Fetterman addresses stroke recovery, defends record on crime at Pittsburgh rally

U.S. Senate candidate and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman rallied Saturday afternoon before hundreds of supporters in Pittsburgh’s Strip District despite a downpour as the remnants of tropical storm Ian passed through.

In a 12-minute speech, Fetterman addressed his stroke recovery, saying it causes him at times to have auditory processing issues and to miss some words.

Republican candidate Mehmet Oz has called on Fetterman, a Democrat, to release his health records and has questioned how fit Fetterman is to serve in the Senate with these auditory processing issues.

Fetterman criticized Oz, a celebrity heart surgeon, for calling out his stroke recovery efforts.

“Sometimes, I might mush two words together,” Fetterman said.

There were moments during Fetterman’s speech where he paused at length or struggled with words, but it marked an improvement over the last time he spoke in the Pittsburgh area, when President Biden visited the Mon Valley on Sept. 5.

He then mocked Oz about a video his campaign put out where Oz called a Central Pennsylvania grocery store by mashing together names of two grocery chains.

“Let me give you an example. Let’s assume I wanted to shop at Wegmans, and I am actually standing in a Redner’s, but I actually think I am shopping in Wegner’s.”

Fetterman supporters braving the rain to rally with the Democratic senate candidate in Pittsburgh today. The outdoor rally is filling up fast. pic.twitter.com/2UJV3vSD59

— Ryan Deto (@RyanDeto) October 1, 2022

Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race is one of the most hotly contested in the country, as it could determine which party holds control of the chamber after the midterm elections.

Fetterman attempted to tie Oz to the Republican gubernatorial candidate, Doug Mastriano, who has said he wants to ban abortion with no exceptions.

On Friday, Oz said he supports abortion bans, but with exceptions for the health of the mother, rape and incest, and he tried to distance himself from Mastriano.

Oz and Republicans such as Sen. Pat Toomey have been attacking Fetterman for his record on crime and criminal justice issues, claiming Fetterman supports releasing hardened criminals from prison.

At the Saturday rally, Fetterman said he is running on his record on crime and his work as the former Braddock mayor, touting that the borough saw no gun deaths for more than five years during his 12 years as mayor and that he worked with the police and the community.

“We fought to make Braddock a safer community, and I did that,” he said.

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According to FBI data, the average violent crime rate during Fetterman’s tenure as Braddock mayor from 2006-18 was about 4.4 annual incidents per 1,000 residents. The average violent crime rate in Pennsylvania over the same time span was about 3.6 annually per 1,000 people.

Fetterman wrapped up his short speech by talking about his support for raising the minimum wage, blocking any right-to-work laws, lowering the cost of prescription drugs, protecting same-sex marriage rights and codifying Roe vs. Wade abortion protections into federal law.

Fetterman was joined by local progressives, including Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and state Repr. Summer Lee.

Lee, who has clashed with Fetterman in the past, gave her full-throated support to Fetterman at the rally. Lee, who is running for Congress in Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District, said Fetterman will be an ally to Democratic priorities, like protecting abortion access and growing the organized labor movement.

“There is a movement here in Pittsburgh … with our candidate John Fetterman, we are about to build the strongest labor movement in Pittsburgh,” Lee said.

The rally appeared to be about the entire Democratic coalition — the moderates and the progressives — coming together to support Fetterman.

U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, a moderate from Mt. Lebanon who lost to Fetterman in the primary, spoke to rally-goers in the crowd.

Gainey criticized Republican candidates for being too extreme and wanting to take away abortion rights. He praised Fetterman for wanting to “empower” Pennsylvanians and attacked Oz for recently moving from out of state to run for U.S. Senate from Pennsylvania.

“From York to Pittsburgh, we know Pennsylvania. I don’t know nothing about Pa., if I come from New Jersey,” he said, referencing Oz.

According to a recent Fox News poll, Democratic candidate John Fetterman leads the senate race with 48% of support compared with 44% for Oz. He also has the edge among independent voters, 33% to Oz’s 29%.

But compared with earlier in the summer, the Senate race has tightened significantly.

Fetterman took photos with supporters for several minutes after his speech.

“I am from Pennsylvania. I fight for Pennsylvania,” Fetterman said. “Let’s all of us send Dr. Oz back to New Jersey.”