Dr. Mehmet Oz, a Pennsylvania Republican running for the Senate, likened the homeless in Philadelphia to “zombies” at a campaign stop on Monday in the suburbs of Pittsburgh.
‘Go into Philadelphia’s downtown. I see more in Philadelphia these days, while I still see a little in Pittsburgh. There are whole blocks, including sections and numerous blocks. You cannot leave. In Monroeville, Oz addressed a crowd by saying, “There are addicts wandering like zombies into the street with needles protruding out of their necks.”
Twitter users noted that despite being a doctor, Oz didn’t seem to have much empathy for addicts.
The veteran television personality has drawn criticism for some of his imprecise remarks as he faces off against Democratic lieutenant governor of the commonwealth John Fetterman in the race for the U.S. Senate.
Dr. Mehmet Oz, a Pennsylvania Republican running for the Senate, likened the homeless in Philadelphia to “zombies” at a campaign stop on Monday in the suburbs of Pittsburgh.
With regard to the stroke Fetterman experienced in May, an Oz spokesperson recently chastised him, saying, “If John Fetterman had ever eaten a vegetable in his life, then maybe he wouldn’t have had a major stroke and wouldn’t be in the position to live about it constantly,” according to communications advisor Rachel Tripp.
When Oz filmed a video criticizing high pricing and placing the blame on President Joe Biden, Fetterman made fun of him for using the French phrase “crudite,” claiming Pennsylvanians refer to it as a “veggie tray.”
In a Tuesday interview, Oz clarified his position on the assertion made by his spokeswoman.
The campaign has made several statements, both of them. I can only talk to what I’m saying, in my opinion,” Oz told KDKA.
In politics, it’s common knowledge that a campaign spokesperson speaks on the candidate’s behalf.
As a doctor, I have enormous empathy for health issues, Oz said in Monroeville. However, he said Fetterman didn’t want to confront him because the progressive Democrat had “extreme beliefs.”
In the 2016 Democratic primaries, Fetterman backed Sen. Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton, but he now rejects certain of the progressive wing’s stances, such as the call to “defund the cops.”
In another awkward moment Monday, Oz started taking a man’s blood pressure at his Monroeville event – while being asked about his stance on abortion
At his Monroeville speech on Monday, Oz began monitoring a man’s blood pressure while he was being questioned about his position on abortion.
Although Oz declared himself to be “pro-life,” he thought there should be legal exceptions in circumstances of incest, rape, and danger to the mother’s life.
With the former television personality running against the cartoonishly tall, bald, and tattooed Fetterman, the Pennsylvania Senate race is not only one of the most important in the nation, but it has also turned into one of the most colorful.
In response to Oz’s claim that he would be lenient on crime, Fetterman unveiled a new advertisement on Tuesday.
Fetterman said, “Doc Oz, with his Gucci loafers, is attacking me on crime.” “Here in Braddock, Dr. Oz wouldn’t last two hours.”
The Democratic lieutenant governor then displayed the tattoos on his arms as the announcer pointed out that Fetterman’s left arm has the zip code “15104” for Braddock, Pennsylvania, while his right arm bears the dates of killings in the rust belt neighborhood.
“I ran for office for the sake of public safety.” I campaigned for mayor to end the violence after two of my kids were killed,’ said Fetterman. I collaborated closely with the cops. arrived to the site of the crime. For five years, we funded our police force and did all it needed to prevent gun fatalities.
Democratic Pennsylvania Senate hopeful shows off his tattoos in a new ad blasting Dr. Mehmet Oz, his Republican opponent, for suggesting he’s soft on crime
‘Doc Oz, in his Gucci loafers, is attacking me on crime,’ said Fetterman in the new 30-second spot. ‘Dr. Oz wouldn’t last two hours here in Braddock,’ he added, referencing his Pennsylvania hometown where he got his start in politics as mayor
Fetterman’s arm is tattooed with dates that murders happened in Braddock, as he tried to push back on Dr. Oz’s claims that he would like to see convicted murderers released from prison
Fetterman poked fun at Oz’s ‘Gucci loafers’ in the ad and in social media posts sharing it Tuesday
Fetterman said that he got his start in politics when two of his students were murdered, adding that he backed funding the police, and working alongside them, to curb gun violence
Like other Republicans, Dr. Oz is trying to push that a vote for a Democrat is a vote for defunding the police
Oz launched a website called “Inmates for Fetterman” that used quotes from the lieutenant governor discussing a one-third reduction in the prison population and said it wouldn’t put “anyone less safe.”
With the progressive rallying cry to “defund the cops,” Oz, like previous Republican candidates, has attempted to shackle his Democratic opponent.
On a website he created called “Inmates for Fetterman,” Oz quotes the lieutenant governor as saying that a one-third reduction in the jail population wouldn’t put “anyone less safe.”
The former TV doctor criticized Fetterman for attempting to free condemned killers on the internet.
After growing up as the son of adolescent parents in York County, Fetterman served as mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania for 13 years.
After serving in AmeriCorps and earning a master’s degree from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, he relocated to the run-down steel town in western Pennsylvania.
Allegheny County recruited him to launch a youth program.
Due to the shutting of steel mills and citizens relocating to the suburbs, Braddock has lost 90% of its population since its peak in the 1920s.
There are 2,000 residents in the town.
At a Democratic campaign event over the weekend, one of three ladies dressed as broccoli remarked, “I’m worried Dr. Oz is going to dip me in salsa, please vote for John Fetterman,” which was featured on Fetterman’s social media on Monday.
For five of the years he was in office, Fetterman was able to work with the police to reduce the murder rate to zero.
He has fought for criminal justice reform and said that he wants President Joe Biden to legalize marijuana before his Labor Day visit to the Pittsburgh region.
This Monday, Fetterman also made a video of a Democratic campaign event from the previous weekend in which he and three ladies in broccoli costumes urged Pennsylvanians not to support Dr. Oz in response to his snobby “crudite” statement.
One of the ladies pleaded with the audience to support John Fetterman, saying, “I’m afraid Dr. Oz will dip me in salsa.”
When Oz went grocery shopping for “crudite,” Fetterman made fun of him for attempting to make a point about inflation and blaming Biden. However, he mispronounced the name of the store and suggested salsa and tequila be served with a vegetable tray.