Fetterman and his team responded by questioning the strategy, calling it “grotesque” and suggesting it’s even worse than politics as usual. The focus on Oz comes as the Republican nominee looks to shake off a rocky summer in which Fetterman — even while off the campaign trail and recovering from a stroke and the installation of a pacemaker with a defibrillator — steadily roused Oz and opened double digit lead over him in some polls. The criticism stems from the fact that Fetterman has yet to commit to discussions against Oz. “One candidate had a stroke 3 months ago and the other is a professional television personality, so our eyes are wide open as to what the strengths are,” Joe Calvello, a spokesman for Fetterman, said in response to questions about the discussions. “However, John is open to discussing Oz — we’re not going to do this on Oz’s terms and schedule.” Fetterman said his stroke nearly killed him and that he didn’t do enough to take care of his health. When she fully resurfaced earlier this month with an event in Erie, she said, “Three months ago, my life could have been over, but I’m so grateful to be here tonight, too.” He followed his return with a union-focused rally in Pittsburgh on Tuesday and will headline a rally Sunday in Mercer County. Fetterman’s speech stopped at events in Erie and Pittsburgh, with the candidate sometimes taking long pauses and slurring words. Democrats who attended a Fetterman fundraiser over the summer reported a similar experience with the lieutenant governor — his speech was focused but, at times, halting. It’s something Republicans have used to question whether Fetterman is fit to campaign for the Senate. On Tuesday, Oz’s campaign underscored that intense focus with a statement that seemed to draw attention from the now-maligned video of Oz attacking rising prices under President Joe Biden by making a dish — not exactly the appetizer people — at a local grocery store. Fetterman’s campaign has gone after Oz over the video, including selling “Let them eat crudité” stickers and filming a fundraising video that questioned whether the wealthy Oz could actually represent the commonwealth. In response, Oz spokeswoman Rachel Tripp pointed out: “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 a position to constantly lie about it. “ Fetterman’s campaign is tight-lipped on details about the candidate’s recovery. A representative for Fetterman said the candidate is “doing very well,” “walking 5-6 miles a day” and “following doctor’s orders,” but Fetterman was cautious about speaking one-on-one with reporters after his stroke and discussing his own health challenges. Oz’s shift to focus on his health appears to capitalize on this uncertainty. To criticize Fetterman for not agreeing to talk with Oz, campaign communications director Brittany Yanick said, “If John is too sick to talk and is worried that he can’t stand in front of the cameras for more than 10 minutes, then he should just say it. “ It’s a major change for Oz. The candidate initially responded to Fetterman’s stroke by tweeting that he was “grateful that (Fetterman) received care so quickly” and that “his entire family is praying for a speedy recovery.” Just weeks ago, when asked about Fetterman’s first event, Oz said he was “over the moon” and that the lieutenant governor was back on the campaign trail, saying, “I’d love to have him out there talking about what he wants to do to do Pennsylvania is a better place.’ Fetterman and his campaign responded to Oz’s attacks with calls for empathy and criticism of the strategy. “I had a stroke. I survived it. I’m really so grateful to still be here today,” Fetterman said in response to Oz’s “I ate a vegetable” campaign statement. “I know politics can be ugly, but even then, I could never imagine making fun of someone for their health challenges.” Fetterman’s wife, Gisele, called the vegetable statement “grotesque,” and Val Arkoosh, a physician and one of the Democrats running against Fetterman in the Senate primary, told reporters that “No real doctor or decent human being he would never fool around.” stroke victim”. But Barney Keller, a spokesman for Oz’s campaign, told CNN on Wednesday that they fully support their questions about Fetterman’s health, including the suggestion that he eat more vegetables, and argued that the focus is mainly on getting Fetterman to talk. . “I don’t see how it’s ridiculous to encourage someone to have a healthier lifestyle,” Keller said. “Nobody’s attacking his health. We all hope he gets better. What we’re criticizing is that he’s lying about his health. That’s an important distinction.” Keller says Oz’s campaign will continue to focus on Fetterman’s health “as long as he continues to lie about it.” “Since the primary, the guy has had two Zoom interviews and two public appearances, and all we’re saying is stop pretending everything is fine and just say you can’t talk because you can’t,” Keller concluded. Calvello responded to the accusation that he lied by saying that Fetterman was “clear about his health. He told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette a few weeks ago that he is in speech therapy and, he told KDKA, he still has some trouble with some hearing processing. .” “We’re trying to have an honest conversation about health, a conversation that probably thousands of Pennsylvanians have had with their families,” Calvello said. “But let’s be clear: Last night, the Oz team made an extremely insensitive and frankly independent observation about John’s health.” Keller’s comment reflects how Republicans have begun arguing privately and publicly that Fetterman’s health is on the table as a campaign issue. “You have to put Fetterman on the defensive, and this is the way to do it,” said a top Republican strategist who works on Senate races. The agent admitted that Oz and Republicans “have to be careful how you talk about this,” but “raising questions about his health is absolutely fair and on the table.” Democrats who attended Fetterman’s events were far more lenient. “When someone recovers from something that serious,” said Pittsburgh steelworker Jojo Burgess, “I think they come back pretty quickly, to be honest with you.”
