DEMOCRATS IN PANIC MODE AFTER A
TERRIBLE DEBATE PERFORMANCE
COULD COST THEM CONTROL OF THE
SENATE.
DEMOCRAT JOHN FETTERMAN AND
REPUBLICAN MEHMET Os CLASHING
IN THEIR ONE AND ONLY DEBATE,
AND IT WAS A TOTAL TRAIN WRECK
FOR THE LEFT.
FETTERMAN, FLIP-FLOPPING ON KEY
ISSUES.
WATCH.
>> GOOD NIGHT, EVERYBODY.
LET’S TALK ABOUT THE ELEPHANT IN
THE ROOM.
I’VE HAD A STROKE.
HE’S NEVER LET ME FORGET THAT.
MY DOCTOR SAYS I’M FIT TO BE
SERVING.
>> JOHN FETTERMAN DURING THIS
CRIME WAVE HAS BEEN TRYING TO
GET AS MANY MURDERERS CONVICTED
AND SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON
OUT OF JAIL AS POSSIBLE.
>> I BELIEVE THAT I RUN ON MY
RECORD ON CRIME.
I’M THE ONLY PERSON ON THIS
STAGE RIGHT NOW THAT CAN -- THAT
HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL ABOUT
PUSHING BACK AGAINST GUN
VIOLENCE.
>> THERE’S THAT 2018 INTERVIEW
THAT SAID, QUOTE, I DON’T
SUPPORT FRACKING AT ALL.
SO HOW DO YOU SQUARE THE TWO?
>> I DO SUPPORT FRACKING.
AND I DON’T -- I DON’T -- I
SUPPORT THE FRACKING.
I STAND AND TO SUPPORT FRACKING.
>> FETTERMAN’S CAMP BLAMING THE
CAPTIONING SYSTEM PROVIDED FOR
HIM AS BEING DELAYED AND WITH
ERRORS, BUT THAT QUICKLY GOT
SHUT DOWN.
THEY SPIN THE AWFUL PERFORMANCE
AS A WIN.
>> I THINK THE PEOPLE OF
PENNSYLVANIA SAW A RELATABLE
GUY, DOING HIS RECOVERY IN
PUBLIC FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
AND FOR A GUY, JUST IN THE
HOSPITAL MONTHS AGO, TOOK IT TO
DR. OZ PRETTY [BLEEP] HARD
TONIGHT.
>> DEMOCRATS IN THE LIBERAL
MEDIA HAVING A HARD TIME
CONVINCING THEMSELVES THAT THE
PARTY JUST DIDN’T TOTALLY BLOW
IT.
>> IT WAS HARD TO WATCH FRANKLY.
>> VERY OBVIOUS HE’S IMPAIRED.
>> MAYBE THE NEXT CYCLE WOULD
HAVE BEEN THE BETTER CYCLE FOR
HIM TO RUN, BECAUSE WE REQUIRE
REPRESENTATION.
>> I THINK IT TAKES BRAVERY TO
ALLOW PEOPLE TO SEE YOUR
WEAKNESS, RIGHT?
THERE WAS SUCH INTENSE SCRUTINY.
>> REPUBLICANS ARE OUT THERE
TONIGHT SAYING THAT FETTERMAN IS
UNFIT, HE SHOULD WITHDRAW.
DO THEY NOT HAVE A RACE IN THE
STATE OF GEORGIA, SOMEONE
RUNNING FOR THE VERY SAME
POSITION, IN HERSCHEL WALKER,
WHOSE FACING FAMILY SCANDALS,
LIES ABOUT HIS PAST JOBS?
>> GREG, THAT WAS HARD TO WATCH.
DID YOU FEEL BAD FOR JOHN
FETTERMAN UP THERE?
>> NO.
I FELT BAD FOR Os.
>> DID YOU?
>> YEAH.
HE WAS TERRIBLE -- NO.
ACTUALLY I THINK Os DID A -- I
MEAN, IT WAS LIKE HAVING BAD
WI-FI.
FETTERMAN KEPT GOING IN AND
GOING OUT.
I FELT KIND BAD FOR HIM.
HE COULD HAVE DIFFUSED THE BOMB
MUCH BETTER IF HE JUST SAID --
YOU KNOW, WHEN HE SAID ELEPHANT
IN THE ROOM, HE SHOULD HAVE
SAID, LOOK, MY MIND WORKS FINE,
BUT MY BODY IS CATCHING UP, I’M
IN A DIAL-UP MODE IN AN IG
WORLD.
MAYBE A JOKE.
PRETENDING TO BE CONCERNED OR
DISGUSTED BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE
TALKING ABOUT THAT, YOU PUT HIM
OUT THERE.
YOU PUT HIM OUT THERE.
YOU’RE ALLOWING EVERYBODY TO
WATCH THIS.
SO IT’S ON YOU.
WE DON’T MIND DAN CRENSHAW,
RIGHT?
WE DON’T MIND GOVERNOR ABBOTT.
WE’RE NOT ABLEISTS, WE’RE
TALKING ABOUT IS THIS GUY FIT
FOR THE JOB?
THERE’S A REASON YOU’RE MAD,
BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T WANT HIM TO
DEBATE BECAUSE IT LOOKS SO BAD.
NOW YOU HAVE HIM OUT THERE,
TRYING TO PIN IT ON EVERYBODY
ELSE.
I FELT LIKE I WAS WATCHING LEAH
THOMAS SWIMMING WITH THE GIRL
SWEEP TEAM.
SWIM TEAM.
Os DID PRETTY GOOD.
I THOUGHT Os WAS LETTING UP ON
THE GAS WHEN IT GOT BAD.
>> AND THAT WAS SMART?
>> YEAH, YEAH.
>> DANA, WE HAVEN’T SHOWN YOU
BASICALLY EVERYTHING.
YOU COULD LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE
ANSWER AND BE, LIKE, OH, MY GOD,
THAT WAS HORRIBLE.
WHAT HAPPENS NOW?
>> WE WERE ON A TEXT THREAD LAST
NIGHT.
WHATEVER STREAM I WAS WATCHING
WAS ABOUT TWO MINUTES BEHIND
WHERE YOU GUYS WERE.
SO I WAS ANTICIPATING, OH, WOW,
THAT WAS BAD.
I CAN SEE WHAT WAS COMING.
SO I THINK A COUPLE THINGS.
ONE, I THINK IT’S NOTABLE THAT
DR. OZ DID NOT SAY ANYTHING
ABOUT THE STROKE.
HE AGREED TO THE CLOSED
CAPTIONING, HE ALLOWED THAT TO
HAPPEN.
THE SECOND THING, THEY STARTED
EARLY VOTING IN SEPTEMBER.
SEPTEMBER 19th, I BELIEVE, FOR
THIS ELECTION.
WAY OVER A MILLION VOTES HAVE
ALREADY BEEN CAST.
AND THERE WAS A NEWS NATION THAT
THE HOST OF THE DEBATE, THEY HAD
A FOCUS GROUP, AND THERE WERE
SOME DEMOCRATS THERE, AND
INDEPENDENTS LEANING DEMOCRAT,
WHO WERE THINKING, OH, BOY, WHAT
HAVE WE DONE?
THAT DOESN’T NECESSARILY MEAN
THEY WOULD HAVE VOTED FOR
DR. OZ.
MAYBE THEY WOULD HAVE, BUT THEY
MIGHT HAVE CHOSEN CONNOR LAMB,
THE OTHER DEMOCRAT, RUNNING IN
THE PRIMARY.
JOHN FETTERMAN’S STROKE WAS
BEFORE THE PRIMARY.
HE AND HIS WIFE KEPT TELLING
EVERYBODY, HE’S FINE, HE’S FINE,
HE’S FINE, REMEMBER, FOR ABOUT
EIGHT WEEKS.
NOW SOME DEMOCRATS ARE SAYING
MAYBE HE SHOULD NEVER HAVE
DEBATED ANYWAY.
THAT’S WRONG.
IF YOU’RE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT
DEMOCRACY, YOU WANT INTEGRITY IN
ELECTIONS, DEBATES ARE
IMPORTANT.
AS YOU MOVE FORWARD, THINKING
ABOUT THESE RULES, PERHAPS EARLY
VOTING SHOULDN’T START UNTIL
AFTER THE FIRST DEBATE HAS BEEN
HELD.
I THINK THAT’S FAIR.
HIS TEAM NEEDS TO GET THEIR
STORY STRAIGHT.
THEY CAME OUT AND SAID JOHN
FETTERMAN HAD A STRONG
PERFORMANCE.
THE NEXT THING THEY TRY TO SAY
IS THAT THE TECHNOLOGY WAS TO
BLAME FOR THE STUMBLE.
THAT FORCED THE COMPANY,
NEXTSTAR, TO COME OUT AND SAY IT
WORKED PERFECTLY FINE.
IF REPUBLICANS WIN IN
PENNSYLVANIA, THEY’LL GET THE
MAJORITY.
THAT’S WHY A LOT OF DEMOCRATS
ARE HAND-WRINGING THIS MORNING.
ASIDE FROM THE STROKE, I DO
THINK IT WAS A BAD POLICY DEBATE
FOR FETTERMAN ON ENERGY, ON THE
I COME, AND ON CRIME IN
PARTICULAR, STUDENT DEBT.
ALL OF THOSE -- ON THE ISSUES,
IT WASN’T STRONG EITHER.
>> REALLY, REALLY BAD.
HE WAS ASKED BY BY THE MODERATOR
TWICE, ARE YOU GOING TO RELEASE
YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS, AND STILL
WON’T, AFTER THIS, TO RELEASE
THE RECORDS.
>> HE REFUSES TO RELEASE THE
RECORDS.
THE GUY HAD A STROKE FIVE MONTHS
AGO.
OKAY?
MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE STROKES ARE
RIGHT NOW IN REHAB AND THERAPY
AND COGNITIVE THERAPY.
IT IS CLEAR THAT HE DID NOT HAVE
THE ABILITY TO ANSWER ANYTHING
BEYOND THE MOST -- THE MOST, YOU
KNOW -- HOW CAN I SAY THIS?
SUPERFICIAL PART OF IT.
THERE WAS NO IN-DEPTH, NO
SUBSTANTIVE DISCUSSION.
HE COULD NOT GO DOWN TO A, B, C
OR D.
SO HE PROMOTES HIMSELF, SAYING,
SEE, I SHOWED HOW GOOD I AM, HOW
GREAT I’M FEELING.
I DON’T KNOW THAT ANYBODY WHO
WATCHED THAT SAY, GEE, THAT’S
WHO I WANT ME TO REPRESENT ME IN
THE SENATE.
HE WAS WAS AGAINST FRACKING FOUR
YEARS AGO, AND NOW HE’S IN FAVOR
OF IT.
YOU CAN SAY IT’S A STROKE, GOD
BLESS HIM, I HOPE HE GETS
BETTER, BUT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
THE SENATE, WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
A COUNTRY THAT’S DIVIDED, A
COUNTRY WHERE EVERYTHING
MATTERS, EVERY FACT, EVERY
ISSUE.
YOU DON’T LOOK AT THE
SUPERFICIAL LAYER.
YOU’VE GOT TO GO DOWN.
HE’S GOT A PROGRESSIVE SOCIALIST
IDEOLOGY, WHERE HE WANTS TO
RELEASE ONE-THIRD OF THE
CRIMINALS IN PRISON.
HE WANTS TO GET RID OF PAROLE
FOR LIFERS WHO ARE IN JAIL.
THIS IS A GUY WHO IS NOT IN THE
MAINSTREAM.
AND THERE’S NO QUESTION
SEPTEMBER 19th THEY STARTED
VOTING.
AND NOW HE HAS THE DEBATE ON
OCTOBER 25th, WHETHER IT’S
650,000 OR A MILLION WHO HAVE
ALREADY VOTED, THEY CAN’T CHANGE
THAT VOTE.
THERE’S ONE MORE THING I WANT TO
SAY.
YOU KNOW, IT JUST REMINDED ME OF
JOE BIDEN.
REMEMBER JOE BIDEN, HE WAS IN
THE BASEMENT, WE’VE GOT COVID,
AND HIS WIFE JILL IS WALKING HIM
AROUND.
I FEEL LIKE THE SAME THING IS
HAPPENING HERE.
WITH FETTERMAN’S WIFE, SAYING,
OH, HE’S FINE, HE’S FINE.
MAYBE YOU SHOULD BE TAKING CARE
BETTER OF HIM.
MAYBE HE SHOULD BE IN REHAB.
MAYBE THIS ISN’T THE TIME FOR
HIM TO BE RUNNING.
YOU KNOW, THAT’S JUST MY
OPINION.
>> OF ALL CANDIDATES, IT’S
FETTERMAN THAT BARACK OBAMA AND
JOE BIDEN ARE GOING TO GO TO
PENNSYLVANIA TOGETHER AND
CAMPAIGN WITH TOGETHER.
WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU?
>> WELL, I THINK YOU FRAMED IT
RIGHT.
THIS RACE HERE COULD VERY WELL
DETERMINE OR DECIDE WHO IS IN
THE MAJORITY IN THE SENATE.
IT WAS PAINFUL TO WATCH.
THERE’S NO DOUBT.
THIS IS A PERSON, A HUMAN BEING,
WHO CLEARLY IS BATTLING HIS
RECOVERY AND BATTLING WITH THE
RECOVERY TO GET THROUGH IT.
YOU HAVE TO HOPE AND PRAY HE
DOES GET THROUGH IT.
I’M NOT SURE IT AFFECTS THE
OUTCOME IN ANY MEANINGFUL WAY.
I THINK THAT THE ISSUES HERE
THAT DANA RAISED ARE ISSUES HE’S
BEEN CAMPAIGNING ON FROM THE
VERY BEGINNING.
HE WON THE PRIMARY.
NOW IT SEEMS HE’S THREE OR FOUR
POINTS AHEAD AS WE GET TO
NOVEMBER HERE.
I TO THINK AN ARGUMENT SHOULD BE
MADE -- CAN BE MADE ABOUT THIS
EARLY VOTE PIECE, BUT VOTERS WHO
DON’T WANT TO VOTE EARLY DON’T
HAVE TO VOTE EARLY.
IF Os HAD A POOR PERFORMANCE,
SOME WOULD HAVE SAID, MAYBE I
SHOULD HAVE HELD MY VOTE BACK TO
SEE HOW HE PERFORMED OR FARED
DURING THE DEBATE.
LOOK, OBAMA, BIDEN, EVERYONE IS
GOING TO DESCEND UPON THIS
STATE.
FRANKLY FOR DEMOCRATS, WHAT
THEY’RE REALLY HOPING IS THAT
SHAPIRO, THE BEST DEMOCRATIC
GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE, CAN
PULL HIM OVER THE FINISH LINE
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT
FETTERMAN?
>> SOME OF HIS VIEWS, I DON’T
AGREE WITH ALL OF IT.
>> HE HAS CRAZY IDEAS.
>> CONNOR LAMB’S POLITICS ARE
MORE LIKE MINE.
THIS ISN’T GOING TO AFFECT THE
OUTCOME OF THIS RACE VERY MUCH.
>> HE’S A WOUNDED ANIMAL THAT
CAN’T CUT IT IN WASHINGTON.