Dr. Oz: Is Fetterman 'Too Sick' to Debate?

Senate candidate making continued bid to get rival to debate in contentious Pennsylvania race
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 7, 2022 12:59 AM CDT
Updated Sep 7, 2022 6:07 AM CDT
Dr. Oz Is Still Attacking John Fetterman's Health
Pennsylvania Republican Senate candidate Mehmet Oz speaks ahead of former President Donald Trump at a rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022.   (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Dr. Mehmet Oz is continuing to use John Fetterman's stroke against him as the two battle it out for a Senate seat. After Fetterman declined to debate Oz this week, Oz—who's been pushing for five debates—told reporters Tuesday, "John Fetterman is either healthy and he’s dodging the debate because he does not want to answer for his radical left positions, or he’s too sick to participate in the debate." Fetterman did cite his ongoing recovery as a reason for declining this week's proposed debate, as well as the Oz campaign's mockery of his health issues, NBC News reports.

So, instead of debating, Oz enlisted Sen. Pat Toomey (who is not seeking re-election, and whose seat Oz and Fetterman are running to fill) to similarly call on Fetterman to debate. The two appeared at a press conference Tuesday, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Toomey made a point similar to Oz's ("He’s either not as well as he claims to be, or he’s afraid to be called out for the radical policies he supports") and also pointed to the occasional auditory processing issues Fetterman is still experiencing: "If John Fetterman were elected to the Senate, and he’s not able to communicate, if he’s not able to engage with the press, if he’s not able to engage with his colleagues, he would not be able to do the job. It’s just not possible.” (More Mehmet Oz stories.)

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