Joy Reid defends Fetterman's performance: 'It made me like him more'
MSNBC host Joy Reid defended John Fetterman's performance during his debate with Dr. Mehmet Oz as "brave" and "gutsy" and conceded it made her like the candidate more.
MSNBC host Joy Reid defended Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman for his debate performance against Dr. Mehmet Oz despite many calling it a disaster.
The "ReidOut" host initially only brought up the debate to reference Fetterman’s comments on abortion. However, she elaborated on the debate as a whole later on in her segment, calling them a "Rorschach test" for people who watched it.
In her view, Reid explained that the debate was a brave and "gutsy" move by Fetterman who suffered a stroke back in May and continues to display lingering issues.
"You know what, I think for a lot of people they would rather have somebody brave enough to risk embarrassment and risk the sort of pain of embarrassment to show ‘this is me a little frail.’ You know? That actually to me was gutsy, and I felt like it actually made me like Fetterman more," Reid said.
MSNBC's Joy Reid defended John Fetterman's debate performance on Wednesday. (MSNBC)
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She continued, "Because he had the guts to get out there, and that could not have been easy. And he’s improving. But he knows that he was going to be a little at a deficit. I think people would rather have that and somebody that’s going to protect their rights and let them have freedom and liberty than the other side who wants women to be state property."
Fetterman’s performance during the debate was criticized by conservatives and liberals as a disaster with Fetterman often unable to articulate his answers.
Reid was unfazed and continued to support Fetterman and even attacked Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker as a comparison
"There are a lot of people who suffered strokes. A lot of great senators, members of Congress people who are still in the Senate have suffered strokes," Reid said.
Pennsylvania Senate candidates John Fetterman and Dr. Mehmet Oz participate in a debate on October 25 in Harrisburg, PA. (NewsNation)
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She added, "All I can remember from that debate is the sound clip we played about abortion. But the right is attempting to use Fetterman speaking slowly as if Herschel Walker don’t exist. He didn’t even have a stroke. That’s me. I'm the mean one who said that."
Other liberals in the media similarly defended Fetterman after his debate with several calling Oz a "bully" for his debate performance.
The hosts of "The View" also compared Fetterman to Walker.
Pennsylvania's Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman has shown several lingering issues from his stroke in May. (KRISTON JAE BETHEL/AFP via Getty Images)
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"I just wanted to add on the Fetterman conversation, what makes the Republicans think that Herschel Walker is coherent, and he hasn’t had a stroke?" host Joy Behar asked.
The audience laughed at her comment while her co-host Sunny Hostin agreed "that’s a valid point."
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