Fetterman and Dr. Oz both pledge to back party’s aging frontrunners for 2024

Both Democrat John Fetterman and Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz pledged to support their party’s aging favorites for the presidential nomination in their debate Tuesday night.

Fetterman – who often struggled to get through his hour-long debate while still recovering from a stroke in May – said he will be on President Joe Biden‘s side in 2024 … if he wants to run.

The lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania said: ‘It’s up to his choice, whether he runs and if he does choose to run, I would absolutely support him. But ultimately, that’s only his choice.’

Biden has campaigned with Fetterman occasionally during the hotly contested race which may decide control of the US Senate.  

Oz, the former TV doctor, had the question framed in the context of Trump endorsing him in the primary but seemingly not committing to endorsing the former president in 2024. 

The Republican clarified: ‘I would support Donald Trump if he decided to run for president. But this is bigger than one candidate. This is a much bigger story about how we are going to build a bigger tent to let more Americans feel safe.’

He was then asked by one of the debate moderators if he was concerned about the investigations into President Trump’s alleged attempts to subvert the results of the 2020 election. 

Oz didn’t necessarily give a clear answer: ‘I haven’t followed them very carefully, I’ve been campaigning pretty aggressively! They’ll work themselves out. I have tremendous confidence in the American legal system and I believe law and order will reign supreme.’ 

Fetterman at points struggled to get through his hour-long debate with Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz, as the after-effects of his May stroke were on full display. 

Right out of the gate, the candidates went after each other – with Fetterman’s delivery often halting and choppy, while Oz turned on the TV charm he honed over 13 seasons of TV, smacking Fetterman for being ‘extreme.’ 

In advance of the debate – the only one for the Pennsylvania Senate race – Fetterman’s campaign had tempered expectations, saying there would be ‘awkward pauses’ and ‘delays and errors,’ because the Democrat would be reading closed captioning – due to his auditory processing issue. 

The pauses and stumbles happened throughout the debate. 

At one point Fetterman was asked to clarify his position on fracking, as moderators pointed to a 2018 interview, where the lieutenant governor expressed broad opposition to the practice, but not a ban. 

‘I do support fracking – I don’t, I don’t – I support fracking, and I do support fracking,’ he answered.

Both candidate opened the debate in attack mode. 

‘I’m running to serve Pennsylvania, he’s running to use Pennsylvania,’ Fetterman said of Oz. ‘Here’s a man who spent more than $20 million of his own money to try and buy that seat.’ 

Fetterman also labeled Oz a ‘liar’ and chided the TV doctor for having 10 houses, pushing that he couldn’t understand the struggles of everyday Pennsylvanians. Fetterman blasted Oz for having products with his name on them made in China.

Right away Oz went after Fetterman on crime.

‘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,’ the TV doctor said. 

Oz also hit Fetterman for not paying taxes.

‘It was helping students 17 years ago to help them buy their own homes. They didn’t pay the bills … It has never been an issue in any of the campaign before. It was all about non-profit,’ Fetterman responded to the charge. 

Reports on tax liens against Fetterman and a community group he headed called Braddock Redux were in the local Pittsburgh news when he ran for Senate in 2016, and were attached to properties he and the group purchased in the steel town suburb where he served as mayor. 

A Fetterman campaign memo released before the debate had called out the Oz campaign for attacks on Fetterman’s health, which have mostly been made via the Republican’s campaign staff. 

‘Oz will try to play the nice doctor on Tuesday night, but his campaign’s attacks on John’s health have consistently been mean-spirited and cruel,’ the memo said. ‘We won’t forget this is the same “doctor” whose campaign has mocked John’s use of closed-captioning technology, about him needing bathroom breaks and medical staff nearby, and he wouldn’t have had a stroke if he ate vegetables.’ 

Oz’s staff made the comments as a September debate was being negotiated, but never happened, as Fetterman pulled out, saying the Republican’s team was mocking a stroke victim. 

The Harrisburg stage will be the only time the two candidates meet – as mail-in ballots have already been sent out to Pennsylvania voters. 

Fetterman has consistently had a small edge in polls, which continues, though several recent surveys show it’s close. 

On Tuesday, a CBS News survey put the distance between the two candidates at two points.  

According to the survey, 51 percent of likely Keystone State voters back Fetterman, compared to 49 percent who back Oz.

The Democratic populist’s lead falls well within the 4.4-percent margin of error.     

Pennsylvania voters are eager to see how the match-up will play out, CBS News’ poll suggests. 

More than 60 percent of respondents said they were at least ‘somewhat’ like to tune in. 

The poll was taken October 21 to 24, right up until the night before the debate.

In addition to his auditory processing disorder, the stroke also has left Fetterman occasionally stumbling over his words and taking more pauses while speaking. 

But according to the poll, voters are not interested in hearing about it tonight.

Nor are they interested in more attacks on Oz’s residency in Pennsylvania versus his family home in New Jersey, which have been a cornerstone of Fetterman’s campaign. 

Fifty-four percent of registered voters told CBS they aren’t looking for discussions about Fetterman’s health. 

Likewise, 57 percent said they don’t need to hear more about where Oz lives.

But more than nine out of every 10 Pennsylvanians polled said they want the candidates to talk about the economy, as well as their views on crime and policing.

That could be an edge for Oz tonight – Americans’ concerns about the economy and soaring inflation have been a big campaign issue for Republicans across the country, as mounting public opinion polls show voters trust Republicans slightly more than Democrats both on the economy and crime.