Fetterman returns to Senate after days in hospital, casts vote on Senate floor amid ongoing health issues
FOX NewsDec 23, 2022
The Facts
Freshman Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Wednesday “to receive treatment for clinical depression,” his Chief of Staff Adam Jentleson announced on Thursday.
In a statement, Jentleson says that Fetterman has experienced depression “off and on throughout his life” but added that it became more "severe in recent weeks."
The Spin
Republican narrative
It's absolutely terrible to see Fetterman struggling both mentally and physically, but it's even sadder to know that his pain is being exploited by power-hungry people who pushed him to run for Senate knowing he was not in the right condition. Between his severe cognitive impairments from the strokes to his history of depression, people around Fetterman should have stopped him from running and focused on his health.
Democratic narrative
The right — fueled by the NYT's report that sorely missed the mark — may claim to care about Fetterman’s well-being, but it's clear that their well-wishes are politically motivated. Rather than casting judgment, the GOP should put that same energy into providing the necessary accommodations for the senator, who has already proven himself fit for the role.
