Biden thinks John Fetterman is an ‘impressive individual’ says Karine Jean-Pierre

President Joe Biden is vouching for Demoratic Senate candidate John Fetterman and considers him an ‘impressive individual’ amid questions about his ongoing recovery from a stroke.

Biden flies to Philadelphia to raise funds for Fetterman on Thursday in his fight against Trump-backed candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz, with a financial boost that will help Fetterman cut more slashing ads ridiculing Oz.

Fetterman gave a sit-down TV interview with NBC where he vouched for his own recovery, and said that he relies on transcription software to better understand questions and avoid mistakes.

‘Speaking only about the President’s personal conversation with Lieutenant Governor Fetterman, he President has found him to be an impressive individual, and just as capable … as always, who is carrying out his office,’ White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday when asked about Fetterman.

‘He’s currently the Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, and he’s doing that with great ability and heartfelt concern for the people of the Commonwealth. So yes, the President feels that he is very much capable of doing the job,’ she said.

Impressive individual: President Biden believes John Fetterman is ‘very much capable of doing the job’ of governor, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said

As usual when getting questions that touch on politics, she cited the Hatch Act and said it limited her ability to speak at length.

Jean-Pierre pointed to the upcoming meeting with Biden, but wouldn’t say whether pool reporters would be allowed into the event. 

‘And they’re going to see each other again, as you notice Thursday, but the President and Lieutenant Governor Fetterman have had many interactions over the past several months,’ she said.

She also fended off general questions about Biden’s travel schedule. He just returned from a trip to California and Oregon, and has an upcoming visit set for Florida, but does not have campaign rallies in hotly contested battlegrounds.

Jean-Pierre spoke in advance of a Thursday fundraiser Biden is holding with Fetterman in Philadelphia

Fetterman occasionally looked at a screen showing closed captioning during a NBC sit-down interview

‘By January, I’m going [to] be, you know, much better,’ said Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, who is recovering from the impacts of a stroke. NBC reporter Dasha Burns was criticized for saying after their interview that Fetterman appeared to have trouble making small talk before their on-air chat

President Biden has been traveling frequently, but has not been holding rallies in many close battlegrounds

Fetterman is set to debate Dr. Mehmet Oz October 25

That is prompting questions about whether Democrats in tough races would rather not appear with the president, whose approval ratings have consistently been underwater. 

‘Look he’s going to go where he is needed the most,’ said Jean-Pierre.

Fetterman is set to debate Republican Dr. Oz October 25.

He told NBC in last week’s sit-down: ‘I don’t think it’s going to have an impact,’ when asked about his recovery.

‘I feel like I’m going to get better and better — every day. And by January, I’m going [to] be, you know, much better. And Dr. Oz is still going to be a fraud,’ he said, blasting the opponent his media team has been ridiculing as a carpetbagger with ads and billboards.

NBC reporter Dasha Burns was criticized for saying after their interview that Fetterman appeared to have trouble making small talk before their on-air chat.

‘It wasn’t clear he was understanding our conversation,’ she said.

That prompted pushback from reporter Kara Swisher, who has conducted her own interview with Fetterman and who has suffered a stroke herself. ‘This is just nonsense. Maybe this reporter is just bad at small talk.’ 

Fetterman mashed up a few words in the interview, and said captioning helps. 

‘Every now and then I’ll miss a word,’ he said. ‘Every now and then. Or sometimes I’ll maybe mush two words together. But as long as I have captioning, I’m able to understand exactly what’s being asked.’