John Fetterman slams Dr. Oz, Republicans in MSNBC interview: 'Desperation is the worst cologne'

During an interview with MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle Wednesday night, Pennsylvania Senate candidate John Fetterman criticized Republicans and Dr. Mehmet Oz, saying that "desperation is the worst cologne."

"Republicans, you’re opponents, they’re making the argument that you’re too sick to govern. You said, they think it’s funny to mock your recovery. How do you convince voters you could do this job?" Ruhle asked. 

"First, their approach, I always just would say, desperation is the worst cologne," he said. And they understand that Dr. Oz's campaign is in shambles whether you look at the polls, you look at the fundraising. You know, they just figured out that, you know, let's appeal to folks that get their jollies, you know, making fun of the stroke dude. And again, if that's your story, tell it the way you got to. But he really should own those words and he should just acknowledge that as a doctor, you are going around making fun of somebody that had a stroke."

He said that Pennsylvanians that are experiencing health issues wouldn't want a doctor like Oz in their lives, "making fun of them or laughing at their circumstances."

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"I just happen to have a doctor in my life to do just that," Fetterman said, referring to Oz. 

Fetterman rejected an opportunity to debate Oz. "My recovery may be a joke to Dr. Oz and his team, but it's real for me," the lieutenant governor said in a statement this week. "I will not be participating in a debate the first week of September, but look forward to having a productive discussion about how we can move forward and have a real conversation on this once Dr. Oz and his team are ready to take this seriously."

Fetterman returned to the campaign trail in August after experiencing a stroke in May. 

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Ruhle asked Fetterman about his decision to turn down a chance to debate Oz and if he does plan to debate him ahead of the election. 

"Again, as I just said, this is just a sad approach at this point because they're trying to not focus on the condition of their campaign right now," Fetterman said. "And when they want to get into a serious conversation and really talk about having a debate, I'd be happy to engage in that. But right now, the fact that they have chosen to have a deeply unserious campaign to just ridicule somebody that is just recovering from a stroke."

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Oz told "America's Newsroom" co-host Dana Perino that he offered Fetterman "numerous opportunities" to explain to him how Oz could make it easier for him to participate in a debate. 

"At this point, since he's given numerous reasons for not showing up, including the fact he didn't have time in his schedule, I'm of the opinion that he's hiding his radical views because he is the furthest far-left radical candidate at any competitive Senate race this cycle, and he doesn't want those views to be exposed," Oz said.