Talk radio host Chris Stigall notes the complexity of a recent “CBS Sunday Morning” interview with Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman. During his campaign last year, Fetterman suffered a stroke that he later called a near-fatal incident. Jane Pauley conducted the interview.
“It’s not like Jane Pauley is not Ben Shapiro fast-talking,” said Stigall on Monday. “But still they (CBS) had to bring in the screen to transcribe the questions, and to CBS’ credit, they show the screen. So often in the interview that he has done, they try to hide or conceal. They will even edit the interview, and I am sure there was editing in this piece too.”
A few weeks after winning, Fetterman was featured in an Associated Press article where it was mentioned that he was still dealing with the effects of auditory processing disorder, a common consequence of stroke. This condition can hinder a person’s ability to speak smoothly and comprehend spoken language quickly.
“If you go back after you’ve done an interview where a guy is halting and stumbling and reading, you go back to the edit bay and tighten it up,” said Stigall. “Next thing you know, it looks like Jane Pauley has asked a question, and Fetterman returns with a rapid-fire answer in short order. Even with creative editing, it’s still clear that Fetterman struggles.”
Fetterman’s uneven performance during the only debate of the fall campaign indicated the lingering effects of the stroke. He had difficulty expressing himself coherently, stumbling over words and struggling to complete sentences. Democrats became anxious, fearing his chances of winning the election were slim.
“Again, not piling on; strokes happen; it’s a real thing that he’s dealing with,” added Stigall. “It seems to me that even with a month at Walter Reed, we’re with a good man here.”
Last month, Fetterman was admitted to Walter Reed Medical Center due to depression.
In January, “The Chris Stigall Podcast” officially became part of the Salem Podcast Network after joining earlier this year. The podcast will maintain its daily release schedule, with one episode per weekday. Since joining Salem in November 2019, Stigall has hosted “Philadelphia’s Morning Answer” on AM 990, The Answer. In 2021, Stigall returned to KCMO Kansas City, where he now hosts a weekday program from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
