Senator John Fetterman avoided responding to an angry protester this week, saying his previous stroke made it impossible to understand what they were shouting.
A pro-Palestinian activist yelled at Fetterman as the Pennsylvania Democrat spoke at a Get Out the Vote rally on Sunday in McKeesport, Pennsylvania.
“More than four thousand children dead in Palestine! More than nine thousand civilians dead! Get off the stage,” the unidentified protester interrupted.
The interlocutor continued: “You have blood on your hands! Get off the stage!
Fetterman, who did not respond directly to the man’s screams, said he couldn’t understand what he was saying because of his previous stroke.
“The joke is on you. I had a stroke,” Fetterman told the protester. “I can’t fully understand what you’re saying.”
The Pennsylvania lawmaker has been harshly criticized by far-left Democratic groups for failing to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The interaction in McKeesport is one of the few cases in which Fetterman has appealed to his disability as an impediment: The senator typically dismisses concerns that his language difficulties could compromise his ability to hold elected office.
Senator John Fetterman’s base has been attacking him for his lack of support for the Palestinians in recent weeks.AP
The Pennsylvania senator’s office has repeatedly criticized his critics for drawing attention to his apparent speech problems and has maintained that he is more than capable of doing the job.
It was previously discovered that Fetterman’s office had altered some of his comments in press releases earlier this year to make them appear more coherent.
Fetterman no longer relies as much on digital transcription tools as he once did to talk to journalists and others as he continues to recover from a stroke he suffered last year, the Washington Post reported last week. He was also hospitalized for depression earlier this year.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., is the only member of the U.S. Senate who has so far called for a ceasefire. About 24 members of the House have also demanded such a ceasefire.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn