As Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman took his place behind the podium during a rally in Pittsburgh on Saturday, it was a scene out of Campaign Rally 101.
Sunshine. Big crowd. A row of American flags fluttering in a mild November breeze.
Not for long.
As Fetterman, Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor, began his pitch to voters to urge them to support him instead of Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz, things did not go quite according to the script.
“Today, Dr. Oz is going to be standing with Donald Trump on the stage,” Fetterman said. “I’m going to be proud to be standing with a president that is 100 percent sedition-free.”
At the mention of former President Barack Obama being “sedition-free,” a sudden gust of wind toppled the flags behind Fetterman like so many dominoes.
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The candidate did not acknowledge the mishap.
“I’m running to serve Pennsylvania. He’s running to use Pennsylvania,” Fetterman continued.
Crew members soon scurried to pick up the fallen flags.
Twitter was amused.
Even our beautiful American flags 🇺🇸🇺🇸 have heard enough and aren’t sticking around as they blow away in the background while Fetterman speaks his untruths.
If this isn’t “a sign” …I don’t know what is.#VoteRedToSaveAmerica2022 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸#RedWaveComing 👊🏻pic.twitter.com/iQGqaxvIZl— 🇺🇸 MAGA Deb-Plorable 🇺🇸 (@DebraLee_1234) November 5, 2022
Fetterman at his rally with Obama says he’s proud to stand with a president who is “100% sedition-free.”
as he said that, the flags got blown over by wind and an aggressive protester tried to start trouble. Visual on point.
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) November 5, 2022
Perfect.
Keep an eye on the American flags behind John Fetterman for your metaphor of the day https://t.co/384D45rcc2
— Rich Paton (@RichPaton1) November 5, 2022
Commentator Todd Starnes shared his thoughts on the incident on his website.
“If that’s not a metaphor for what’s about to happen to the Democrat Party, I don’t know what is!” he wrote.
The Pennsylvania Senate race is a dead heat, with Fetterman leading by less than a percentage point and Oz having won five of the last six polls.