Oz campaign charges that Fetterman is lying about his health brings angry response
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A senior strategist in Mehmet Oz's campaign for U.S. Senate says Lt. Gov. John Fetterman is lying about his health.
For days now, the Oz campaign has ramped up its assertion that Fetterman's health is not what it should be. On Friday, a senior strategist came out and said Fetterman is lying about his health.
"The issue is that he keeps lying about his health," says Barney Keller, a senior strategist for the Oz campaign. "Let's just call a spade a spade. He's clearly not fully recovered from his stroke. We've seen the videos."
Keller points to occasional verbal slips by Fetterman, minimal campaign appearances, and no question-and-answer sessions with his supporters or the media.
"If John Fetterman cannot stand in front of Pennsylvania voters for 10 minutes, take questions, then how can he stand up for them in the United States Senate? And I think it is a totally fair criticism to say, please just stop lying about how sick you are," Keller says.
In an interview with KDKA-TV's Jon Delano on Aug. 11, Fetterman acknowledged that he still had some health issues, particularly with hearing and articulating words.
"The only issues lingering from the stroke is just having some auditory processing every now and then. I'll miss a word, or I might push two words together sometime in a conversation. But that's really the only issue and it's getting better and better," Fetterman said earlier this month.
The Fetterman campaign reacted angrily to the assertion that Fetterman has misled anyone about his health, telling KDKA-TV, "This is exactly what people hate about politics. We're trying to have an honest conversation about health ... while Oz and his team are making mean remarks and ridiculing individuals for their health challenges. ... John has been clear about his health," said Joe Calvello, Fetterman's communications director.
Keller disagrees, saying, "I think it's pretty clear that John Fetterman hasn't been clear about his health problems to voters."
"It's an issue of honesty and transparency, and it's pretty clear the Fetterman campaign has been less than honest and transparent about his health," Keller added.
But the Fetterman campaign says Fetterman has been honest about his health issues in both a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette interview and in a TV interview with KDKA-TV's Jon Delano. The campaign also cites an early June letter from his doctor in which his doctor says, "If he does what I told him, ... he should be able to campaign and serve in the U.S. Senate without a problem."
That was nearly two months ago, so what about an update?
Delano: "I want to ask you if you're prepared to have your doctors really explain to the public as a whole and send a letter explaining really what your health status is?"
Fetterman: "Absolutely."
No update yet from Fetterman on his health.
As for Oz, following the whole social media exchange over Oz's crudité and Fetterman's veggie tray, an Oz campaign aide told the Insider, "If John Fetterman had ever eaten a vegetable in his life, then maybe he wouldn't have had a major stroke."
"An extremely insensitive remark about John's health," said a Fetterman spokesperson. "It was an example of just how mean-spirited Oz and his team are."
Delano: "It came across as a very snide comment with respect to Fetterman's health. Is that what was intended?"
Keller: "I don't see that as a derogatory comment to encourage someone to eat their vegetables."
Now, a recent Emerson poll found that 66 percent of Pennsylvanians say Fetterman's stroke will have no impact on their vote.
