Because a well-crafted tweet can make or break a campaign.
Social media is a way to share funny cat videos, a playground for content creators, and a place to discover new pasta recipes, but if used improperly, it can also be the place where a politician’s campaign goes to die.
Democrats currently hold a majority in both the House and Senate, but this could all change come November. With an even split in the Senate, Democrats need to win swing states like Pennsylvania to hold onto their razor-thin majority. And there, Mehmet Oz, known to most Americans as Dr. Oz, is running against progressive lieutenant governor John Fetterman. Fetterman is the visual opposite of the polished TV doctor: With his towering 6’8” stature, gruff demeanor, and insistence on wearing baggy black hoodies instead of a suit and tie, it’s clear he isn’t wasting time trying to fit into the mold of a mainstream politician.
Fetterman has been touting his plan to increase the minimum wage to $15, fund universal pre-k, and expand the union way of life. His stance on decriminalizing marijuana and releasing non-violent offenders has drawn sharp condemnation from Oz, who claims he’s soft on crime. (Oz is running on an “America first” platform — while being a dual-citizen of Turkey — proposing that we overturn the Biden administration’s heavy-handed energy regulations and turn to energy independence.)
While Dr. Oz has struggled to appear relatable throughout his campaign, due to his longtime residency outside of the state — and his status as a megawatt clinician with 13 seasons of his own TV show under his belt, thanks to Oprah — things have gotten shakier after a series of gaffes on social media. Fetterman is maintaining a narrow lead over Oz, which is notable mostly because a candidate with such astounding name recognition shouldn’t have this much trouble gaining ground over a relative unknown. Which begs the question: Just how much damage to your own campaign can be done in just a few months by posting cringe-inducing content on social media? Strap in folks, ‘cause as it turns out, it’s quite a lot.
How Fetterman Has Weaponized Social Media
In April, Dr. Oz posted a video to Twitter in an attempt to draw attention to inflation driving up prices of goods. In it, Oz haphazardly faux-shops for “crudité” as he assembles a collection of veggies that the basketless doctor can barely juggle in his hands. It was an attempt to show how Joe Biden’s administration is making it more difficult for everyday Americans to afford groceries. But his hifalutin use of the word “crudité”, his odd choice of items (including an enormous bag of carrots and salsa), and explanation that he was shopping at “Wegner’s” — instead of the actual PA grocery chain “Redner’s” — raised eyebrows all over social media.
Fetterman responded to Oz’s blunder with a video of himself holding a vegetable platter, commenting “In PA, we call this a veggie tray, and if this looks like anything other than a veggie tray to you, then I am not your candidate.” Capitalizing on the viral embarrassment, Fetterman’s campaign began selling fake “Wegner’s” stickers saying “Let Them Eat Crudité,” effectively raising more than half a million dollars.
Oz’s team returned fire with a Trumpesque low blow, referring to Fetterman’s health scare back in May. “If John Fetterman had ever eaten a vegetable in his life, then maybe he wouldn’t have had a major stroke and wouldn’t be in the position of having to lie about it constantly.” Unsurprisingly, virtually no one thought the quip was funny. Instead, even fellow conservative-leaning Newsmax questioned Oz’s quality as a candidate. When asked why he couldn’t figure out what grocery store he was shopping in, he reassured us that he also regularly messes up the names of his children.
While he may retain the support of the Republican base thanks to his passion for cracking down on crime and fighting against government overreach, a CBS poll shows that Oz’s supporters are much more reluctant than enthusiastic about voting for him — with only 36% of Republicans saying they’re “very enthusiastic” about the candidate. In contrast, Fetterman has much more avid support, with 63% of Democrats indicating their eagerness to vote for the candidate.
The Importance of Meme Mastery
Let’s look at why Fetterman’s social-media strategy messaging excels — it’s consistent and coherent, but also funny. He’s especially skilled at hammering home the fact that Oz is a New Jerseyite, with what he sees as no business running for Senate in Pennsylvania. He recruited Jersey Shore reality TV star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi to poke fun at Oz in a July Cameo video, wishing him a happy return to Jersey soon. Also in July, Fetterman hired a plane to fly a banner over New Jersey which read, “HEY DR. OZ WELCOME HOME TO NJ <3 JOHN” along with a billboard at the Betsy Ross Bridge that says “NOW LEAVING NJ FOR PA … JUST LIKE DR. OZ”. He even encouraged his Twitter followers to sign a petition to get Oz inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.
Fetterman has used every media vehicle at his disposal, from the traditional TV ads to Twitter and short YouTube videos. One of these videos fact-checks Oz’s claim that he only legitimately owns 2 properties Family Feud-style, demonstrating that he actually owns 10. The key to Fetterman’s strategy is combining humor with damning facts that contradict Oz’s claims.
Oz has attempted to keep up with Fetterman’s rapid-fire social media onslaught, but the results have landed flat. He posted a Photoshopped image of Bernie Sanders leaning on Fetterman’s shoulder with the text “BEST FRIENDS” in an awkwardly placed font, implying that Fetterman is a radical socialist by association. Fetterman shut down this attempt with ease, responding with the classic “graphic design is my passion” meme (which someone at Oz’s social media team likely had to explain is an insult about his Photoshop job).
Oz then posted an ineptly made milk carton meme, reporting Fetterman as a “missing person” due to his reluctance to agree to a debate. He also created a website called fraudsterfetterman.com that brands Fetterman as a “basement bum.” (The website encourages you to text LAZY to a phone number that will presumably contribute to Oz’s campaign.) The insistence on branding Fetterman as a lazy bum hiding out in his basement instead of hitting the campaign trail has fallen flat among voters who likely don’t think it’s funny to mock a man who was working to regain full auditory and speaking capacity after a stroke. While he tries to paint a picture of Fetterman as a bum in a dilapidated basement, it only reinforces the image of Oz as an out-of-touch elitist.
Perhaps Oz’s most brazen offense was a photo he posted to Twitter, in which he’s seen grabbing a cheesesteak from Geno’s and insisting that Biden-induced inflation was making it difficult for the venerable Philly lunch purveyor to stay afloat. Fetterman pointed out what every Philadelphian knows to be true: “ah yes, the trip to Pat’s + Geno’s — a rite of passage for every tourist.” No lies there.
How Can Dr. Oz Come Back From This?
What Oz lacks in charisma and social media savviness, he makes up for in his fit appearance – as well as his enthusiasm for debate. Fetterman’s stroke earlier this year took him off the campaign trail, and while witty memes and social media bickering may have put him on the offense earlier, Oz is firing back. Oz points out that Fetterman’s only agreed to a single debate just 2 weeks before the election — and that Fetterman initially hid his health scare and potentially misled voters, only recently revealing the fact that he has a heart condition. One thing is for certain: A single debate isn’t sufficient to inform voters about both candidates’ fully fleshed-out policies and nuanced positions.
If Oz can lay off the poorly created memes and stick to what he knows, he may be able to gain ground closer to the election. While relating to the working class through unhinged 3am tweets may have worked for Donald Trump, Oz simply isn’t cut out for it. Instead, he should embrace who he really is: a successful heart surgeon who’s concerned about the vision that Fetterman is proposing for Pennsylvania. And while he’s clearly willing to debate that vision in the court of public opinion, a single in-person debate may leave voters with an unquenched thirst for answers. But it could result in some pretty fantastic memes.
Jaimee Marshall is a writer specializing in sociopolitics and a regular contributor to Evie Magazine. She has also appeared on the pop culture news Youtube channel Popcorned Planet; you can find more of her work on Linktree.
