John Fetterman, the Democratic candidate for Senate in Pennsylvania, continued to stumble over his words during an interview on CNN Tuesday when addressing the causes of inflation and describing his Republican opponent’s stand on abortion.
Fetterman, who is in the midst of a closely-watched race against GOP celebrity heart surgeon and former TV talk show host Dr. Mehmet Oz, used a closed-captioning monitor during the interview — a similar setup to what the Democrat used during the Oct. 25 debate as he continues to recover from a stroke he suffered in May.
And as in the debate with Oz, Fetterman dropped words and appeared to struggle to complete sentences while talking to host Don Lemon.
When asked what he thought was causing inflation, one of the top issues on voters’ minds going into next week’s midterm elections, Fetterman faltered.
“Well, I just do. I think that simply is — also, let’s talk about the trillions in massive tax — tax cuts to the corporate — tax structure is well true,” Fetterman answered Lemon.
“Trillions of dollars that have added to the deficit, and now they still want to support those is well true,” he said.
“I think in terms of being very serious about addressing inflation is making sure that those rates are brought back in to align with what they should have been, where they’re able to fight that deficit,” Fetterman added.
Fetterman’s response was reminiscent of his answer about his changing views on fracking in Pennsylvania during the debate with Oz.
“I do support fracking, and I don’t, I don’t — I support fracking, and I stand, and I do support fracking,” he said at the time.
On Tuesday, Fetterman told Lemon that he knew taking part in the debate “wasn’t going to be easy” but “I thought it was important that I show up. And – and I did.”
“And at the end of the day, we did, I think, made some important points, it’s well true,” he continued. “And I think it also, you know, reminded Dr. Oz the fact that he still believes, you know, with the same kind of abortion thoughts, with [GOP gubernatorial candidate] Doug Mastriano, who believes that local political leaders are the – need to be part of the decision between women and their doctors, is well true.”
In the debate, Oz argued against federal government involvement in abortion decisions, implying he would vote against a nationwide ban on most procedures after 15 weeks of pregnancy proposed by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
“As a physician, I’ve been in the room when there’s some difficult conversations happening,” Oz said at the time. “I don’t want the federal government involved with that at all. I want women, doctors, local political leaders, letting the democracy that’s always allowed our nation to thrive to put the best ideas forward so states can decide for themselves.”
Fetterman, who holds a narrow lead over Oz in the RealClearPolitics polling average, also sidestepped questions about having his doctors release his full medical records.
“No—I, I just believe that we have our doctors weigh in on that, and they believe that I’m fit, fit to serve, and that’s, that’s a point that was compatible, made in June, and compatible here just in October,” the told Lemon. “And you know, I choose, you know, my real doctors, composed some of the criticism from like, you know, like a ‘real doctor’ Oz, that’s just trying to weaponize, you know somebody that I just had a, had a stroke.”
Despite Fetterman’s mixed-up answers, Lemon said the candidate fared better in the debate than he expected.
“Dr. Oz, of course, is a smart man and did a great job. But I actually thought, I was expecting worse … from Fetterman. I was,” Lemon said. “
“And I think that people will be more empathetic than we in the media may be letting on to, because they have people who have dealt with these issues.”
