Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel on Sunday sidestepped a question about whether she regrets mocking President Biden and Pennsylvania Senate candidate John Fetterman (D) for their speaking abilities.
“Fox News Sunday” host Shannon Bream asked McDaniel to respond to her recent comments making light of the president’s speech impediment and Fetterman’s speaking issues following a stroke, asking, “Do you regret at all how that could appear insensitive?”
“I certainly want Joe Fri — Fetterman — John Fetterman to get better, and I would never make fun of somebody who has a stroke. But I will say they should be getting in front of the press, and they’re not, and they’re hiding,” McDaniel said in the interview, mixing up the two Democrats’ names more than once.
In an interview last week, McDaniel responded to news that Biden and Fetterman, along with Vice President Harris, would campaign together in Pennsylvania by saying that “maybe they can get a full sentence out.”
Fetterman suffered a stroke just before the state’s Democratic primary earlier this year and has been dealing throughout his campaign with concerns about how his auditory and speaking issues would impact him if he were elected to the Senate. Biden has long dealt and acknowledged a stutter he has had since he was a child.
On Sunday, the RNC chairwoman didn’t respond to questioning about whether she regrets the comments.
“Joe — John Fetterman is following in the steps of Joe Biden. I know I’m conflating the names, but they’re sitting in the basement. They’re not getting in front of the voters, and they’re not being honest about their issues,” McDaniel said.