John Fetterman Is Open to Supporting Dr. Oz to Oversee Medicare and Medicaid

[Celerity]

“I’d have a beer with the dude. Whatever. That’s the game,” Fetterman said of his former Senate opponent.

https://www.notus.org/congress/john-fetterman-open-to-supporting-dr-oz-centers-for-medicare-and-medicaid

Minutes after Donald Trump nominated Dr. Mehmet Oz to be the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Sen. John Fetterman was telling reporters he’s open to supporting his 2022 Senate opponent. “I’m going to be very, very clear: If Dr Oz agrees to protect and preserve Medicaid and Medicare, I’m absolutely gonna vote for the dude,” Fetterman said outside his office on Tuesday.

Fetterman and Oz had a more divisive rivalry than most Senate candidates. Fetterman gained national recognition for his frequent social media jabs at Oz, from accusing the TV doctor of being a carpetbagger to being an out-of-touch wealthy celebrity. The Fetterman campaign rented a plane to fly a “Welcome Home” banner across the New Jersey coastline — where Oz had one of his homes. He paid for celebrity cameos, from the likes of Snooki and musician Steven Van Zandt, petitioning for Oz to be included in the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

The campaign quickly capitalized on Oz’s tone-deaf video where he misidentified a Pennsylvania grocery store and marveled at the cost of a crudités platter. But Fetterman is more than ready, he said, to put all that in the past — as long as Oz will commit to preserving Medicare and Medicaid. “We do have a history, but I don’t have any bitterness,” Fetterman said. “I don’t hold anything against him.” “No hard feelings or anything. I’d have a beer with the dude. Whatever. That’s the game,” Fetterman said.

As administrator of CMS, Oz would report to the Department of Health and Human Services, which Trump has nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead. Oz would be responsible for administering the Medicare program and overseeing states’ Medicaid programs. CMS also oversees standards for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and quality standards for long-term care facilities and manages oversight of the government’s health insurance website.

snip


There are other sources that confirm that article btw.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/john-fetterman-says-willing-confirm-020710421.html

https://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/nation-world/fetterman-open-to-supporting-oz-nomination-if-he-agrees-to-protect-medicare-medicaid-john-fetterman-mehmet-oz-trump-cabinet-centers-for-medicare-and-medicaid-services

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/4999028-fetterman-opens-door-to-supporting-ex-rival-oz-as-cms-administrator/

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/11/20/dr-oz-senate-reaction-fetterman-00190662

[Delphinus]

1. What?!

I am gobsmacked.

[Janbdwl72]

58. Some good points on these previous posts

Fetterman needs to be seen as a middle of the road Democrat in Pennsylvania now. He is trying to protect two very popular and necessary programs, from elimination or severe cuts by the Republicans governing via the ridiculous Project 2025 dictates.

Look, the reality is that of all these horrible nominees--Gaetz, Gabbard, Kennedy, Heseth and Oz, the Wizard (Oz) at least has some credentials the others do not. As much as we dislike all of them, some of these incompetents are going to get through the Senate and win nomination.

Perhaps Oz can beat some sense into Kennedy not to be eliminating these programs.

[hurl]

2. Fetterman has serious Sinema vibes sometimes, hope I'm wrong

nt

[Autumn]

71. Agree and I don't think we are wrong.

[edhopper]

3. We are so fucked

[SoFlaBro]

4. Oz is a MAGA fuck shit huckster of snake oil and other fuckery.

[JoseBalow]

62. Yes he is

[MustLoveBeagles]

5. What's he smoking?

[a kennedy]

6. He is showing his neutrality........his area of the State need him to be middle of the road

Last edited Wed Nov 20, 2024, 10:14 PM - Edit history (1)

ya know those libs are just way to out there for them…..so good ol’ Fetterman can’t rock his boat to far to the left. Ugh…….not a big fan of his.

[Zambero]

7. Schmoozing

It seems as if he's attempting to make the best of an awful situation, hoping to get a few words in edge-wise. In a sense, he already has, with a somewhat subtle admonition regarding the need to preserve Medicare and Medicaid.

[In It to Win It]

8. It's cool. Let the people have their chaos.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

9. lol it's a game all right

[La Coliniere]

10. He's one big disappointment

after another. He reminds me of Joe Lieberman at times, and we know what he was all about. Hope not.

[IcyPeas]

11. Disappointing because it makes Oz, yet another tv personality, seem "normal".

He's a snake oil salesman... multimillionaire one, at that.

[soandso]

12. I'm good with what he explicitly stated

“I’m going to be very, very clear: If Dr Oz agrees to protect and preserve Medicaid and Medicare, I’m absolutely gonna vote for the dude,”

What's wrong with that?

[cliffside]

19. How many times do we need to advance a nominee and ignore his past statements/beliefs ...

we have a few on the supreme court who lied and cost women their lives or fertility.

Sorry, but how stupid do we need to be look at one states today without looking at what they have done/said before.

I would prefer not to take any chances with benefits that help so many people in our country.

Fine, let Dr Oz answer question and state his intention TODAY, but do not be fooled by what he done/said before.

[soandso]

23. Well, I'm talking about Fetterman

who is interested in protecting Medicare and Medicaid. I really don't know anything much about Oz and what he's said. Only know he's a health nut and of Turkish ancestry.

[cliffside]

36. I could care less that he is of Turkish decent, beautiful country that I was privileged to visit a few times ...

pictures of the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Bodrum, gorgeous seaside resort, not sure what one's ancestry has to do with anything and yet know nothing of his policies?

I care more about their beliefs in science than I do their ancestry, yes we need to eat less processed foods etc. on that I agree. I gave up, for the most part, meat 5 plus years ago, not always good for ones heath or the planet, factory farming etc.

Look at the labels, under 5 ingredients and cannot pronounce an ingredient I'm suspicious, but I digress.

Dr. Oz, Tapped to Run Medicare, Has a Record of Promoting Health Misinformation

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/20/well/dr-oz-health-medicare-record.html?unlocked_article_code=1.bk4.0sDA.wL0Lx8xxn3K8&smid=url-share

[soandso]

41. I don't care that he's Turkish, either

Just saying what I know of him.

[cliffside]

46. Weird that you know/threw that detail out there about knowing his ancestry and nothing of his past comments ...

and how those might affect millions of Americans.

Just saying.

[soandso]

48. He has a Turkish name

How is that "weird" to be aware of that? I never watched the Dr Oz TV show and never watched him on Oprah, okay? I've heard about her being chummy with and promoting him. Is that alright with you that I never watched those TV shows or is that "weird", too?

I said I supported Fetterman. I trust what he said about protecting Medicare and Medicaid, which is what Oz has been nominated to administrate. That's it.

[cliffside]

52. Honestly I never look at a name and think that he/she is Turkish, Irish, Jewish, Asian ...

I live in a very diverse community and rarely think of one's background, I did not know Oz was of Turkish decent until you mentioned.

Combine that with not knowing anything about his past comments regarding the job he has been nominated for, only his ancestry, I wondered why this knowledge was forefront.

"How is that "weird" to be aware of that? I never watched the Dr Oz TV show and never watched him on Oprah, okay? I've heard about her being chummy with and promoting him. Is that alright with you that I never watched those TV shows or is that "weird", too?"

I never watched Oz or Oprah either, but I do read what a potential nominee has said in the past about the the organization is he/she is to lead, that is the most important IMHO.

Good for you that your knowledge of a name's origin is better than mine.

[arthritisR_US]

53. Fine, then just go into the links provided by the poster you

responded to.

[soandso]

56. I read one of them

I got the picture. Nevertheless, regarding Fetterman, who this thread is about, I'm not outraged at what he said and I believe him when he says he's going to talk to Oz and get a commitment to make his decision on confirmation.

[sheshe2]

39. Oz is a real Wizard.

From ‘magic’ weight-loss coffee beans Mehmet Oz has been nominated by Donald Trump to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working alongside vaccine-sceptic Robert F Kennedy Jr. Rhian Lubin reports red onion stopping cancer: Dr Oz’s history of baseless medical claims
https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/dr-mehmet-oz-trump-cabinet-medicaid-claims-b2650414.html

[arthritisR_US]

55. If he is truly for both of them, then he can't honestly go for this

prick. He is well aware of the lying SC “justices” who lied in their confirmation hearings and what you have today. I truly don’t think it’s an issue to him.

[uponit7771]

26. We ***KNOW*** they're not wanting to protect anything that helps middle incomers...

[misanthrope]

60. Because Oz is going to call it "preserving and protecting" however

he is going weaken it by moving it toward privatization. C'mon, Fetterman, you can't be this naive.

[cachukis]

13. Fetterman recognizes his voters and thinks ahead.

You can't tell people what to choose, you have to present the best choice.

Everyone is out of touch but me, is not unifying.

[cliffside]

14. Dems need to grow a spine, I've been saying this for years to family and friends ...

I never understood how Repubs had a marginal majority and they were able to get bills passed, block Supreme justices etc. but somehow the Repubs got another justice confirmed within weeks of the transition. And we did not and had almost a year?

It is strange, a few old saying... do not shoot yourself in the foot and another to look inwards and clean your own house.

We can do both, applaud what has been done and look what we needs to be corrected.

[Tribetime]

15. That's a big if....if he supports Medicare aam Medicaid..Oz won't

[NewHendoLib]

16. This. Is. How. We. Lose.

[Emile]

65. Yep, that's how we lose.

[DET]

17. I'm Going to Take Him at his Word

After dealing with serious depression and the devastating impacts of a stroke, Fetterman doesn’t have any f***s left to give. I think he means what he says. He’ll support Oz IF he supports Medicaid and Medicare. Given the caliber of Trump’s other picks, we could actually do worse than Dr. Oz.

[MagickMuffin]

20. Oz "Sure I'll protect Medicare and Medicaid" fingers crossed behind back

Once he gets confirmed then he’s free to do as he pleases.


That’s the problem working with republicans, they lie constantly!

[Dave says]

32. "Support" means "privatize"

Bye bye conventional Medicare with its 96% payout in benefits; hello Advantage, with its 84% payout, delayed and denied care, slow and no pay. In Oz’s corrupt world, that is preserving “Medicare” (while actually diverting funding into private coffers).

Thanks a lot, Fetterman.

[arthritisR_US]

54. I agree with you but this is their start not their finish.

[LudwigPastorius]

44. Do you believe Trump would have picked Oz if Oz was going to support Medicaid and Medicare?

[DET]

59. Actually...

I don’t know where Oz stands on the subject. I don’t know if Trump knows either. Oz is a grifter, but he’s at least a medical doctor - which is leaps and bounds intellectually beyond a lot of Trump’s picks. Trump seems to like Oz and he thinks he’s on his side. That’s enough for Trump to nominate someone, whether they’ve been ‘vetted’ or not. My personal test for a Trump nominee is ‘Is he clearly a psychopath or a sociopath’? Juries still out on Oz, but I still think he’s better than a lot of people Trump could have picked.

Having said that, my husband vehemently disagrees with my hope that Oz steps up to the plate. He really hates Oz.

[misanthrope]

61. Oz has opined in print about his favor for Medicare Advantage

https://www.forbes.com/sites/steveforbes/2020/06/11/medicare-advantage-for-all-can-save-our-health-care-system/?sh=ae4b87f4d120

He has also promoted Medicare Advantage on his snake oil pitching show.

[Autumn]

72. I would take Oz at his word as much as I would take a basket full of

Last edited Thu Nov 21, 2024, 06:05 PM - Edit history (1)

Sinemas, Collins and Manchins giving their word. Oz is a liar and a nut case who pushes hocus pocus to the idiots who believe what he pushes because he has the magic MD letters.

Edited to add Oz also has been blessed by Winfrey.

[leftstreet]

18. So it's a "game?" wtf n/t

[UTUSN]

21. Senator has been puzzling me for awhile

[cliffside]

37. Me too nt

[UTUSN]

38. I like him but get little Manchin vibes sometimes

[cliffside]

43. Jury is still out, I do like him for the most part, except for his unconditional support of Israel ...

without regard to the utter destruction of life in Gaza.

[JI7]

22. Why not ? Give people what they voted for

and this is what Pennsylvania voted for.

[cliffside]

24. I'm guessing there is a sarcasm tag that might be missing ... possibly :). nt

[Silent Type]

25. Guess we'll eat Fetterman too.

[Solly Mack]

27. Hey you. Now back to my comment. That's nice. Let's all hold hands and sing God Save the Trump.

Because...who the fuck knows why.

Nominees lie all the time during their confirmation. Hello? SCOTUS.

Oz can and will say anything to get confirmed.

[Celerity]

29. hey hey back

[Ocelot II]

40. Welcome back!

[Celerity]

42. thankies!

[Dave says]

33. I agree

I don’t think a sane, ethical person can take anyone in Trump’s orbit at his or her word.

[Solly Mack]

34. It boggles the mind that anyone would.

[cliffside]

45. How many times can one be fooled because they have the "right" letter after their name? nt

[Solly Mack]

68. Until the script gets old? As long as it works?

I don't have an answer to that.

[Autumn]

74. Good to see you back.

You got it right. Cels OP's and threads are always the best.

[Docreed2003]

28. That's a big "if"

Oz has been on record about cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. He will also say whatever he needs to say to get confirmed.

[peregrinus]

30. I'm getting a little tired of Fetterman's shtick

[mackdaddy]

31. Scary as it is, Doc OZ is probably the most qualified of any of Trumpies pics so far.

He is a snake oil pill huckster, but at least he actually practiced as a surgeon, and I don't think he picks up and eats roadkill or is beholding to Putin, so he has that going for him...

[cliffside]

49. Other surgeons have gone down the wrong path, just because someone has an advanced degree does not make them right

possibly forgot the sarcasm tag?

[soandso]

50. That whole roadkill & whale carcass stuff

is so revolting but as someone who does not eat my fellow beings and doesn't approve of it, at all, the roadkill and whale were probably light years healthier than the dead factory farmed, slaughterhouse murdered animals in the meat department of the grocery store. They lived wild and free lives and weren't pumped full of hormones and antibiotics.

[displacedvermoter]

78. Ben Carson was a brain surgeon, so there's that!

[xmas74]

35. He can say that he was open to a discussion

Showing no hard feelings from their race. If Oz refuses to meet up or refuses any discussion of how to save these programs he can easily say that he tried but Oz decided to act like a little ratfuck and back out.

Unfortunately, that's how the game is played in some swing states and red states. You need to throw everything at them while playing Good Ol Boy who just wants to help.

Believe me, I live in a red state and it really sucks how much you're expected to twist into a pretzel just to get elected if you don't have an R behind your name.

If Fetterman backs down then roast him over a pit. That's fine. He'll deserve it.

[kacekwl]

47. Does Mr. Fetterman understand

that Republicans especially those associated with trump lie constantly ?

[DJ Synikus Makisimus]

51. Working together with his friends across the aisle to find bipartisan

solutions to benefit all American oligarchs. I expect lots of this.

[carpetbagger]

57. He's not going to be the 50th vote for confirmation.

If he can extract a promise to preserve Medicare and Medicaid, it's worth the 58th or whatever vote to get that broken promise on the record.

As he's not the 50th vote, I'll also give him some latitude with a prominent Pennsylvania "resident" who probably has some residual support among people who may or may not have voted for him.

Fetterman can be a loose cannon and the Sinema fear is real, but this seems like a strategic move for our team.

[livetohike]

63. "That's the game." Says it all. He's not a rebel.

I have ties to Braddock, PA (where he was the Mayor). I think he has disappointed a lot of people and not just me.

[Mike 03]

64. Something tells me we are in for a very harsh

reality check. See also Corey Booker, Chris Coons, and others preparing to go alone to get along. It's going to be a very lonely 4 (at least) years.

[OneGrassRoot]

67. Now that you say that...

I’ve only seen elected women in congress speaking out against these travesties.

EDIT: Actually that’s wrong. I should limit it to the Senate.

[Celerity]

69. my biggest fear to take up the 'Manchinema' mantle if we somehow had held the Senate was Slotkin

That said, IF Casey wins (somewhat doubtful atm) in PA I picked every race correctly, so I was under no illusion (for the last 2 years tbh) we would hold the Senate.

If Casey goes down, it will be basically impossible to pull the Rethugs under 50 seats post 2026 midterms.

We have a real chance at picking off that POS Concern Collins in ME (especially if she retires, then it is an almsot done deal we flip it) with a good candidate. Would love to see Steven King finally run.

We also have a shot at flipping Tillis in NC, although our 2 of pour 3 best potential candidates just were elected Governor (Josh Stein) and Attorney General (Jeff Jacskon) so I doubt either runs in 2026. That leaves Roy Cooper, who is proably the strongest of the 3, so I am pretty hopeful.

Kentucky will be a real long shot, even with Beshear (if he runs, which he may well not, as he is looking at 2028 POTUS) as KY will elect moderate Dems as governor, BUT that almost never translates (anymore) to US Senate elections.

We have one seat in real danger (Ossoff in GA), one in less, but not insignicant danger (Peters in MI) and one that we should win easily, but cannot claim it is a 100 per cent lock (Smith in MN).

All other seats up for re-election are either solid Red or solid Blue.

IF we win all 6 races listed above, but Casey loses now, the best we can get to in 2026 is 50-50, with the POS Vance breaking ties.

[BannonsLiver]

70. We

Still elicits a chuckle every time.

[Celerity]

76. I am an American citizen, and tbh, in terms of potential kinetic war, I am likely more at risk atm (being in Sweden)

than Americans living within the US. The fact I hold multiple citizenships does not take my right to use 'we'.

We (Swedish cap on now) broke with 2 centuries of neutrality and went all in with Nato. Now we (my US cap on) have re-elected a fucking madman who is enthralled with Putin, another madman who has issued major threats against Sweden for our entry into Nato.

I do not see the US government sending out 'be prepared for potential crisis/war' booklets like our government just did here in Sweden.

Here is our copy:

https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/sweden-war-pamphlet-citizens-prepare-wwiii/

Five million pamphlets will be sent out to citizens, with instructions on how to stockpile and find shelter in the event of a war.

It comes as Russia has warned that there will be a 'nuclear response' if Ukraine uses American long-range missiles.

There are growing concerns that the move could lead to a conflict between Russia and Nato as a whole.

Swedes have now been told to prepare both mentally and logistically for the possibility.

The booklet - titled 'If Crisis or War Comes' - is being sent out by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB).

snip

English version:

https://rib.msb.se/filer/pdf/30874.pdf

chuckle all you want...............................

[travelingthrulife]

75. Well, John, he will be lying to you if he promises to protect Medicare and Medicaid.

You, of course, know that but you will vote for him anyway.

[Dave Bowman]

77. Great, another crackpot joining that circus.

[pinkstarburst]

80. I really hope all the people who keep throwing out his name for 2028

are paying attention. Maybe he thinks he is saying what he believes he needs to say for his constituents. I acknowledge there is a degree in the shades of gray crazy between Oz and Gaetz. But this sort of thing disqualifies Fetterman for me permanently. He's a Susan Collins/Sinema/Manchin and I don't ever want him on a national ticket in either spot.