The two big questions about the Pennsylvania senatorial debates were: Will Democrat John Fetterman show up in a hoodie, and will the use of closed captioning scramble or slow the debate?
It was no hoodie. He wore a baggy charcoal suit. Republican candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz missed the opportunity to ask, “Decided to dress like an adult tonight, John?”
The closed captioning did not slow things at all, and it seemed like Fetterman was able to comprehend the questions without the gimmick’s help.
There was a smidge of trouble with Fetterman’s first three words: “Good night, everybody.”
He meant “Good evening, everybody.”
Not a fatal error. That came later.
For most of the “debate,” which was more like Q&A by two able reporters, the event was like a master class in sidestepping questions. With few exceptions, there were no direct answers to direct questions.
With a couple of exceptions. Anchor Dennis Owens asked each candidate who they were for in Sunday’s Eagles/Steelers game. Fetterman replied Pittsburgh; Oz took Philadelphia and sang a bit of “Fly, Eagles, Fly.”
In my playbook, the most dramatic, deer-in-the-headlights moment came when anchor Lisa Sylvester asked Fetterman his position on fracking. He loves it as much as his mother, he said. (My words, not his.) Sylvester then revealed a 2018 quote from Fetterman which has him saying, “I don’t support fracking.”
When she asked him to explain those opposing views the silence was deafening. He eventually just repeated his support for fracking.
Prior to the appearance, Fetterman’s handlers waved a white towel by saying, “John is going to win this race, even if he doesn’t win the debate.”
Another master class, this time in lowering expectations.
And well that they should, because Oz is an old pro at TV, he knows it is a cool medium, and kept his cool while Fetterman loudly interrupted several times, like you-know-who.
If you don’t know who, that’s Donald J. Trump.
Who Oz will support if he runs in 2024, and not just because he is the nominee he admitted, after a sharp follow up by Sylvester. Fetterman said he would support Joe Biden, who’s only fault was not going further and doing more. Interesting sidelight: Sylvester disclosed an Emerson College poll that showed in a Trump/Biden contest, Trump got 46% to Biden’s 45% of Pennsylvanians’ vote.
Oz’s challenge was to take on Fetterman without looking like he was bullying someone with a disability. Fetterman aided Oz with his sometimes aggressive behavior.
If you ask me which one looked more senatorial, that the Wizard of Oz.
While half of you bust a gasket, remember I have endorsed the man I playfully call Lurch. But I call ‘em as I see ‘em. Fetterman’s people were right — Oz “won.”
While Oz called Fetterman “extreme” and “radical,” Fetterman replied that all Oz did was lie, and he had 10 mansions, and could not relate to common people.
And, oh yeah, he’s not really from Pennsylvania.
But he’s for the Eagles.
Good, objective post, Stu.
Funny, too. (Loved your line: “If you don’t know who…”)
While you likely are right about who came out on top in
the debate, I trust that Pennsylvania voters will cast
their ballots for the more honorable and trustworthy
candidate.
Hope so, too.
So who is the preferred write-in candidate?
I will not write in this time. My vote is anti Oz, and election denier, so I must vote D.
Were you being ironic? Neither candidate is ‘honorable’ or ‘trustworthy.’ Voters get what they deserve. A pox on both houses.
Of course I will vote for Oz.
It’s sad that there are no better candidates to run for the senate seat than a snake oil salesman and a sartorially challenged adolescent.
What a great description Wanda!
HAPPY WEDNESDAY !!!
Pallie,
I’m glad the weather doesn’t dampen your humor.
As debates go, this one, to me, was entertaining rather than enlightening.
Here’s what I wrote on facebook last night:
HAPPY TUESDAY !!!
I sat through the debate and learned nothing of value.
1) If ANYBODY votes democrat this election, they have to be out of their freaken minds !
2) Given a chance, Fetterman will be straight socialist, as he sits next to his pal Bernie.
3) They both blew the question; how to save social security. Answer: Higher paying jobs will increase the amount of taxes.
4) Dr. Oz looked pretty good. He had control of the room. He didn’t let Fetterman get away with anything, PLUS, he got Fetterman a little hot under the collar
I’m glad that Dr. Oz took the high road and did not attack Fetterman on is medical issues. Sorry to say, the dimocrat party should not let biden and Fetterman speak in public. ever.
Tony
1) If ANYBODY votes democrat this election, they have to be out of their freaken minds !
I am out of my freak’n mind. I will never vote for an election denier. That includes Oz and Stacey Abrams.
I watched the debate yelling to both candidates answer the question. I voted for Fetterman, but he came out poorly. Oz is a skilled communicator who dodged every question. It was a train wreck, but Oz won. Hopefully he will not win the election
Stu,
Both candidates are poor choices in my mind.
The question about the filibuster, is the most concerning to me as that has the biggest impact and long term effect on our nation and democracy.
Fetterman is too extreme for me on that subject.
That is an interesting single-subject take. I believe most Americans have no idea what the filibuster is, and why Fetterman keeps promoting it is beyond me. I feel it has no traction.
You people are SO scared of “socialism” that it is goddamned laugh-out-loud hysterical. This is because your heroes have drummed that fear into you for over a century; you clearly do not even know what the term means. What Democrats want is NOT socialism, and it is sad that you do not understand that. You need to look up the definitions of “Communism,” “Socialism” and “Democratic Socialism” and just stop with the fear mongering bullshit. America is not, and NEVER HAS BEEN, in any danger of becoming a “socialist state” where the government controls the means of production (kinda what Socialism IS, my friend). And as for us being “out of our freaken minds,” well, no. We are not “out of our minds.” We simply understand economics, why things are happening the way they are (reality), and we pay no attention to ridiculous media outlets like Fox, CNN, MSNBC or any of the cable talking heads, but rather to the media outlets that ARE reliable (yes, they are out there), and to what people in government are actually doing and saying.
That all said, Oz looked much more comfortable in this debate, which is obviously because he has spent his entire life in front of a camera (mostly selling people on snake oil cures on Oprah). So of course he would be more comfortable than a guy coming off a stroke who has limited experience in that regard. Oz is also clearly not a Pennsylvanian, and was obviously recruited to move here by the Republican Party which needs to win a Senate seat. Oh, and he has no political experience whatsoever, is beholden to a fascist dictator in Turkey, and wants “local government” to control women’s healthcare choices. Ain’t no (intelligent) women voting for THAT shit. Perfect Republican candidate, in other words. Good luck with that.
So, Tony, you can insult us all you want, call us all the names you want. Have fun, because we always consider the source of such insults before being insulted (hint: someone with your “breadth of knowledge” is NEVER going to lay a glove on me, ever). Your opinions are just that, and they do not make you right, which is kinda how opinions work.
Feel better soon.
HAPPY WEDNESDAY !!!
f,
Ya did it again. Next time swear that you won’t respond to me, since you are so good at swearing.
FYI. Using modern terminology, my father’s people were socialist. A tribe ( her family mostly ) took care of everyone. The young and the old.
With your vast knowledge of politics, religion, media and just about everything else, why is it that you haven’t been more involved in our system of government ? It’s easy to be a Monday morning quarterback, be it any of the above topics. If you don’t like the choice of candidates for this election, start TODAY looking for their replacements.
BTW. Dr Oz tried to introduce medicine to the people in a informational way. If he liked a particular topic, he went with it. At the same time he offered the opposing view on said topic. I guess that I missed the show where he was selling snake oil.
Speaking of the good Doctor, I don’t know where you get your lying nonsense from. Oz is, I believe still holding duel citizenship. Not because he’s in bet with the ruling Turks, but because of his family issues. Said citizenship will be renounced before Oz is seated in the Senate Chambers.
I also believe that Oz and people like him don’t necessarily think that the election was rigged, but rather stolen. Not on election day, although there is always shenanigans going on. I think that there was always a bit of corruption taking place but neither party wanted to do anything about the problems. ( Too much money to fix a little problem ).
Lastly, definitely lastly. You are so impressive with your selection of the vocabulary. Go back to Webster and look up some new foul language. I merely said, ‘freaken’. I don’t believe that I have ever uttered a curse word inany posting. ( must be the nuns and the taste of fels naptha keeping me straight )
don’t forget. ‘vote early. vote often ‘
Tony
Right on, freeze!!!
https://nypost.com/2022/10/26/how-long-will-democratic-voters-continue-to-allow-themselves-to-be-treated-like-fools?utm_source=gmail&utm_campaign=android_nyp
The Wizard of Oz: pushes fraudulent medicine; has Turkish citizenship (who’s he loyal to) and served in the Turkish, not American military. Oz is anti-democratic: he supports authoritarian, anti-American Turkish strongman Erdogan; he blindly supports the Mango Mussolini, Trump. He is an election denier. He campaigns with the bigot Mastriano ( who associates with antisemites)antisemitism.
He is a lifelong New Jersey resident, who calls Palm Beach his home away from home. He is for the 1% class and will starve Social Security and privatize Medicare to pay for their tax reductions. Oz would be bad for the poor, working, and middle classes, bad for PA, bad for America.