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John Fetterman’s wife, Gisele, said she felt “anger” when an NBC reporter described her husband’s noticeable auditory processing problems after an interview with the Democratic Senate candidate.
“I don’t like to say anger, because I think that’s a very unhealthy feeling and if you feel those things, it only hurts yourself,” the wife of the lieutenant governor told the Fast Politics podcast with Molly Jong-Fast. “But what a disservice she has done not only my husband, but everyone who has to deal with a disability and works through it, and I don’t know how it didn’t have an impact.”
During his first sit-down TV interview since his stroke in May, Fetterman sat at a desk, glancing at a captioned computer screen as NBC asked him questions. The candidate has been open about the fact that he still struggles with auditory processing problems and sometimes mixes up words.
“Sometimes I hear things in a way that’s not quite clear,” Fetterman explained to NBC. “So I’m using captions so I can see what you’re saying.”
NBC News’ Dacha Burns said in a chat before the formal interview, “it wasn’t clear he understood what I was saying.” She pointed out that stroke experts say this doesn’t mean there is a cognitive impairment.
The comment drew fire from Republicans who said it proved Fetterman was unfit for Senate duties, and from others who said the comment was competent.
John Fetterman’s wife Gisele said she felt “anger” when an NBC reporter described her husband’s noticeable auditory processing problems after an interview with the Democratic Senate candidate
“I don’t like to say anger because I think that’s a very unhealthy feeling and when you feel those things it only hurts yourself,” the lieutenant governor’s wife told the Fast Politics podcast with Molly Jong-Fast
“I don’t think there’s captioning on the Senate floor,” Fetterman’s Republican opponent Dr. Mehmet Oz Thursday night on Fox Business, responding to the interview.
“I mean, she was skilled. That was her in the interview. It was terrible for the whole disabled community and I think for journalism. So I was shocked. I’m still very disappointed,” Gisele continues in the podcast.
“It just goes to show that there is still so much work to be done, but that these networks have to be held accountable, right? Where is your training? It was horrible to watch,” she added. ‘I haven’t heard an apology. It didn’t come.’
Business reporter and podcaster Kara Swisher, who also interviewed Fetterman, denied Burns’ account.
‘I’m sorry to say, but I’ve talked to’ [Fetterman] for over an hour with no stop or assistants and this is just rubbish. Maybe this reporter is just bad at small talk,” Swisher wrote on Twitter.
“It is possible that two different journalists have two different experiences as a candidate. Our team was in the room with him and reported what happened in it, like journalists do. Before & after captioning was on,” Burns fired back.
NBC News’ Dacha Burns said in a chat before the formal interview, “it wasn’t clear he understood what I was saying”
“Sometimes I hear things in a way that’s not quite clear,” Fetterman explained to NBC. ‘So I use subtitles so I can see what you’re saying’
Fetterman, 53, has been silent since returning to the campaign trail by releasing his medical records or allowing reporters to question his doctors
New York journalist Rebecca Traister, who interviewed the candidate for a cover article titled “The Vulnerability of John Fetterman,” tweeted, “Comprehension hasn’t been compromised at all. He understands everything. He just reads it and reacts in real time… It’s a hearing/hearing challenge.”
Fetterman, 53, has been silent since returning to the campaign trail by releasing his medical records or allowing reporters to question his doctors.
During an interview with the PennLive editorial board on Wednesday, the Democratic hopeful party pointed out that “half of Americans also watch TV with captions.”
When pressed for additional documentation for the second time, Fetterman again pointed to the doctor’s letter from June.
“If they think I’m not good enough, you know, they certainly wouldn’t have allowed me to continue,” he objected. “And if I didn’t believe I was healthy enough, I certainly wouldn’t . . . walk, you know, live without a net.”
Another editorial board member said she believed Fetterman was “reluctant” about disclosing his medical information — and asked if any other documents would be forthcoming.
The candidate again claimed that he had already been approved by medical professionals.
“I believe that and that’s what they’ve already done,” the Pennsylvania Democrat said.