As we told you today, Pennsylvania U.S. Senator-elect Gisele Fetterman John Fetterman is already making himself at home. And part of that process is getting more accustomed to questions from the press. As a Democratic U.S. Senator, he’ll in theory play a bigger role in American politics than he’s ever played before, and with that, of course, comes more media attention.
So, how’s John Fetterman handling it so far? Looks like he’s handling it about as well as he did during his Senate race, after suffering a serious and debilitating stroke.
Spotted in Senate basement: John Fetterman
He didn’t answer when I asked if he’ll be able to wear his hoodie on Senate floor. pic.twitter.com/MwOQXUAZV5
— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) November 15, 2022
And, according to Fetterman’s senior adviser, Rebecca Katz, we need to be not just satisfied with that, but probably downright grateful for it:
Two things we need to get out of the way:
1) John Fetterman has a suit and will wear it to the Capitol.
2) He is still recovering from a stroke and has lingering auditory processing challenges. The way Hill reporters are used to yelling questions at Senators will not work here. https://t.co/0UCe47d9QC
— Rebecca Katz (@RebeccaKKatz) November 15, 2022
Well, as we saw during NBC News reporter Dasha Burns in-person, sit-down interview with Fetterman, directly asking him questions to his face in an environment in which there are no reporters shouting questions in the background doesn’t work, either.
So how are we to interpret Katz’s defense of Fetterman’s “auditory processing challenges”? Seems pretty clear to us, as it does to Stephen L. Miller, aka @redsteeze:
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So are we to understand he cannot understand words being spoken to him? https://t.co/aPK8OrUYcn
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) November 15, 2022
That’s sure what it sounds like Katz is saying …
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) November 15, 2022
That seems to be a problem for a.. um.. United States Senator.
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) November 15, 2022
"If you want to ask the United States Senator questions, please write them on large poster board with a sharpie and stand outside his office. Thank you."
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) November 15, 2022
No, seriously. At least one reporter out there has suggested something like that:
Would it be helpful to have qs written down and allow him to read? Or is he not going to take hallway qs while he recovers?
— Shira Stein (@shiramstein) November 15, 2022
“While he recovers.” And what if he never recovers?
Needless to say, Miller’s not in the mood to entertain such an idea.
A reporter suggests that the way to get a United States Senator to answer questions while walking is to write them down for him.
Why were questions like this not addressed of him during the campaign? https://t.co/I0Y3l6AjUX
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) November 15, 2022
While he recovers lol
— AllStarTweets (@DJSloejoe) November 15, 2022
Amazing isn't it.
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) November 15, 2022
Yep. Or at least it would be if we hadn’t seen how the media treated Fetterman over the past several months.
And she blocked me. Did any of these people think about this during the campaign? Or are just winging this now? pic.twitter.com/DcgEjPwxnV
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) November 15, 2022
Think it's pretty revealing that they are openly admitting they didn't ask him any questions at events during his campaign and just kind of went along with it until now.
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) November 15, 2022
Guess they don’t need to try to hide it now that Fetterman won his Senate race, huh?
My colleauges in the Capitol press corps must be just as cognizant of this when we ask Fetterman questions in the halls, just as we are to Tammy Duckworth in her wheelchair. That doesn't mean we don't have to ask tough questions. Rather, doing so will allow us to get answers https://t.co/y1dDbxPFum
— Eric Michael Garcia (@EricMGarcia) November 15, 2022
I'm not interested in asking Fetterman softballs. Far from it. I care about holding him accountable. The only way we can do this is if we can accommodate him. We must remember we are coworkers with members
— Eric Michael Garcia (@EricMGarcia) November 15, 2022
Sounds like Eric’s not all that interested in asking Fetterman much of anything for fear that Fetterman will have trouble answering it. Sounds pretty softball-y, no?
You are comparing someone whose legs don't work with someone whose brain doesn't work. Do you think they are the same thing? https://t.co/27cjLtLxSB
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) November 15, 2022
"Tammy Duckworth has brain damage" continues to be a take.
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) November 15, 2022
It’s a garbage take, albeit a weirdly popular one.
No, probably not. Do you see interacting with reporters in hallways to be the necessary qualification to perform well as a Senator? And does this disqualify deaf Americans? https://t.co/VUjBgdYiXq
— John Michelli (@JohnMichelli) November 15, 2022
If he cannot communicate with people who are speaking directly to him, how do you think this works for someone whose main job responsibility is listening? Why were these questions not asked months ago? https://t.co/A2UR6PIlvK
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) November 15, 2022
Narrator: We knew why.
Don't worry. They'll tell him how to vote.
— CapM (@CAPM1) November 15, 2022
How are they going to do that if he can't understand what's being said to him?
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) November 15, 2022
Well, that’s what Gisele is for.
In all seriousness, though, watching the MSM at large bend over backwards and tie themselves into knots to defend John Fetterman from criticism during his campaign was bad enough. But watching them do it when he’s a U.S. Senator is going to be even more infuriating.
Either he's a Senator or he's not a Senator. If he is a Senator, he should be treated as a Senator. https://t.co/5XUZmPe32x
— Nathan Wurtzel (@NathanWurtzel) November 15, 2022
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