Stroke survivor falters in key election debate

Pennsylvania lieutenant governor John Fetterman has struggled to make detailed arguments in his only debate with Republican rival, TV doctor Mehmet Oz.

Democratic candidate for the US Senate John Fetterman’s llead in opinion polls had already narrowed before the showdown. Picture: AFP

A recovering stroke survivor running for a crucial US Senate seat refused to commit to releasing his full medical records as he stumbled through a TV debate that deepened Democrat fears of losing control of Congress.

John Fetterman, a former mayor and the lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, struggled to make detailed arguments or rebuttals in the only debate he accepted with his Republican rival Mehmet Oz, a TV doctor.

Mr Fetterman’s lead in opinion polls had already narrowed before the showdown in a seat where a moderate Republican is retiring, making it a top target for both parties as they battle for supremacy in the evenly divided 100-member Senate where Kamala Harris, the Vice-President, has the casting vote.

Pennsylvania, President Joe Biden’s native state where he narrowly won in 2020, has long been seen as the Democrats’ best chance of picking up a Senate seat in the midterm elections on November 8 and millions of dollars is being spent by both parties on advertising to win it.

Mr Fetterman’s awkward performance is set to boost Dr Oz’s prospects, which seemed dim months ago when Democratic attacks portrayed him as an out-of-touch carpet-bagger from neighbouring New Jersey. It was clear that Mr Fetterman, 53, a striking figure at 2.06 metres, has yet to recover his sharpness from a stroke just before he won his primary contest in May.

“Fetterman needed to show he’s sufficiently recovered, and this debate surely did not help,” said David Axelrod, a Democratic commentator and former adviser to president Barack Obama.

Republican Pennsylvania Senate nominee Dr Mehmet Oz attacked John Fetterman’s ‘extreme’ positions on crime, abortion and ‘socialised medicine’. Picture: AFP

Charlie Dent, a moderate former Republican congressman, told CNN: “I think someone ought to have invoked the mercy rule about 20 minutes into the debate. I don’t know if it was the stroke, or he’s just a lousy debater or he doesn’t understand the issues. He was flustered, he was confused, he should not have been out there … If people watched that, they’re going to question his capacity to serve.”

Mr Fetterman sought to defuse the impact of his stroke early in the debate as he criticised Dr Oz, who has suggested that his opponent was scared of public exposure. “Let’s talk about the elephant in the room - I had a stroke. He’s never let me forget that,” Mr Fetterman said. “And I might miss some words during this debate, mush two words together, but it knocked me down and I’m going to keep coming back up.”

A system was set up to help Mr Fetterman during the debate, with transcriptions of questions and Dr Oz’s answers shown on a large screen.

Dr Oz, 62, who secured the Republican nomination thanks to an endorsement from Donald Trump, did not refer to Mr Fetterman’s health but focused on issues and attacks on Mr Fetterman’s “extreme” positions on crime, abortion and “socialised medicine”.

His years as a TV doctor meant he came across as far more polished and self-assured. “I’m a surgeon, I’m not a politician,” Dr Oz said. “We take big problems, we focus on them, and we fix them. We do it by uniting, by coming together, not dividing.”

Democrats seized upon his stance on abortion after he rejected a new federal law in favour of each state regulating for itself. “I don’t want the federal government involved with that at all,” Dr Oz said. “I want women, doctors, local political leaders letting the democracy that always allowed our nation to thrive, to put the best ideas forward so states can decide for themselves.” Mr Fetterman addressed women directly: “If you believe that the choice for abortion belongs with you and your doctor, that’s what I fight for.”

Many of Mr Fetterman’s answers were simple statements and others were muddled. He reversed his previous opposition to fracking but gave little explanation in a state where thousands of jobs rely on natural gas production. “I do support fracking. And I don’t, I don’t. I support fracking, and I stand and I do support fracking,” Mr Fetterman said.

He refused to commit to releasing his full health records when asked by the moderator. He has released a doctor’s letter clearing him to stand in the election. “My doctor believes that I’m fit to be serving. And that’s what I believe is where I’m standing,” he said.

The Times