman said that he would be unable to participate in a debate due to his ongoing recovery difficulties.
According to a statement Fetterman made to the Times, “I look forward to continuing to engage with the people of Pennsylvania as I heal from this stroke and improve my auditory processing and speaking.”
The Oz campaign made fun of Fetterman, saying in a statement that “at any time, John Fetterman can raise his hand and shout, Bathroom break! We will pay for any additional medical personnel he might need to have on standby.”
While criticizing the Oz campaign for “dragging the race farther and deeper into the muck,” the paper acknowledged that Oz does raise a valid point regarding Fetterman’s physical fitness to hold office.
Many people will be concerned about Mr. Fetterman’s capacity to effectively represent them in Washington if his communication skills have not yet recovered enough to do so, the editorial stated. “Mr. Fetterman still talks haltingly and needs on closed captioning to fully comprehend his conversation partners, despite the fact that he has gallantly participated in more campaign events and media interviews in recent weeks.”
The editorial emphasized that a live debate would be the most effective way for voters to assess Fetterman’s suitability for the position because stroke recoveries are “notoriously unpredictable.”
Voters have a right to know whether the potential senator they are voting for is capable of handling the position, especially managing the back-and-forth of a heated discussion.
