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Obama and Biden to reunite on Pennsylvania campaign trail in last-ditch effort for Fetterman

October 25, 2022 | | Print Article

The red wave looks to be looming larger for Democrats as two weeks out from the midterms, a final push is counting on former President Barack Obama teaming up with President Joe Biden to help Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman limp across the finish line.

The campaign stops that will also promote gubernatorial candidate Attorney General Josh Shapiro against Republican state Sen. Doug Mastriano are believed to be more focused on bolstering Fetterman against Dr. Mehmet Oz as the senate race has tightened considerably more. Axios first reported on the added campaign stops Monday, emphasizing how critical Pennsylvania had been in 2020 and could prove to be for control in Congress.

“President Biden and former President Obama will barnstorm the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh areas on Nov. 5 with the party’s nominees for Pennsylvania governor and Senate,” the outlet wrote, “according to a Democrat with direct knowledge of the plans.”

Scheduled for the Saturday before election day, the move clearly signals how concerned the Democrats are in retaining the seat and how little faith they have that Biden, of whom many in the caucus have actively avoided campaigning with on account of his low approval rating, can sway voters outside the base.

Last week, Obama had cut a campaign ad for Fetterman zeroing in on what Democrats have presented as their number one talking point, the overturn of Roe v. Wade. “So when the fate of our democracy and a woman’s right to choose are on the line I know John will fight for Pennsylvanians. You can count on John Fetterman. Make sure he can count on you.”

https://twitter.com/JohnFetterman/status/1583504501826523137

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Obama had already been lined up to campaign in Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin with Biden, as usual, rarely straying far from Washington, D.C. with plans to make another stump in Pennsylvania.

However, at Biden’s last trip to the Keystone State where he joined Fetterman at the reconstruction site of the Fern Hollow Bridge that collapsed in January, the president gaffed suggesting Gisele Barreto Fetterman, the candidate’s wife, would ultimately be the one to preside in Congress. “John, thank you very much for running. I really do appreciate it. And Gisele, you’re going to be a great, great lady in the Senate.”

Meanwhile, the candidate made no public statements of his own.

Oz and Fetterman are scheduled to have their one and only televised debate Tuesday ahead of another stump session Friday where Biden will be joined by his equally gaffe-tastic, word salad-serving Vice President Kamala Harris.

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With polls currently showing the Senate race as a toss-up, and in some cases with Oz ahead, the wake of those three oratorically compromised Democrats appearing together will likely prove a herculean challenge for the typically charismatic Obama to attempt and salvage. Fortunately for them all, it will be as part of a Pennsylvania Democratic Party dinner lessening the likelihood of unapproved audio leaking to the public.

Kevin Haggerty
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