[ad_1]

John Fetterman’s wife has revealed she believes swimming is historically ‘very racist’ and turned the pool at the lieutenant governor’s residence in Pennsylvania into public facility to teach water safety to minority children. 

Gisele Fetterman, wife of Democratic Pennsylvania Senate candidate John Fetterman, appeared on the iGen politics podcast on Thursday and discussed her work as Second Lady of the state.

Her appearance came just days after her husband faced Republican candidate Dr Oz in a TV debate in which he frequently garbled his words – an issue widely attributed to a stroke he suffered five months ago.

Early in the podcast she told listeners that her family turned down the lieutenant governor’s mansion but wanted to make use of the pool because ‘historically, swimming in America is very racist.’

Later in the interview she defended the fact that her husband used closed captions during his debate with Oz, comparing requiring them in a debate to having to turn up the brightness on a phone.

She said that she thought the media ‘missed a mark’ in the way it responded to her husband’s requirement and branded it as ‘ableism’.  

Gisele Fetterman appeared on the iGen Politics podcast hosted by Jill Wine-Banks and Victor Shi - where she said that swimming is historically very racist in the US

Gisele Fetterman appeared on the iGen Politics podcast hosted by Jill Wine-Banks and Victor Shi – where she said that swimming is historically very racist in the US

Gisele Barreto Fetterman pictured with her husband John Fetterman

Gisele Barreto Fetterman pictured with her husband John Fetterman

John Fetterman and his wife Gisele in front of the swimming pool at the lieutenant governor’s residence in Pennsylvania. She claimed she wanted to turn the swimming pool into the 'people's pool and ensure that young people across Pennsylvania could learn how to swim'

John Fetterman and his wife Gisele in front of the swimming pool at the lieutenant governor’s residence in Pennsylvania. She claimed she wanted to turn the swimming pool into the ‘people’s pool and ensure that young people across Pennsylvania could learn how to swim’

During Tuesday's debate Oz repeatedly raised the issue of crime while Fetterman attempted to portray Oz as out of touch with the average Pennsylvanian, suggesting that he owns 10 homes

During Tuesday’s debate Oz repeatedly raised the issue of crime while Fetterman attempted to portray Oz as out of touch with the average Pennsylvanian, suggesting that he owns 10 homes

Fetterman and his wife, who is the Second Lady of Pennsylvania - a title reserved for the wife of the state's lieutenant governor

Fetterman and his wife, who is the Second Lady of Pennsylvania – a title reserved for the wife of the state’s lieutenant governor

Gisele Fetterman began the podcast by listing the work she was involved with as the Second Lady of Pennsylvania – a title reserved for the wife of the state’s lieutenant governor.

She tells listeners that for the second time in Pennsylvania history her family chose to reject the opportunity to stay in the tax payer-funded residence in Lebanon County.

See also  Harrison Ford says he's 'really proud of' his forthcoming Indiana Jones film at Star Wars event

‘While we did not want the mansion, that mansion came with a pool and the pool I wanted,’ she said.

‘The dream was to open this pool and make it a public pool, turn it into the people’s pool and ensure that young people across Pennsylvania could learn how to swim and learn water safety and kind of work to right some of the wrongs,’ she added.

Gisele Fetterman then seemed to make allusions to the fact that people in minority ethnic groups are more likely to die swimming.

‘Historically, swimming in America is very racist and usually when you look at drowning statistics it usually affects children of color because of lack of access,’ she said.

The CDC estimates that around 3,960 people die every year from unintentional drowning in the US.

It also says that of those who die from drowning the rates for ‘Black people are 1.5 times higher than the rates for White people.’

‘In swimming pools, Black children ages 10-14 years drown at rates 7.6 times higher than White children,’ the CDC claims. 

'Historically, swimming in America is very racist and usually when you look at drowning statistics it usually affects children of color because of lack of access,' Gisele said in an iGen politics podcast

‘Historically, swimming in America is very racist and usually when you look at drowning statistics it usually affects children of color because of lack of access,’ Gisele said in an iGen politics podcast

During Tuesday's debate Fetterman addressed that he had suffered from a stoke at the start, saying: 'Let's also talk about the elephant in the room, I had a stroke'

During Tuesday’s debate Fetterman addressed that he had suffered from a stoke at the start, saying: ‘Let’s also talk about the elephant in the room, I had a stroke’

Gisele Fetterman told listeners of the podcast that for the second time in Pennsylvania history her family chose to reject the opportunity to stay in the tax payer-funded residence in Lebanon County

Gisele Fetterman told listeners of the podcast that for the second time in Pennsylvania history her family chose to reject the opportunity to stay in the tax payer-funded residence in Lebanon County

Fetterman’s wife goes on later in the interview to criticize the way the media responded to her husband’s requirement to read from a script during his TV debate against Oz on Tuesday.

‘I don’t know if its lack of exposure or lack of education. I think the media certainly needs more training,’ she said, adding: ‘You know they talk about their investments in diversity but they really missed the mark.’

She then compared requiring closed captions to needing a high brightness on a smartphone.  

See also  Wizz Air paid father £4,500 for cancelling his family holiday after bailiffs sent to Luton airport 

‘Most people use accommodations on some level, whether that’s how bright you keep you phone when you’re reading. These are all accommodations,’ she said. 

‘Maybe closed captioning is a new thing to them but I’ve been using closed captioning my whole life, I learned how to speak English watching Mister Rogers and reading closed captions,’ she said, referring to the children’s show hosted by Fred Rogers, who was from Pennsylvania.

On Tuesday, Pennsylvania Democratic Senate hopeful John Fetterman at points struggled to get through his hour-long debate with Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz, as the after-effects of his May stroke were on full display. 

Right out of the gate, the candidates went after each other – with Fetterman’s delivery often halting and choppy, while Oz turned on the charm he honed over 13 seasons of TV, smacking Fetterman for being ‘extreme.’ 

In advance of the debate – the only one for the Pennsylvania Senate race – Fetterman’s campaign had tempered expectations, saying there would be ‘awkward pauses’ and ‘delays and errors,’ because the Democrat would be reading closed captioning – due to his auditory processing issue. 

Pennsylvania Senate hopeful John Fetterman at points struggled to get through his hour-long debate with Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz, as the after-effects of his May stroke were on full display

Pennsylvania Senate hopeful John Fetterman at points struggled to get through his hour-long debate with Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz, as the after-effects of his May stroke were on full display

Republican hopeful Dr. Mehmet Oz participated in the Pennsylvania Senate debate Tuesday night in Harrisburg

Republican hopeful Dr. Mehmet Oz participated in the Pennsylvania Senate debate Tuesday night in Harrisburg 

The pauses and stumbles happened throughout the debate.

At one point Fetterman was asked to clarify his position on fracking, as moderators pointed to a 2018 interview, where the lieutenant governor expressed broad opposition to the practice, but not a ban.

‘I do support fracking – I don’t, I don’t – I support fracking, and I do support fracking,’ he answered.

At another point, when Fetterman was asked to specifically about charges Oz made about some the Democrat’s campaign ads being pulled down for being factually inaccurate, Fetterman, instead, stuck to the topic of abortion.

‘I’m going to let Mr. Fetterman respond specifically to the ads being pulled off the air, and we’re going to return to you, Mr. Oz,’ said one of the moderators.

Fetterman didn’t acknowledge the question.

‘Yeah, I want to look into the face of every woman in Pennsylvania. If you believe that the choice of your reproductive freedom belongs with Dr. Oz, than you have a choice, but if you believe that the choice for abortion belongs between you and your doctor, that’s what I fight for,’ Fetterman said. 

‘Roe v. Wade for me, should be the law, he celebrated when it went down. And my campaign would fight for Roe v. Wade – and if given the opportunity to codify it into law.’

Fetterman’s performance was quickly panned by pundits.

‘I thought somebody should have invoked the mercy rule 20 minutes into the debate,’ said former Republican Pennsylvania Rep. Charlie Dent on CNN. ‘I don’t know if it’s the stroke, or he’s just a lousy debater or he doesn’t understand the issues. He was flustered, he was confused, he should not have been out there.’

‘If people watch that they’re going to question his capacity to serve,’ the anti-Trump Republican added.

Chris Cuomo, now working for NewsNation, sang a similar tune.

‘John Fetterman struggled,’ Cuomo said. ‘He clearly is dealing with health issues that affect his ability to process and his ability to speak. Clearly, fitness for office is going to be on the table.’

‘That may not be fair, to some, for me to say, but if the voters aren’t talking about it, I’ll be shocked,’ the former CNN anchor added.

Over the course of the debate, Fetterman twice demurred to release his full medical record to the public.

‘My doctor ultimately believes that I’m fit to be serving and that’s what I believe,’ Fetterman said.

Both candidate opened the debate in attack mode.

‘I’m running to serve Pennsylvania, he’s running to use Pennsylvania,’ Fetterman said of Oz. ‘Here’s a man who spent more than $20 million of his own money to try and buy that seat.’

Fetterman also labeled Oz a ‘liar’ and chided the TV doctor for having 10 houses, pushing that he couldn’t understand the struggles of everyday Pennsylvanians. Fetterman blasted Oz for having products with his name on them made in China.

[ad_2]

Source link