The editorial board of The Washington Post is criticizing Pennsylvania Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman over his refusal to commit to more than one debate with his Republican opponent, Mehmet Oz, ahead of their key November match-up.
The Fetterman-Oz tilt “might well determine which party controls the Senate,” the Post said in an editorial this week, writing, “Voters would benefit from seeing the two candidates exchange ideas and test each other.”
“Fetterman has seemingly been reluctant to commit to firm debate dates,” the newspaper wrote. “And that troubling stance has raised questions about whether he, still recovering from a serious stroke, is fit to serve in the Senate.”
After suffering a stroke in May, Fetterman, Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor, took three months away from the campaign trail to focus on his health. Last week, after taking heavy criticism from the Oz campaign — including pokes at his health — the Democrat agreed to at least one debate, though his camp did not specify exactly when or where.
Oz’s campaign quipped at one point that Fetterman had suffered a stroke because he does eat enough vegetables.
“Mr. Fetterman is asking voters for a six-year contract without giving them enough information to make sound judgments about whether he’s up for such a demanding job,” the Post weighed in. “We have called for full disclosure of health records from candidates for federal office in both parties, including Donald Trump and Joe Biden, and we believe Mr. Fetterman should release his medical records for independent review.”
The Post, like Oz’s campaign, suggested Fetterman is intentionally waiting until after early voting starts in Pennsylvania on Sept. 19 to debate Oz.
“He should debate Mr. Oz before voters start casting their ballots,” the editorial concluded. “Both candidates have something to prove to voters, and there is no better forum than a debate.”