John Fetterman’s bizarre response when asked about the Philadelphia freeway collapse in the Senate
Embattled Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman sparked new health problems after stumbling over his tribute over the I-95 bridge collapse.
Months after making headlines when he was hospitalized for six weeks for clinical depression, Fetterman was asked at a Senate Environment Committee hearing Wednesday if he had any comments about the overpass disaster.
“I, uh, would just, uh, really like, you know — the 95, 95, 95. You know?” he answered.
“Obviously you’re kind of into 95, and so am I, I sure am… and we know it’s a big restaurant (sic) not just for Pennsylvania, but for the East Coast.”
The senator’s mumbled statement died down as he neared the end of his sentence amid concerns that he still hasn’t fully recovered from a debilitating stroke in May 2022.
Senator John Fetterman (pictured) stumbled over his comments about the I-95 bridge collapse during a Senate Environment Committee hearing on Wednesday
A section of highway I-95 collapsed Sunday after a truck carrying gasoline exploded
Fetterman’s incoherent comments came days after a truck carrying gasoline overturned and caught fire on the I-95 freeway, killing the driver and destroying an overpass that carries more than 150,000 vehicles daily.
But it was the senator’s incoherent response that drew attention, with many outspoken conservatives criticizing Fetterman for his apparent struggle.
“Great Choice Pennsylvania!” said Republican activist Amanda Larreni.
“Keep voting for brain-dead Democrats like John Fetterman and Joe Biden and this is what you get!”
Podcast host and Outkick founder Clay Travis echoed Larreni’s comments, saying sarcastically, “John Fetterman is weighing in on the I-95 collapse as only he can. Deep, sharp, eloquent. Good choice, Pennsylvania.”
Fox News hosts Jesse Watters and Tomi Lahren also chimed in with the bungled statement, with Watters admitting he “feels terrible” for the floundering lawman.
“It’s painful to watch, and everyone knows how painful this is to watch,” Lahren added.
“The fact that these people are still employed, including Diane Fienstein, is not fair to the people they represent.
“These people are probably going to vote Democrat, but my goodness, can you at least give us a Democrat who can put together a full sentence—and maybe even lie with some coherence?”
“We’d rather have a liar than someone who can’t even talk,” Watters added.
Conservative media outlet Daily Caller also criticized Fetterman’s blunder, noting that he swapped his usual hoodie and shorts for a suit.
“Fetterman swag – grab straight off the rack,” the outlet tweeted alongside a video of the fiasco.
The legislature’s conduct has been a hot topic for conservatives since he entered the Senate in January.
Last month, Fetterman wore his favorite Carhartt hoodie when he appeared alongside several Democratic heavyweights, including Bernie Sanders, to praise progress in debt limit negotiations.
GOP Congressman Lauren Boebert took to Twitter to express her disapproval of his sartorial decisions, calling his outfit “truly inappropriate.”
By comparison, his four Democratic colleagues were all dressed in suits, ties and more formal footwear.
John Fetterman redefined Casual Friday on Thursday mornings. It’s really inappropriate for someone to appear like that for any job let alone one that only 100 people have been chosen for. There’s just no excuse for that,’ she scolded.
Fetterman came under fire last month for wearing a hoodie and shorts, while his Democratic colleagues opted for a traditional suit
Fetterman has become known for the casual look he wore during his successful 2022 Senate campaign
John Fetterman (left) caused health problems during his gaffe debate with Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz (right) in October
Criticism of Fetterman’s mental competence reached fever pitch before he was even elected to the Senate, when during a debate with Republican rival Mehmet Oz in October, he appeared to be struggling to wrap up his thoughts.
After opening the evening by addressing the audience with ‘Hello, good night everyone’, it became clear that Fetterman was still suffering from lingering speech and hearing problems from the stroke he suffered in May 2022.
Fetterman sometimes struggled to get through his hours of debate with Oz, his delivery often being faltering and jerky.
At one point, Fetterman was asked to clarify his stance on fracking, as moderators pointed to a 2018 interview in which the lieutenant governor broadly opposed the practice, but not a ban.
“I’m in favor of fracking – I’m not, I’m not – I’m in favor of fracking, and I’m in favor of fracking,” he replied.
A month later, he received a beating from Donald Trump Jr., who called the then-candidate “brain dead.”