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 [ SAY WHAT? ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=376)

#  Dr. Oz Puts the Best Ideas Forward: The Mayor Will Do Your Pelvic Exam Now

October 27 2022

Written by Abby Zimet.

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SAY WHAT? - Predictably, the debate between Pennsylvania's John Fetterman and New Jersey carpetbagger Mehmet Oz turned into a [**Rashomon-like**](https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-the-rashomon-effect-definition/) affair of wildly disparate responses, notably to Fetterman's post-stroke struggle to fully regain speech - though plainly not cognition, as in, "It's the Oz rule: If he’s on TV, he’s lying.” With Fetterman's sometime pauses and stumbles the focus of much gawking, some [**deemed ](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/10/fetterman-oz-debate-disability/671863/)his appearance "a Rorschach test of [**comfort with disability ](https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/10/26/2131321/-The-shocking-truth-of-the-Fetterman-debate-from-an-ER-Nurse)(in) a culture of sound bites, mic drops and clapbacks," especially in contrast to a fast-talking, smoothly-seasoned TV doctor. There was harsh [**coverage**](https://www.politico.com/news/2022/10/25/fetterman-struggles-during-tv-debate-with-oz-00063467)- "journalist" and Ann Coulter fan-girl Olivia Nuzzi found Fetterman "absolutely painful to watch" - but also [**praise**](https://archive.ph/pArVL) from advocates, $2 million in[ donations,**](https://mailchi.mp/johnfetterman/10-26-22-debate-fundraising?e=5749a824d8) and empathetic[ push-back**](https://twitter.com/jbouie/status/1585073600071364608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Eembeddedtimeline%7Ctwterm%5Escreen-name%3Adigby56%7Ctwcon%5Es1) on "explicit and deliberate ableism." People [**lauded**](https://twitter.com/digby56/status/1585459333743058944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Eembeddedtimeline%7Ctwterm%5Escreen-name%3Adigby56%7Ctwcon%5Es1) Fetterman's transparency[ ](https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1585422912164691968)on a difficult recovery, his [**bravery ](https://twitter.com/ACinPhilly/status/1585096247903285248)in going ahead with a debate, and his frequent, still-cogent zingers: "One of us is running to serve Pennsylvania, and one of us is running to use Pennsylvania." One observer found it "less painful and off-putting" to watch Fetterman's halting speech than Oz' "cruel and smirking jabs," though alas, for a good segment of today's voters, "cruel and smirking works well." "He's perfectly capable of doing the job, but he has a disability that's 'unseemly,' so the pundit class has to[ treat him as if he's incapable,**](https://twitter.com/SawyerHackett/status/1585036222581264385?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1585036222581264385%7Ctwgr%5E9dd8ade9e3e03a0d61dbe5bce5152e37aa0f25e0%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailykos.com%2Fstory%2F2022%2F10%2F25%2F2131252%2F-John-Fetterman-summarizes-Mehmet-Oz-s-entire-existence-with-a-simple-phrase)" went one response. Another: "Welcome to being a disabled person in America."

The most dramatic contrast came on [**abortion. ](https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/10/26/belongs-nowhere-near-us-senate-oz-says-local-politicians-should-play-role-abortion)Fetterman has always been clear: He believes abortion is health care, and "a choice that belongs with each woman and her doctor"; he also wants to codify the protections of Roe v Wade into law. Oz, ever slimy, dodged a federal ban query and to universal horror declared, “I want women, doctors, local political leaders" to decide the issue, a deadly notion he called "letting the democracy that’s always allowed our nation to thrive, putting the best ideas forward so states can decide for themselves” - too many bullshit myths and misnomers to unpack here, but enough to [**outrage ](https://twitter.com/hashtag/PASenDebate?src=hashtag_click)vast swaths of people. "LOL, what every woman wants," said one. "Mind your own effing business." Many [**imagined**](https://twitter.com/samyoungman/status/1585086724895838209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1585086724895838209%7Ctwgr%5E168e221f14165925cb5d22681a714f206616d167%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailykos.com%2Fstory%2F2022%2F10%2F26%2F2131321%2F-The-shocking-truth-of-the-Fetterman-debate-from-an-ER-Nurse) the scenario: "OMG I'm pregnant" followed by, "Better call the mayor/comptroller/Harvey on the zoning board to come look at your lady parts to decide if you can have that D&amp;C." As to those "leaders," he must mean Doug Mastriano, who wants to [**ban**](https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/08/pa-lawmakers-proposing-controversial-heartbeat-bill-despite-gov-tom-wolfs-vow-to-veto.html) abortion at 6 weeks and [**charge ](https://jezebel.com/pennsylvanias-gop-nominee-for-governor-said-women-who-h-1849586880)any perpetrator with murder; or the [**classy ](https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1584925429328134144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1584925429328134144%7Ctwgr%5E8ac2ed649da7605ce69e8c7c5fc4ee1331b0d1b2%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailykos.com%2Fstory%2F2022%2F10%2F26%2F2131219%2F-MTG-flees-interview-after-telling-a-woman-she-s-too-old-to-have-an-opinion-on-abortion)MTG; or Paul Gosar, who [**called**](https://mohavedailynews.com/news/141078/gosar-overturn-of-roe-v-wade-long-overdue/) SCOTUS' overturning Roe v Wade "a long overdue...return to civilization." But Oz insists, "Women in Pennsylvania understand what I'm saying." Yup: Just like Mothers Against Greg Abbott, "the [**new MAGA**](https://twitter.com/momsagabbott?lang=en)," know what *he's* [**saying.**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faTNMTVsgAA&t=91s) Still, what women are saying is, "John on his worst day is a better man and human being that Oz will ever be." Also, John will recover, but Oz will always be a smarmy, soulless, [**scumbag**](https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/09/dr-mehmet-oz-wtf-moments), fraudulent, snake-oil-selling, puppy-killing hack.

*([**Abby Zimet**](https://www.commondreams.org/author/abby-zimet) has written CD's* ***[Further](https://www.commondreams.org/further)*** column since 2008. A longtime, award-winning journalist, involved in women's, labor, anti-war, social justice and refugee rights issues. Email: <azimet18@gmail.com>)*

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