President Biden said Tuesday that he spoke via Zoom with Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. and Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman earlier this week.
Biden told an audience at an AFL-CIO labor union convention in Philadelphia that he spoke with Fetterman on Monday and reiterated his support for the Democratic candidate, who has been recovering from a stroke.
“If you’re in a foxhole, you want John with you, man,” Biden said. “I know he can’t wait to get back on the trail. He’s looking good. There’s no bigger, stronger voice for working people in this state than John. Certainly no bigger one, for that matter.”
Fetterman later shared a photo on Twitter of himself and his wife, Gisele, speaking with Biden.
“Humbled by the shoutout, Mr. President. The union way of life is sacred. I will *always* stand with working people,” Fetterman tweeted along with the photo.
A Fetterman spokesperson, Joe Calvello, said in a statement to The Hill that Biden and Fetterman had a “great conversation,” during which they discussed the Senate race against Mehmet Oz, a celebrity heart surgeon who was backed by former President Trump in the GOP primary.
Calvello added that Fetterman’s kids, August and Karl, “briefly crashed the Zoom call to say hi to President Biden.”
Fetterman has been off the campaign trail recovering after suffering a stroke days before the primary election earlier this month. He also had a pacemaker installed.
At the beginning of June, Fetterman acknowledged that he failed to follow up with doctors about a previously undisclosed heart condition back in 2017 and said he nearly died from the resulting stroke earlier this year.
Fetterman easily defeated rival Democrats to win the nomination last month to run for the seat that will be vacated by retiring Sen. Pat Toomey (R).
Biden remained neutral in the primary but quickly expressed support for Fetterman following his victory.