Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman recently shared with Time Magazine that the debate he participated in with Dr. Oz during his Senate campaign significantly worsened his depression. He described the debate as the "match that lit" his mental health struggles. Fetterman sought treatment for clinical depression at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in February.

He expressed feeling a sense of obligation to debate Oz, believing voters deserved to understand the impact his stroke had on him. However, the aftermath left him feeling like a "national embarrassment," and according to Time, this marked the onset of a period of profound emotional difficulty. He anticipates the debate will be remembered as a significant setback.

Fetterman also revealed that his wife, Gisele, had to encourage him to attend new member orientation in Congress after his election victory. He explained that his depression made him consider skipping the crucial event, despite having worked tirelessly for two years to achieve his Senate seat.

More recently, Fetterman appeared alongside President Biden in Philadelphia, dressed casually in shorts and a hoodie, following the I-95 bridge collapse. He highlighted Biden's swift response to a similar bridge collapse in Western Pennsylvania a year earlier, praising the President's commitment to infrastructure projects and rapid reconstruction efforts.