PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A senior strategist for Mehmet Oz’s US Senate campaign says Lt. John Fetterman is lying about his health.
Over the past few days, the Oz Campaign has stepped up its claims that Fetterman’s health is not what it should be. A senior strategist came out on Friday and said Fetterman was lying about his health.
“The problem is he keeps lying about his health,” says Oz Campaign senior strategist Bernie Keller. “Let’s call a spade a spade. He’s clearly not fully recovered from his stroke. We’ve been watching the video.”
Keller notes the occasional verbal slip by Fetterman, minimal campaign appearances, and the absence of question-and-answer sessions with his supporters and the media.
“If John Fetterman can’t stand in front of Pennsylvania voters for 10 minutes, ask the question. So how can he stand up for them in the U.S. Senate? And I I think it’s a perfectly fair criticism to say, you’re sick,” Keller says.
In an August 11 interview with KDKA-TV’s John Delano, Fetterman admitted that he still has some health issues, especially with regards to hearing and clear speech.
“The only remaining problem with stroke is auditory processing sometimes. Sometimes you miss a word in a conversation, or you press two words together. But that’s the only problem, It’s getting better and better,” Fetterman said earlier this month.
Fetterman’s campaign reacted angrily to allegations that Fetterman was misleading someone about his health, telling KDKA-TV: The team makes spiteful remarks and ridicules personal health issues..John is clear about his health.
Keller objected, stating, “I think it’s clear that John Fetterman hasn’t opened up about his health issues to voters.”
“It’s a matter of honesty and transparency, and it’s clear that Fetterman’s campaign lacked honesty and transparency about his health,” Keller added.
However, Fetterman’s campaign says he was honest about his health problems in both an interview with The Post-Gazette in Pittsburgh and a televised interview with KDKA-TV’s John Delano. I am quoting a letter from a doctor in early June.
That was almost two months ago, so what about an update?
Delano: “I would like to ask if your doctor is ready to send you a letter explaining what your health really is.”
Fetterman: “absolutely.”
No health update from Fetterman yet.
When it comes to Oz, following the entire social media exchange about Oz’s crudite and Fetterman’s veggie tray, an Oz campaign aide told an insider: .”
A spokesperson for Fetterman said, “It’s a very insensitive remark about John’s health. It was an example of how mean Oz and his team can be.”
Delano: “It was taken as a highly defamatory comment regarding Fetterman’s health. Was that intended?”
Keller: “I don’t think it’s a derogatory comment to force someone to eat vegetables.”
According to a recent Emerson poll, 66% of Pennsylvanians said Fetterman’s stroke wouldn’t affect their vote.