During the October 25 Pennsylvania U.S. Senate debate, Republican nominee Dr. Mehmet Oz repeatedly mocked his Democratic opponent Lt. Gov. John Fetterman’s lingering auditory processing and speech issues following a stroke Fetterman suffered in May. Though several reporters noted that Oz was attacking Fetterman over his health as they shared the stage, The Associated Press falsely claimed Oz “ignored Fetterman’s health challenges throughout the debate.”
The AP in its October 26 report on the debate wrote: “Oz, a celebrity heart surgeon, ignored Fetterman’s health challenges throughout the debate, instead focusing on his opponent’s policies on immigration and crime and his support for President Joe Biden.” The AP also included this framing in a tweet promoting the story:
In reality, Oz and his campaign have “taunted” Fetterman about his stroke since it occurred, as The New York Times’ Trip Gabriel phrased it in late August. After Fetterman and others ridiculed Oz for his infamous crudité video — wherein the celebrity doctor awkwardly assembled a vegetable platter while shopping at Pennsylvania grocery store — Oz campaign spokesperson Rachel Tripp said: “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 the position of having to lie about it constantly.”
Gabriel also reported that Oz’s campaign “continued to bring up the issue of Mr. Fetterman’s health to attack him for not committing to a series of five debates.” Oz’s campaign further mocked Fetterman with a list of facetious debate accommodations:
Oz’s pattern of mocking Fetterman’s health continued during the televised debate itself, despite what the AP reported. During part of Oz’s answer about whether he supports a federal abortion ban, Oz turned to look at Fetterman as he said: “John Fetterman, if you just hear that one story today, I’d be really happy. But I know you’re not going to.”
Later in the debate, Oz again turned to look at Fetterman as he responded to a question about education: “But John, because obviously I wasn’t clear enough for you to understand this, there’s no question that cutting out the middle levels of higher education and providing digital programs would reduce the cost of education.”
And Oz began his closing remarks by pointing to his ear while saying: “I love traveling to the four corners of the beautiful commonwealth, and I’ve heard your problems. I’m a surgeon, doctor; I listen to what you say.”
Several reporters called out this not-so-subtle mockery of Fetterman’s ongoing auditory processing issues. New York Magazine’s Ed Kilgore explained that throughout the debate, Oz was “bullying his opponent and firing off points at a speed too quick for many to follow,” and mentioned that Oz “snarkily apologized for having not been 'clear enough for you to understand’” at one point. MSNBC columnist Liz Plank wrote:
