John Fetterman Will Skip First Debate

[applegrove]

John Fetterman Will Skip First Debate

August 30, 2022 at 11:05 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 5 Comments

https://politicalwire.com/2022/08/30/john-fetterman-will-skip-first-debate/https://politicalwire.com/2022/08/30/john-fetterman-will-skip-first-debate/

"SNIP......

“Pennsylvania U.S. Senate candidate John Fetterman (R) said he won’t participate in a debate against his opponent Mehmet Oz (R) during the first week of September, citing his ongoing recovery from a recent stroke,” The Hill reports.

“Fetterman in his announcement also called out Oz’s campaign over a mocking statement it released earlier that day in which it listed several ‘concessions’ it would make if the Democrat agreed to a debate. Among them was payment for ‘additional medical personnel [Fetterman] might need to have on standby.’”

......SNIP"

[keithbvadu2]

1. Is there a doctor in the house?

One that practices medicine, not marketing.

[applegrove]

3. One of Canada's best PMs was born with aphasia. He kept us out of

the Iraq War and out of subprime mortgages. Sometimes seeing the basics without the language icing on the cake is a good thing. Fetterman reminds me of him before he had a stroke. A good egg is a good egg.

[Beautiful Disaster]

2. Not a good look.

If he's not capable of attending a debate because of his stroke, it raises the question whether he's capable of even being senator.

Oz's response is childish but if Fetterman is that sick to debate, I fail to see how he can effectively deflect concerns that he should even be running at this point.

[applegrove]

4. He currently has a disability. He can think fine.

[Beautiful Disaster]

6. So, what's stopping him from attending the debate?

I guess I'm confused. If his current disability is severe enough that he's unable to attend a two hour debate, how can he be expected to attend to the senate matters? Or is he just going to work remote until he's 100% recovered?

[applegrove]

8. His disability affects his communication in the debate format.

[Beautiful Disaster]

10. I see. I still don't think it's a good look by him.

I can't in good faith attack Herschel Walker for refusing to debate Warnock and give Fetterman a pass. It's tough he may struggle articulating his thoughts but I feel debates are always important and will never agree that candidates should skip 'em beyond extreme circumstances and I don't feel this is one.

But I'm also not his campaign chair. So, they obviously feel confident in his actions. I hope so!

[questionseverything]

14. Just because he doesn't want the same timeline means nothing

He doesn’t owe oz anything

[Beautiful Disaster]

15. He doesn't owe Oz anything - but he does owe the voters something.

Skipping the debates is never a good look, regardless of the justification. Just look at Georgia with Warnock and Walker.

Debates are important and I will always side on the argument that no candidate should ever skip 'em. Regardless of whatever you and I think, tho, it'll be those voters who determine if they're okay with Fetterman skipping the debate. If they are, no worries. But if he starts to drop in the polls, well...worry.

[questionseverything]

17. There is no skipping because no timeframe has been agreed to

Oz doesn’t get to say when

[Beautiful Disaster]

19. Has he proposed a different time to debate?

I know a couple Nexstar Media Inc local news stations proposed a debate for October, where Oz has accepted - but Fetterman has not.

I hope he will be there for that one.

[DarthDem]

5. Thanks for Your Concern!

n/t

[Beautiful Disaster]

7. No problem.

[Meadowoak]

9. Nonsense, I had a stroke, and I know from experience, you need

6 to 8 weeks to be back to normal. The Republicans would just love to have video clips of Fetterman slurring his words a bit. They would doctor that video to make him look mental. Give him a couple more weeks, he'll be fine.

[Beautiful Disaster]

13. Nothing nonsense about what I said.

It's a legitimate concern any time a candidate skips a debate.

By the way, Fetterman had a stroke around May 17th - or 20 weeks or so out from the currently proposed debate.

I just hope he doesn't slip in the polls. But they obviously have confidence he won't.

[Meadowoak]

18. that is a long time, I was thinking it was about a month ago. But I think he'll

be fine. Pennsylvanians can relate to him, he's one of them. Oz is just an oddball.

[Beautiful Disaster]

21. I hope so. I am nervous about Georgia and don't want to become nervous about PA.

[Stinky The Clown]

20. Welcome to the big tent that is The DU

[Beautiful Disaster]

22. Thank you.

I promise I am not trying to rile people up - but with how close things are in Georgia, I don't want to see things tighten in PA, either.

Fetterman has controlled this race nicely - I hope his campaign has weighed the risks appropriately and determined this is the right decision.

[SharonClark]

12. Has Fetterman proposed a debate date later in

the campaign, such as the second half of October? That would give him more time to recover.

[Tetrachloride]

16. Nothingburgers for sale. 9 weeks before Nov 7.

If people are pro-choice in abortion rights, cutting some slack on other medical issues is the same thing. Decision is by the patient with advice of doctors.

A family member had a stroke and is back at work after an appropriate time.

Call me after equinox.