Oz stumbles on abortion while Fetterman struggles to give answers in crucial Pennsylvania Senate debate

There was no clear winner in Tuesday’s debate between Pennsylvania Republican candidate Mehmet Oz, who suggested that the decision about abortion should be left to women, doctors and local politicians, and Democratic candidate Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, who is still visibly recovering from a near-fatal stroke he suffered five months ago, as they vie for a critical Senate seat.

In the debate’s opening minutes, Fetterman addressed what he called the “elephant in the room.”

“I had a stroke. He’s never let me forget that,” Fetterman said of Oz, who has persistently questioned his ability to serve in the Senate. “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.”

Oz’s remarkable gaffe on abortion rights came as he sought to dodge a moderator’s question about a proposed Republican nationwide abortion ban. “I don’t want the federal government involved with that at all,” Oz said. “I want women, doctors, local political leaders letting the democracy that always allowed our nation to thrive, to put the best ideas forward so states can decide for themselves.”

The celebrity heart surgeon, ignored Fetterman’s health challenges throughout the debate, instead focusing on his opponent’s policies on immigration and crime and his support for President Joe Biden.

[ Dr. Oz mocked for complaining about the cost of crudité  ]

The forum had many of the trappings of a traditional debate, complete with heated exchanges and interruptions. But the impact of the stroke was apparent as Fetterman used closed-captioning posted above the moderator to help him process the words he heard, leading to occasional awkward pauses.

Oz cast himself as a moderate Republican looking to unite a divided state, even as he committed to supporting former President Donald Trump should he run again in 2024.

“I’m a surgeon, I’m not a politician,” Oz said. “We take big problems, we focus on them, and we fix them. We do it by uniting, by coming together, not dividing.”

With less than two weeks until Election Day, the stakes of the race to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Pat Toomey are huge: It represents Democrats’ best chance to flip a Senate seat this year — and could determine party control of the chamber and the future of Biden’s agenda.

With News Wire Services