A Washington Post reporter’s assertion that Democratic Pennsylvania Senate candidate John Fetterman’s disastrous debate appearance was a "milestone" for the disabled community was not well-received by Twitter users Thursday.
Disability reporter Amanda Morris argued that both positive and negative reactions to Fetterman’s debate with Republican candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz "reveals a divide about disability." She argued that regardless of how one felt about his performance, Fetterman was a representative for the "disability community" that "remains underrepresented" in politics.
"Whatever voters ultimately decide at the polls, Fetterman’s performance marks something of a milestone for the disability community, which remains underrepresented at every level of elected office," The Washington Post Twitter account quoted from the article in a tweet.
Social media users attacked the tweet and article as the latest in the mainstream media's defense of Fetterman.
"Journalism morphing into activism, Exhibit CCCXLV. The snapshot chosen of Oz is the icing on the cake," The Hill columnist Joe Concha tweeted.
"Where was this concern for the disability community when autistic children were being forced to cover their faces in school 8 hours a day for months on end, regardless of how much suffering and setbacks this unscientific mandate caused for them?" Ron DeSantis Rapid Response Director Christina Pushaw wrote.
Conservative Twitter personality Noam Blum explained, "’The disability community’ is just such a weird nebulous animal. It's like AAPI [Asian American Pacific Islander]- an ‘ethnic group; that includes people from Fiji and from Pakistan. The variance of conditions that count as disabilities is as vast as their potential impact on someone's ability to hold office."
The Spectator contributing editor Stephen Miller joked, "Just amazing to watch this happen in real time."
National Review senior writer Dan McLaughlin twisted the tweet by referencing scandal-ridden former Sen. Roy Moore, R-Ala.: "’Whatever voters ultimately decide at the polls, Roy Moore’s performance marks something of a milestone for men who cruised shopping malls for underage girls, which remains underrepresented at every level of elected office.’"
The Washington Free Beacon investigative reporter Chuck Ross wrote, "Amazing. They're all going to turn Fetterman into a trailblazer for having a stroke."
Fetterman and Oz’s debate drew major online backlash from both conservatives and liberal users with several labeling it a "disaster." Despite this, many mainstream outlets have proceeded to defend Fetterman in the aftermath, referring to Oz as a "bully" and calling Fetterman "brave" for his efforts. Other defenses have pushed Fetterman as representative of the disabled community against "ableist" critics.
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Fetterman suffered a stroke in May and has since required accommodations for lingering cognitive issues such as using closed captions during interviews. Despite concerns over his health, his campaign team has refused to release Fetterman’s medical records.
