Fetterman Campaign Tempers Expectations Ahead of Debate with Dr. Oz: Expect ‘Awkward Pauses’ and Other ‘Errors’
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Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman’s campaign warned voters not to expect the candidate to put on a stellar debate performance Tuesday night against Mehmet Oz.
While Fetterman suffered a stroke in May that has affected his ability to communicate without technical assistance, his campaign issued a statement that noted he has never been a strong debater.
“John is ready to share his vision for Pennsylvania, defend his record, and make the case against Oz,” a statement reads. “He’s going to be talking about his real ideas to help real people. But if we’re all being honest, Oz clearly comes into Tuesday night with a huge built-in advantage.”
The statement went on to describe Oz as a “fraud” and a “professional TV performer.” It added:
Oz will try to play the nice doctor on Tuesday night, but his campaign’s attacks on John’s health have consistently been mean-spirited and cruel. We won’t forget this is the same “doctor” whose campaign has mocked John’s use of closed-captioning technology, about him needing bathroom breaks and medical staff nearby, and he wouldn’t have had a stroke if he ate vegetables.
Oz has even been forced to distance himself from his staff and admit that he wouldn’t talk to patients the way his campaign talks about John’s health.
Regarding what to expect from Fetterman, his campaign said there would undoubtedly be “awkward pauses” and other communication “errors.” The campaign said it was also prepared for some of those moments to be seized upon by the “right-wing media”:
We are prepared for Oz’s allies and right-wing rnedia to circulate malicious viral videos after the debate that try to paint John in a negative light because of awkward pauses, missing some words and mushing other words together. The captioning process may also lead to time delays and errors in the exchanges between the moderators and the candidates.
The campaign also cautioned that “some amount of human error in the transcription is inevitable which may cause temporary miscommunications at times.”
