In terms of “WTF” moments, Tuesday night’s much-anticipated debate between Mehmet Oz and John Fetterman, candidates for US Senate from Pennsylvania, didn’t disappoint. Fetterman’s campaign and Democrats have been lowering expectations for Fetterman’s performance, and started the clean-up before the debate even occurred, as we reported earlier.

His performance was bad, even worse than anticipated. If you didn’t watch, Bonchie shared three moments that perfectly illustrate how terrible Fetterman’s performance was, and this clip is pretty emblematic.

Moderator asks Fetterman to explain his two conflicting stances on fracking.

Fetterman: "Uh, I do support fracking, and…. I don't, I don't…. I support fracking and I stand and uh, I do support fracking." pic.twitter.com/GMgLxvGXRc

— American Pigeon (@AmericanPigeon) October 26, 2022

There was also the time that Fetterman randomly yelled out, “Doug Mastriano!” and the multiple times he stared blankly ahead for probably five or six seconds while processing which pre-programmed answer he wanted to give, and the fact that he stumbled over his words in every single answer. Honest Democrats are admitting what a complete disaster Fetterman’s performance was, while others are attempting to deflect with, you guessed it, accusations of “ableism” or even likening Fetterman’s performance to that of Herschel Walker.

Olivia Nuzzi, Washington correspondent for New York magazine:

There is no amount of empathy for and understanding about Fetterman’s health and recovery that changes the fact that this is absolutely painful to watch.

— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) October 26, 2022

Nuzzi is correct, of course, but she is being skewered by progressives for not joining them in delusionland.

Joe Scarborough predicted that “many in the media” won’t talk about Fetterman’s impairment:

John Fetterman’s ability to communicate is seriously impaired. Pennsylvania voters will be talking about this obvious fact even if many in the media will not.

— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) October 26, 2022

We’re not sure which Dem lawmaker Kraushaar spoke to, but it’s not difficult to believe this take:

Reaction to #PASEN debate from Dem lawmaker and Fetterman backer:

“1) why the hell did Fetterman
agree to this?

2) this will obviously raise more
questions than answers about
John's health

3) Oz is so smarmy and
unlikeable”

— Josh Kraushaar (@JoshKraushaar) October 26, 2022

Charlotte Alter, who’d drawn the short straw and performed the pre-debate cleanup referred to earlier, came out almost immediately after the debate ended and said it was worse than she expected.

I spoke to Fetterman recently, and I expected him to be very bad tonight. But he was much much worse than I expected (and much worse than in our one-on-one conversation.)

— Charlotte Alter (@CharlotteAlter) October 26, 2022

But MSNBC columnist Liz Plank accused Republicans of having to “rely on ableism to win.”

when your side is so bad you have to rely on ableism to win https://t.co/3iTWIKXTPy

— Liz Plank (@feministabulous) October 26, 2022

And Sen. Bob Casey incredibly claimed that Fetterman’s “answers were very direct.”

Senator Bob Casey:

John Fetterman's "message came through very clearly…his answers were very direct."

On what planet? pic.twitter.com/mrfb38d68l

— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) October 26, 2022

And Chris Cuomo blamed the performance on a lack of preparation.

CHRIS CUOMO on tonight's #PASen debate: "Voters, I think, saw things that will definitely change the state of this race."

"Fetterman struggled … I don't think his preparation was great." pic.twitter.com/Hy58N3OD41

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 26, 2022

Then we have this gem from a Saturday Night Live writer – which really explains the lack of logic and humor in the tweet.

There's gonna be a lot of people criticizing John Fetterman tonight for occasional incoherence who also fully support Herschel Walker.

— Bryan Tucker (@BTuckertime) October 26, 2022

Fetterman’s spokesperson, sadly, promises that Gisele Fetterman’s abuse of her spouse is going to continue – and perhaps even escalate.

Fetterman spokesman: "John spoke better tonight than he did in the primary. I'm not sure if you were there. He gave a better performance tonight than he gave in the primary."
https://t.co/fQbE9JxtUZ

— John McCormack (@McCormackJohn) October 26, 2022

But, according to The Hill’s reporter covering the Senate, other Democrats might step in and save him.

Democrats are asking the same thing post-debate: Why did Fetterman's team allow him to take the stage tonight? No one I'm talking to on the left has a good thing to say about what just took place.

— Al Weaver (@alweaver22) October 26, 2022

As Bonchie said on Twitter, this debate is why early voting shouldn’t exist.