Biden says John Fetterman’s wife will be ‘great lady in the Senate’
President Biden raised eyebrows Thursday when he said that Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman’s wife would be a “great lady in the Senate” — appearing to imply that the Democrat would be unable to serve due to his poor health.
“John, thank you very much for running, I really do appreciate it,” Biden said at an event in Pittsburgh. “And Gisele, you’re going to be a great, great lady in the Senate.”
Fetterman had a stroke in the same week that he won the May 17 Democratic Senate primary and continues to experience health issues, though he and his campaign insist he’s well enough to hold office.
Some of Biden’s detractors suggested the 79-year-old president’s words may have signaled more than a mixup.
“Biden’s dementia often has him blurt out what his handlers are planning,” tweeted former Trump Treasury Department official Monica Crowley. “Here he is, telling Fetterman’s wife that she’ll be ‘a great, great lady in the Senate.’”
Fetterman, 53, did not speak at the Pittsburgh event. It’s unclear if Biden was implying that Fetterman would resign from the Senate due to his poor health or if he might die from his ailments.
Afterwards, when journalist Kyle Mazza shouted a question at Fetterman about bridge construction, Gisele Fetterman responded on his behalf, saying, “We’re not doing interviews. We’re here to celebrate.”
Fetterman notably supported socialist Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary and is known for his distinctive attire — often a hoodie and shorts, though he wore a suit and tie to greet the president on Thursday.
Earlier this year, Fetterman was considered a strong candidate to flip the seat for the Democrats following a bruising GOP primary clash between celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz and businessman David McCormick.
But Fetterman’s health emerged as a key issue in the race to replace retiring Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), including after he held off on debating Oz, citing continued difficulty with mentally processing oral communications.
Gisele Fetterman, 40, was born in Brazil and has gained significant attention as second lady of Pennsylvania. The couple has three children. Gisele Fetterman said in 2020 that she and her mother illegally immigrated to New York City when she was seven years old.
Biden has campaigned before with Fetterman — one of the few candidates to welcome the president on the trail this year.
Last month, Fetterman urged Biden to embrace marijuana reform ahead of the midterms and the president this month announced a mass pardon for federal convictions of simple pot possession — though critics pointed out that Biden didn’t actually release any of the estimated 2,700 federal cannabis inmates, who are largely behind bars for distribution.
There’s precedent for wives being appointed to replace their husbands in Congress. In 2000, Missouri Democrat Mel Carnahan was posthumously elected to the Senate after his death in a plane crash. Carnahan’s wife Jean filled the seat for two years before voters opted for Republican Jim Talent in a special election.
If Fetterman wins the election and then vacates his seat, Pennsylvania’s governor would pick his successor. Democrat Tom Wolf is in office until Jan. 20 and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro leads Republican Doug Mastriano in polls ahead of the Nov. 8 election.