Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman returned to the Senate Monday, more than two months after checking himself into Walter Reed Army Medical Center to be treated for severe depression. He had only been on the job for about a month and was still experiencing issues from a serious stroke when he experienced what his team called a mental health crisis. Just prior to the Walter Reed stay, he had also been admitted to George Washington University Hospital after he had reported “feeling lightheaded” during a February retreat for Senate Democrats in Washington, D.C.
He last voted in the Senate on February 15.
Arriving in a black SUV, Fetterman exited the vehicle, raised his arms, and touched his heart in a gesture suggesting he appreciated the support he’d been shown. He was wearing shorts and a hoodie–not your typical senatorial garb, and casual even for him.
He waved to the crowd but did not answer any questions–not even the shouted query, “How are you feeling, Senator?”–before entering the Capitol Building.
OutKick founder and radio talk show host Clay Travis wasn’t impressed by Fetterman’s ensemble and pointed out that he still appeared to have a noticeably stiff gait:
John Fetterman might walk worse than Biden. Pennsylvanians should be ashamed for electing him, he’s not close to being able to do the job. And how is this the outfit he wore to the Senate after months off the job? Zero chance he makes it six years. pic.twitter.com/zyEhv8SLZY
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) April 17, 2023
Most lawmakers returned to work on Monday, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who’s been out since early March after he tripped at a dinner event and suffered a concussion. If you think it’s starting to sound like a hospital ward over there at the Senate, it’s because there are a fair number of folks out with issues. California Democrat Dianne Feinstein has been MIA for over two months with a case of shingles and has not indicated if–or when–she will return. Her absence has prompted calls for her resignation. (See: California Rep. Ro Khanna twists himself into knots trying to explain how the Fetterman and Feinstein situations are different.)
Fetterman apparently will be getting right back in the swing of things, according to Daily Mail:
Senators have a vote on Monday evening. And, on Wednesday, the senator will chair his first hearing, a subcommittee hearing of the Agriculture committee.
‘Sen. Fetterman on Wednesday will chair his first subcommittee hearing in the Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research for a hearing will focus specifically on SNAP and the critical assistance it provides to working families through the upcoming Farm Bill,’ his office said in a statement.
The senator posted this rather ominous-looking tweet regarding his return Monday:
it’s good to be back pic.twitter.com/bdqW3W7FAj
— Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) April 17, 2023
The obvious question now becomes, is John Fetterman mentally and physically fit enough to serve out his entire 6-year term? His health concerns were well-chronicled at RedState during his 2022 campaign. Here are just a few of our stories:
CNN Medical Analyst Talks About Fetterman’s Condition, and It’s Not Good
Fetterman Delivers Befuddled Remarks, as Even the NYT Admits There’s a Problem
Welcome back to John Fetterman, further proof that cognition, speech comprehension, emotional balance, and even showing up for work are no longer necessary for a career in Democrat politics!
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) April 17, 2023
It might seem mean-spirited to question Fetterman’s fitness for office, but it’s an entirely legitimate inquiry. He appeared incoherent and dazed throughout his campaign, then went into a hospital within a few weeks of starting his tenure. The stroke he suffered in May 2022 nearly killed him, he admitted, and it’s currently unknown whether he will ever make a full recovery. As many have argued, it seemed cruel for his family to not call for him to step out of the race and return home to be nursed back to full health.
But he didn’t, and for now he’s back in the United States Senate. One can’t help but wonder how long this will last.
