Fetterman suffered a stroke while campaigning last spring and was hospitalized earlier this month out of concern that he may have had another stroke. On Thursday, the Democratic senator's office confirmed that he checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Wednesday night to receive treatment for clinical depression, noting that his longtime struggle with that issue became "severe" in recent weeks.
Diane Gramley, president of the American Family Association of Pennsylvania, says the latest revelation adds to her concerns about the senator, whose time in office has only just begun.
"Unfortunately, not enough people of Pennsylvania understood the lack of qualities that John Fetterman had when he ran for Senate," she submits. "He was not qualified to run."
Fetterman has already missed 8 of the 24 roll call votes and several committee hearings since he took office, and Gramley submits that special accommodations that have been made for him do not make up for anything.
"He cannot hear well. He can obviously not articulate well, either … so he has a screen in front of him that interprets what people are saying," she details. "But how can you debate … when you can't speak clearly? He's not qualified for the job, and if he can't handle this two months in, he will not make it through even the first year in office of a six-year term."
Fox Radio recently pointed out that Fetterman is not the first senator to face questions about his ability to serve due to health concerns. Former Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL), for example, missed a year of his duties after suffering a stroke in 2012. In 2016, he ran for re-election to a second full term but was defeated by Democratic challenger Tammy Duckworth.
Senators customarily close ranks and protect fellow members who fall ill, even amid questions about their health and whether they should serve. So Gramley says Pennsylvania is "stuck with John Fetterman" until he either resigns or until he is declared unfit for office.
