Yesterday, John Fetterman and Mehmet Oz dueled in their only debate.
I read that Fetterman showed some dysfunction in some of his replies, which stem from the stroke he had last May and will take some more time to get over.
His doctor, Clifford Chen, has given him a good health report while allowing that some cognitive dysfunction is still present.
In an article in the New York Times, also from yesterday, Dr Taylor, a neuroscientist who had a stroke 25 years ago and is fully recovered, underscored the importance of neuro plasticity, the brain’s ability to correct its deficits.
It appears that neuroplasticity is working for John Fetterman as he is making steady progress.
He did postpone debates with Mr Oz because he wanted more time to heal.
So what are some of the differences between these two men?
Fetterman was mayor of Braddock, a small former steel town, for 13 years. He worked hard to stem crime in the area. Then he used that record to get elected as Lieutenant Governor.
Mr Oz, a former cardiovascular surgeon, owes his fame to his association with the Oprah Winfrey show, and subsequently his own program, where he endorsed remedies of dubious effectiveness.
Mr Oz didn’t even live in Pennsylvania until he decided to run for the Senate. He lived in New Jersey. So he flew in to run for the Senate, on the wings of an endorsement from the great wizard of Mar-A-Lago, Donald Trump, who’s still claiming that the election in 2020 was stolen from him.
By comparison, John Fetterman has been committed to battling our social ills for a good part of his life.
I don’t agree with Fetterman’s choice to legalize marijuana, but many people do and one day it will be legal throughout the nation. But I strongly agree with his steadfast efforts to bring about criminal justice reform.
The main difference between the two men lies in their history of political involvement.
Fetterman has been socially involved and deeply so.
Oz is obviously a talented man, but it was Oprah and his own TV show which have made him a household name. Not political involvement.
We don’t need in office people who are merely famous.
We need people who have a history of grappling with our social dysfunction.
Donald Trump had zero record of doing anything to help anyone before running for office.
But he was rich.
Somehow, that appealed to many. Perhaps they thought he would lead them to riches also.
Trump has gotten away with a lot. But that story is slowly coming to an end.
Unbelievably, his endorsements still work in some communities. In Georgia he has chosen to support Herschel Walker, the former football player, to run for the Senate. Never mind that Walker has no record of prior political involvement. .
The wizard of Mar-A-Lago is again betting that his charm and charisma will be enough to put his people in the Senate.
We have to choose, don’t we? Appearance over substance.
If we make the wrong choice, we may end up joining a crowd marching to overturn an election.
We decide.
We earn our freedom every day
Oscar Valdes 