Every once in a while (like weekly), we read about “New Lows” (tm) in the Republican Party. That, of course, doesn’t mean they can’t or won’t go lower – of course, they will. It’s something we’ve come to accept by now. I mean, it looks like New York Republicans are going to nominate Carl Paladino to run for Congress, a man who has praised Adolf Hitler inspiring his followers, and called Hitler "the kind of leader we need today." And he was endorsed by Elise Stefanik, #3 in House GOP leadership – which is horrific enough, but even worse (and yes, that’s possible), in her endorsement she actually said that Paladino was…are you ready?...” the kind of leader we need today.” So, Republican Party “New Lows” (tm) are more like standards for the GOP new foundation than lows.
Compared to this – and what we see from Trump in the way he pretty much just breathes – what came from the Dr. Mehmet Oz campaign in Pennsylvania doesn’t really compare. (In fairness, topping praise of Hitler is a tough act, though Trump and Republicans will top it, no doubt.) But in most any other universe it would make the list. At this point, most people have seen video and read about the “crudité” fiasco by the Mehmet campaign, and the fun that the John Fetterman campaign – and much of the sensible world – have been having with it. Well, the Oz campaign finally came up with a response. And it’s a response that is akin to pouring gasoline on a raging house fire – when you’re inside the house. For reasons unknown to Man, Rachel Tripp, the senior communications advisor for Oz’s campaign, finally decided, a week after the fact, that the best way to push back was to say. "If John Fetterman had ever eaten a vegetable in his life, then maybe he wouldn't have had a major stroke and wouldn't be in the position of having to lie about it constantly." Now, in fairness, Dr. Mehmet Oz did not say that himself. It was only his senior communications advisor. And that’s about as far as “in fairness” as I’m able to stretch this. After all, this wasn’t a knee-jerk, immediate response that one instantly regrets, slaps your head with a “What was I thinking???!!” and apologizes for. This took about a week to come up with, which means the campaign thought about this and worked out what to say, and most surely Dr. Oz was involved with the decision and approved it. That’s how campaigns work. You don’t try to figure out how to respond to a national faux pas by attacking your opponent and not checking with your candidate to find out if this is how you want to go. And further, since Mehmet Oz has not repudiated the statement nor reprimanded his senior communications advisor. His campaign put out the statement, and he’s clearly okay with it. Therefore, what we can take away from what Ms. Tripp said is – The Oz campaign and Dr. Oz himself apparently believe that John Fetterman has never ever eaten a vegetable in his entire life. One can say, “Oh, that’s just hyperbole,” and in a sane world, of course it is. Though if it was hyperbolic, then the point they’re making wouldn’t make any sense. Saying, “If John Fetterman had eaten more vegetables, he wouldn’t have had a stroke,” would lose all impact of the slam, opening the door to questions like, “Well, how many vegetables has he had??” And “How many vegetables would be enough? So, at the very least, they want to you to believe he had zero vegetables in his entire life. Which is a monumentally idiotic statement, even if you don’t ask, “How in the world would you even possibly know that????” Worse, though, is that the statement suggests that not eating vegetables is the cause of Fetterman's stroke – which not only goes again all medical science, but is insulting to every person who has ever had a stroke, suggesting that if only you had eaten vegetables, you wouldn’t have had a stroke. (Because it must presume that stroke victims didn’t eat any veggies, because the “criticism” of Fetterman wasn’t that he hadn’t eaten enough vegetables, but none.) But even worse is that is that this statement comes from a campaign whose candidate is a doctor!! And is likely approved by that doctor. The problem here isn’t just that it’s a medically ignorant statement, but far more that a doctor is trying to shame a stroke victim. And toping even that is that the campaign statement, suggesting that vegetables are the prevention of strokes, shows why Dr. Oz is considered a snake oil salesman of "miracle drugs" and was even called before Congress to be question about his medical sales claims. All this aside, I believe that the big mistake Mehmet Oz's campaign made in their response is different from what most people are criticizing them for. It’s not that they said they thought John Fetterman never ate a vegetable in his life which caused his stroke – rather, I’m sure they meant to say they don't think John Fetterman has ever had a "crudité". Yes, this statement from the Oz campaign and Mehmet Oz is gob-smacking awful, on so many different levels. A statement is mocking someone who had a stroke, especially when their candidate is a doctor is just Republican crazy and cruel. But the most bizarre thing about it above all that is, by releasing any push-back statement, they actually, really, inexplicably want to continue the veggie story and keep it in the news! Ha-ha-ha! Ho-ho-ho! And a couple of tra-la-las, That's how we try to look real tough In the crumbling campaign Of Oz
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AuthorRobert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. Feedspot Badge of Honor
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