John Fetterman — who struggled through his own rocky debate — defends Biden from ‘Democratic vultures’

Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman came to the defense of President Joe Biden after his “rough” debate with former President Donald Trump.

Fetterman shared a screenshot of a Politico story outlining how “panicked” Democrats are beginning to look for alternatives toBiden after a debate performance widely viewed as an utter disaster.

“I refuse to join the Democratic vultures on Biden’s shoulder after the debate,” Fetterman wrote on X. “No one knows more than me that a rough debate is not the sum total of the person and their record.”

The reaction on Capitol Hill to the Pennsylvania Senate debate in late October 2022 between Fetterman and Republican nominee Mehmet Oz was brutal, with several people telling Axios at the time that they wondered why Fetterman had agreed to debate at all.

“Why the hell did Fetterman agree to this?” a Democratic lawmaker and supporter of Fetterman told the outlet at the time. “This will obviously raise more questions than answers about John’s health.”

During the debate, Fetterman addressed his recent health complications.

“I had a stroke. He’s never let me forget that,” he said of Oz, a well-known TV doctor. “And I might miss some words during this debate, mush two words together, but it knocked me down and I’m going to keep coming back up.”

After the debate on NewsNation, host Leland Vittert said, “The biggest issue was John Fetterman’s health and his ability to comprehend speech, and to then speak coherently on the issues of the day.”

“Everyone is nervous. I’ve traveled everywhere. Fetterman is a deep concern. And this debate will only increase it,” a Pennsylvania Democratic official said at the time, according to Axios.

Despite the debate, Fetterman went on to win his Senate