Fetterman mocks Toomey as ‘a miracle’ of politics

Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D) at a rally Sunday mocked retiring Sen. Pat Toomey (R), whose seat Fetterman is trying to fill.

“Senator Toomey was not very nice to me,” Fetterman told the crowd in Blue Bell, Penn., according to videos shared online, referring to the senator’s criticism about Fetterman’s fitness to serve.

“Pat Toomey is a miracle,” Fetterman quipped. “He managed to be — figured out how to be despised by Republicans and Democrats.”

Toomey, the top-ranking Republican on the Senate Banking Committee, has drawn ire from both parties over the past two years.

Former President Trump lambasted the Pennsylvania senator after he was one of seven upper chamber Republicans who voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial. And Toomey drew criticism from Democrats this summer for his efforts to block a bill to aid military veterans exposed to toxic burn pits.

Toomey last week joined Oz at a news conference, during which he called Fetterman’s fitness into question and knocked him for not debating sooner. 

Fetterman suffered a stroke earlier this year and has been vocal about his health challenges, including some hearing and speech issues that he says have kept him from debating his Republican opponent Mehmet Oz.

“He said he’s feeling better than he’s felt in a very long time. He said the only lingering effect of stroke is, and I quote, ‘every now and then I’m gonna miss a word or mush two together,’ end quote,” Toomey said at the conference.

“Well, if that’s all true, then why won’t you agree to debate Dr. Oz? It’s clear that he’s being dishonest.”

Toomey also mocked Fetterman’s aggressive and often irreverent online campaigning as he recovered from the stroke.

“You can’t do the job of US Senator sitting at home firing off snarky tweets,” Toomey said.

Toomey announced in 2020 that he would retire to the private sector at the end of his second Senate term, citing personal reasons.

Fetterman on Sunday said Toomey had a chance to match up against him, “and he quit.”

The lieutenant governor announced last week that he plans to debate Oz, who appears to be ramping up his campaign efforts as he continues to trail in polls.

Former President Trump earlier this month rallied in Pennsylvania for Oz and gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano.