John Fetterman blamed his depression on the ‘brutal’ 2022 campaign against Dr Oz

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By Katelyn Caralle, American political reporter for Dailymail.com 01:56 04 May 2023, Update 02:55 04 May 2023

Senator Fetterman insists he is fit to serve in Congress while recovering from the Depression. He blamed the decline in mental health on the ‘vicious’ 2022 campaign. Walter Roseau

John Fetterman blamed his declining mental health on the ‘vicious’ 2022 campaign against Dr Mehmet Oz and assured he was fit to serve as he recovered from a hospital stay with depression.

The Pennsylvania senator told KDKA-TV in an interview Tuesday that he felt “fantastic” as questions continued to plague Fetterman about his health.

Fetterman was elected shortly after suffering a stroke in 2021, which he says did not affect his ability to be a senator while it affected his audio comprehension. He admitted in an interview that he had to use real-time transcription programs to make sure he fully understood the questions put to him.

Just a month after being sworn in, Fetterman voluntarily admitted himself to Walter Reed Medical Center to be treated for depression.

“Honestly, I feel fantastic,” Fetterman said after his first week back in Washington, DC. “A lot of people asked, ‘Hey, how are you feeling? How’s your depression? Again, it’s in remission, and I’m so grateful to feel good.

Senator John Fetterman said “yes, damn it” he’s fit to serve in Congress as he recovers from hospitalization for clinical depression. Pictured: Fetterman holds his hands over his heart as he returns to the Capitol for work Monday, April 17 in a hoodie after being treated for depression

Critics were highly critical of Fetterman, saying it was clear he was not medically fit to serve in the Senate after suffering his stroke. These claims were only exacerbated after Fetterman went to the hospital.

Pennsylvania Republicans say he has been unable to fulfill his duties as a senator and should resign or be replaced.

The Democratic lawmaker says attacks on him during the 2022 Senate campaign contributed to his decline and led to his stay in hospital.

“It was after the brutality of the campaign,” Fetterman said of the onset of his depression. “Some people think it was one of the most vicious political campaigns.”

According to OpenSecrets, outside groups ran $84 million in attack ads against Fetterman in his campaign against Republican Dr. Oz, who had the backing of former President Donald Trump.

Fetterman assured that despite being hospitalized for depression, he is fully capable of serving in Congress while recovering.

“Hell yes, and that’s why I do it,” Fetterman told KDKA-TV. “The way all Pennsylvanians work is to take a day and a day and work hard, and that’s exactly what I did here.”

After a successful Senate campaign last year and being sworn in in January, Fetterman checked himself into Bethesda Military Hospital in Maryland just a month after taking office to be treated for clinical depression.

He was fired from Walter Reed in late March and returned to work on Capitol Hill when Congress returned from a two-week recess in April.

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