Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman joked about his stroke to mock a pro-Palestinian protestor who confronted him during a rally Sunday.
Fetterman, who was one of the speakers at the Get Out the Vote event for Democratic Allegheny County executive candidate Sara Innamorato, encountered the protester soon after taking the stage.
“Four thousand-plus dead children in Palestine. 9,000-plus dead civilians. Please leave the stage. … Get off the stage. I don’t care … Get off the stage,” the protester shouted, according to WTAE.
“The joke’s on you,” Fetterman responded, video shows. “I had a stroke. I can’t fully grasp what you’re saying.”
John Fetterman was confronted by a protester at a campaign event last night for his support for Israel.
He responds to him by saying “The joke is on you. I had a stroke. I can’t fully understand what you are saying.” pic.twitter.com/XNDamAt4gp
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) November 6, 2023
Fetterman experienced a stroke in May 2022, several days before the Senate primary election, TribLive noted. Concerns about his mental faculties dogged his campaign, but Fetterman ultimately defeated Republican nominee Mehmet Oz by a five-point margin. Shortly after taking office, the freshman senator checked himself into Walter Reed Army Medical Center to be treated for depression.
Fetterman’s support for Israel in its ongoing war with Hamas has drawn backlash from many progressives. A local author and activist was removed from an earlier campaign event on Oct. 30th after inquiring about Fetterman’s position on the conflict, according to WTAE. (RELATED: Video Shows Fetterman Voter Getting Thrown Out Of Event For Confronting Senator)
“Now is not the time to talk about a ceasefire,” a statement on Fetterman’s official website reads. “We must support Israel in its efforts to eliminate the Hamas terrorists who slaughtered innocent men, women, and children. Hamas does not want peace, they want to destroy Israel. We can discuss a ceasefire after Hamas is neutralized.”