Stroke-stricken John Fetterman’s peekaboo Senate campaign has been juiced by friendly media and polls showing him with double digit leads, but has a moment of truth arrived for the socialist Democrat?
Fetterman’s Republican candidate in one of the most consequential Senate races this November, Dr. Oz, is bringing the heat after “coward” Fetterman declined an offer to debate.
Turning point for “coward” Fetterman?
In a statement, Fetterman said he would not debate because he is still recovering from a stroke in May but did not provide a clear timeline on when he would be ready to face voters on the debate stage.
Instead, he turned to moral blackmail and accused the Oz campaign of “mocking a stroke survivor.” The Oz campaign had offered ironic “concessions” to bring Fetterman out of hiding, such as an earpiece for staff to feed him debate answers.
Pulling no punches, the Oz campaign called Fetterman a “liar, a liberal, and a coward” and accused him of stalling for time.
“We heard John Fetterman won’t debate Oz in the ‘first week of September.’ Ok, so when will he debate? He won’t ever say – not even in his latest whiny statement. John Fetterman’s campaign is insulting the intelligence of Pennsylvania voters,” the Oz campaign said.
The media is giving Fetterman a pass, of course, with the New York Times accusing Oz of “pouncing” on his opponent by questioning whether Fetterman is fit to serve.
What is Fetterman hiding?
Oz has also accused Fetterman of trying to hide his radical views from voters.
“Democracy needs candidates who actually listen to the voters, answer their questions and are accountable to what they say,” Oz told Fox News. “But he takes radical stances and he’s not willing to stand up and declare why he has taken those far-left stances.”
A recent poll found that Fetterman led celebrity heart surgeon Oz by just four points, a signal the race may be tightening.
Is this the moment Fetterman’s “momentum” proves to be a total media fabrication? It’s hard to see how he can continue to avoid debating until election day.
It’s unfortunate that Fetterman is having health issues, but that doesn’t give him an excuse to play hide-and-seek with voters. Public debate for office-seekers is a time-honored American tradition and a critical part of democracy — you know, that thing Joe Biden is always ranting about.