Fetterman’s doctor says he is recovering ‘well’ from stroke
FILE – Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, speaks during a campaign event in York, Pa., Oct. 8, 2022. An NBC News correspondent who interviewed Fetterman said Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022 that her reporting should not be seen as commentary on his fitness for office after he suffered a stroke. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, file)
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(NewsNation) — Questions on Pennsylvania Senate candidate John Fetterman’s health have been hanging over the campaign since the Democratic primary and now the Fetterman campaign has released a letter from his doctor saying he is fit to serve.
This letter is from a visit this past Friday to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. In it, Fetterman’s doctor said the candidate is recovering well from his stroke.
His doctor noted Fetterman’s speech was normal, but he continues to exhibit symptoms of an auditory processing disorder, or trouble processing the spoken word, that could come across, his doctor said, as hearing difficulty, adding he may seem like he doesn’t hear a word, but it is not actually processed properly.
His doctor said overall Fetterman is well, has no work restrictions and can work full duty in public office.
“I think only time will tell to see if skeptics accept this letter as enough,” said The Hill political reporter Mychael Schnell.
Fetterman said the stroke he suffered in May almost killed him.
Since then, Fetterman’s campaign stops have been limited as he recovered. Last week he sat down for his first in-person, on-air interview, which featured the Pennsylvania lieutenant governor using live transcription to help with his auditory processing issues.
Schnell said she did feel that Fetterman had an obligation to share his doctor’s note with the public.
“We’re talking about a Senate race, Senate terms are six years, that’s not a small amount of time, so when voters go to the ballot box to cast their vote for Pennsylvania Senate, they want to make sure they’re casting it for the right person,” Schnell said. “Someone they can trust, someone who they want to see in office.”
President Joe Biden is set to join Fetterman on the campaign trail tomorrow in Philadelphia, but there will be no cameras inside.
The release today did not include a cognitive test, and Fetterman’s doctors were not made available to reporters, something some media outlets had requested. Also, the letter was from Fetterman’s primary care physician, not his neurologist.
Fetterman’s health is expected to be brought up at next week’s debate.
