ABC, CBS, and NBC tried to channel Obi Wan Kenobi from Star Wars on Wednesday morning news shows. They told viewers to ignore what they saw Tuesday as Lt. Governor and to just move on. John Fetterman (D, PA) displayed severe cognitive impairment during a debate against Republican Dr. Mehmet O for Pennsylvania’s open Senate seat.
A news media that has repeatedly demanded that Donald Trump be normalized was determined to normalize Fetterman’s inability offer coherent thoughts. They required large screens to display the closed captioning.
Former Clinton flack George Stephanopoulos, ABC’s Good Morning America host, described the debate in a tease to be perfectly normal
Pennsylvania is in the spotlight in the race to control Congress. Overnight, Dr. Mehmet Oz and John Fetterman, Democrat, will face off in the only debate for the state’s open Senate spot. Fetterman’s recent stroke is front and center as the candidates clash about abortion and crime.
Rachel Scott, congressional correspondent, stated that Fetterman’s recovery is a “highly charged and unique” matter. However, she boasted that Fetterman had “addressed” the stroke “head-on” and “cut right to the chase.”
Scott portrayed the debate as normal, Fetterman being pressed about “President Biden’s student loan forgiveness program” and Fetterman “drawing a clear distinction” with Oz on abortion.
Scott stated that the two men told voters why they were the best man for the job in Pennsylvania at the end of the debate.
Stephanopoulos stated in a 7:30 a.m. Eastern half hour brief that Scott had “squared off with Mehmet Zo in their first and sole debate” with the Democrat’s stroke…front and center with two large monitors.
Gayle, CBS Mornings cohost and Democratic donor, worried in the “Eye Opener” that “[a] candidate’s health is a subject at the Pennsylvania Senate Debate” before teaming up with Robert Costa to spin the story for Fetterman.
Tuesday was a typical debate with “fiery”, and “tense exchanges about the issues” (click “expand”)
KING: Let’s start in Pennsylvania, with the Senate race. This race has huge implications for the country as well as which party controls Washington. This was the first and only debate between John Fetterman, Democrat, and Mehmet Oz, Republican. It featured heated exchanges on abortion rights, economics, and a variety of other issues. John Fetterman’s well-being was also discussed, as early voting is already underway. Robert Costa is following the campaign. Good morning Bob. He began by saying, “Let’s address the elephant in this room.”
COSTA: He did Gayle, good morning. It’s good to be with you. It was a critical crossroads in the fight for the Senate. It also reflected the state of politics in Pennsylvania, and across the country. Tensions over the issues and character led to heated exchanges.
Costa continued to be Fetterman’s flack: “Fetterman started off the hour-long debate reassuring voters he’s still capable of doing the job…five months after having a stroke…[w]hile…Oz went straight to attacking his opponent as soft on crime.”
Costa explained that the two had clashed over abortion and that the mood got heated on higher education. He claimed that some saw “a strong performance” but, unlike NBC, he gave a embarrassing Fetterman response on fracking.
Fetterman’s use a closed captioning device during debate — where he read out questions in real-time on a screen above moderators — sparked social media debate. Some observers saw a strong performance with recovery, while others saw him as unsteady.
NBC’s Today was the closest to suggesting that Tuesday night was a firework.
Savannah Guthrie, co-host, played the part of the left. She hyped “the first and sole Senate debate there with control over Congress hanging in the balance”, with Fetterman, Oz “fac[ing]] off on the topics.”
Guthrie tried to have it both way in the lead-off report:
This race was highly anticipated, not only because of questions about Democrat John Fetterman’s health after his stroke six-months ago, but also because it could determine which party controls the Senate. That will impact every American come next year. We’ll show how it turned out.
Correspondent Dasha Burns, who was dragged along by liberals and other journalists because of her harsh words about Fetterman, called the race “extremely close.” But the main focus was on “how Fetterman would fare following a stroke earlier in the year and the stakes couldn’t have been higher.
Burns was focused on Fetterman’s mental and physical incapacitation before he discussed abortion and whether Oz would back Trump. (click “expand”)
BURNS: Fetterman acknowledges what he calls the elephant in the space, the stroke that almost killed him five years ago.
FETTERMAN – I had a stroke. He has never forgotten that. And while I might miss a few words, I will mush two words together. I am also fighting for any forgotten communities across Pennsylvania. I dedicated my entire career to these pursuits, and if they were ever knocked down, that was the end of it.
BURNS: Fetterman uses closed captioning to aid with auditory processing and fights Dr. Oz.
FETTERMAN – It’s about supporting young earners, excuse my, young — young students to give them a break.
BURNS: However, there were some stumbles during the debate, especially during the discussion on fracking that was challenged by moderators for past contradictory remarks.
FETTERMAN: I support fracking, but I don’t support it — I don’t — I support the fracking process and I stand by it — and I support fracking.
BURNS: Fetterman claims he is fit to serve, citing a letter from a doctor, but he won’t commit to releasing all his medical records.
FETTERMAN – I believe that if my doctor believes I’m fit to serve, then that’s what I believe to be appropriate.
BURNS: Fetterman was never directly addressed by the celebrity TV doctor, but he did say this during an education exchange.
OZ: I went to vocational schools. I have an answer. John, however, has an answer. John, evidently, because I was not clear enough for me to understand.
Burns said that Team Fetterman was delighted with Burns’ performance and that he won “countless exchanges against Oz”.
Washington correspondent Hallie Jackson attempted to have it both way. She claimed Fetterman’s performance would be seen positively in voters for “putting his self out there” and that the debate’s focus was similar to other debates held in states like New York.
Wednesday’s dismissal of Fetterman’s cognitive impairment by the press and attempted Jedi mind trick was made possible by the endorsement of advertisers such a Discover (on ABC), General Mills, and Kohl’s. Follow these links to view their contact information on the MRC’s Conservatives Fight Back Page.
For ABC, CBS and NBC, click here for the transcripts from October 26.
