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John Fetterman Hosted Abortion Rally on 9/11, and It Went As Badly As You'd Expect

Rebecca Downs
Rebecca Downs  |  September 12, 2022 3:50 PM

John Fetterman, the Democratic nominee looking to fill retiring Sen. Pat Toomey's (R-PA) seat, doesn't make many public appearances, and it's not hard to see why given his health problems to do with a stroke he suffered in May shortly before winning the primary. For some reason, though, he decided to hold a pro-abortion rally, on September 11 of all days. It was cringeworthy from the start. 

Fetterman introduced himself as "John Fetterwoman." He also posed for several photos advertising the play off of his name on a pink t-shirt. One such posed picture included one of the rally's speakers, Alexis McGill Johnson, who is the CEO and president of Planned Parenthood. In addition to advocating for and performing abortions, Planned Parenthood is also in favor of defunding the police. 

At the event, Fetterman only spoke for about 15 minutes. It was also clear that the candidate has had trouble speaking at public events, with how slowly and with difficulty many of his words came out. 

Fetterman spent much time calling out Dr. Mehmet Oz, his Republican opponent, recycling old campaign habits, such as claiming Oz made fun of his having suffered a stroke, and referring to Oz being from New Jersey. He also spent time calling out Sen. Toomey, who is retiring and thus not even even Fetterman's opponent. 

Fetterman ultimately moved on to telling the crowd that "women are the reason we can win" and "don't piss women off," defining them and reducing them to merely by the abortion issue. In asking the crowd if abortion "should be left up to a woman, and a real doctor to choose," Fetterman also seemed to claim that Dr. Oz, who indeed went to medical school and was a cardiothoracic surgeon, is not a "real doctor."

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Fetterman also blatantly lied about Dr. Oz's position on abortion, claiming that he has "no exceptions," including "rape or incest," and that "we know Dr. Oz has 'no problem' for incest," using air quotes.

In a previous statement for Townhall, Dr. Oz's campaign affirmed that the Republican candidate is pro-life, and also makes exceptions. "Dr. Oz is pro-life and supports exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother. It's quite the contrast from John Fetterman who supports abortion up until the moment of birth," said Brittany Yanick, the communications director for Dr. Oz's campaign.

Additionally, Fetterman used the event to campaign for Josh Shapiro, who is running against Doug Mastriano, to be governor.

Later on in his speech, Fetterman emphasized that "abortion is the ballot in November," seemingly meaning to say that it is on the ballot. "And if you show up, if you are energized, we will send Josh Shapiro to the governor's office, and you will send me to Washington, D.C., to be that 51st vote, to be that first 51st vote." 

The 51st vote refers to Fetterman voting in favor of the Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA), but also seemingly when it will only need a majority to pass if and when the Senate gets rid of the filibuster, as Fetterman also supports doing.

That legislation would not merely codify Roe v. Wade, but would expand it and invalidate all state pro-life protections. 

Townhall reached out to the Fetterman campaign but received no response when asking what, if any, legal restrictions that the candidate supports when it comes to abortion. The campaign was also asked if there was any pusback for holding the event on the 21st anniversary of September 11. 

Fetterman is on record saying "no" when asked at a previous debate "are there any limits on abortion you would find appropriate?"

Pennsylvania has its own personal connection to September 11, in that United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in Stonycreek Township, located in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. That plane had been hijacked by al Qaeda terrorists and was headed for the U.S. Capitol, but passengers on board stormed the cockpit in an attempt to retake it from the hijackers and land the plane.

The rally featured appearances from Johnson, as well as fellow Pennsylvania Democratic politicians, including Reps. Madeleine Dean and Mary Gay Scanlon, Commissioner Val Arkoosh, and State House Minority Leader Joanna McClinton. 

Johnson did not tweet about the anniversary. Although Rep. Dean posted about 9/11 from her official account, it does not appear she did from her campaign account, though she did tweet and retweet about the rally. Rep. Scanlon tweeted and retweeted about the anniversary from her official account, with barely a mention on her campaign account, as she tweeted much more about the rally. Commissioner Arkoosh's tweet about the anniversary mentioned how she went to attend a Mass at St. Helena Catholic Church, an ironic move, considering how against abortion the Church is. State Rep. McClinton tweeted about the anniversary from both her official and campaign account, but the latter account tweeted more so about the rally. 

Although Fetterman tweeted separately about the anniversary, he did not acknowledge it at the rally.

Fetterman subsequently tweeted or retweeted about the rally nearly a dozen times, including one that casually referred to the day as "a rainy Sunday afternoon." Many of those tweets emphasized Fetterman's positions in favor of getting rid of the filibuster and/or voting for what he says would be to "codify Roe."