When two candidates are running against one another in a general election, debates are fairly common.
Debating gives each candidate the opportunity to get their ideas out there, share their politics, and let voters decide who they want to elect.
Generally, when candidates decline to engage in debates with their opponents amid an election, it’s not looked upon kindly. Many people believe this is a sign that a candidate is weak and not able or willing to defend their politics.
Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman has come under some fire for refusing to debate his rival in the Senate race, GOP candidate Mehmet Oz. In the wake of this backlash, Fetterman has since confirmed he’ll be debating Oz after all, as documented by Newsmax.
What to Know about Fetterman’s Change of Heart
In previous times, Oz pressed Fetterman to debate; however, the Pennsylvania Democrat repeatedly declined, due to a stroke he suffered back in April.
Though earlier this week, Fetterman announced he will debate his Republican opponent for the Senate. In making this announcement, though, the Democrat again reiterated that Oz was going after him for having a stroke months ago.
Pennsylvania Lt. Governor John Fetterman confirms he will debate Mehmet Oz and adds: "Let's be clear this has never really been about debates for Dr. Oz. This whole thing has been about Dr. Oz and his team mocking me for having a stroke because they've got nothing else."
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) September 7, 2022
Fetterman also stated that issues with him debating Oz before ultimately boiled down to working out auditory complications. Thus far, the Pennsylvania Democrat is agreeing to debate Oz sometime next month and on a widely viewed TV channel.
This will give Pennsylvania voters the opportunity to compare and contrast the politics of Oz and Fetterman. In so doing, decisions will be made about which candidate the state’s voters decide to send to the Senate.
More Logistical Issues
Right now, the Oz camp is accusing Fetterman and his team of agreeing to a “secret debate.” This ultimately boils down to the Pennsylvania Democrat not having committed to a specific date or location.
Oz’s team was likewise clear that it expects a debate which has Oz and Fetterman in a legitimate context where real questions are asked by reporters. They also confirmed under no circumstances will Oz agree to a secret debate that takes place behind closed doors.
"BIG NEWS! John Fetterman has agreed to debate at a SECRET DEBATE. We don't know WHERE. We don't know WHEN. We don't know HOW. It's a big SECRET!" https://t.co/JhOx3aWI5W
— Casey Contres (@ccontres) September 7, 2022
According to the Cook Political Report, the race for the Pennsylvania Senate seat has now been categorized as “lean Democrat,” whereas before, it was cited as a “toss-up.”
This comes in spite of former President Trump endorsing Oz and warning that Fetterman is a “freakshow” that is both “far left” and “fringe.”
What do you think about Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman agreeing to debate GOP candidate Mehmet Oz? Do you believe this debate is going to actually happen or fall apart owing to logistical disagreements?
Feel free to let us know where you stand and what you think will occur in the comments area.
This article appeared in Watch Dog News and has been published here with permission.
