Fetterman vs. Oz debate takeaways | Morning Newsletter

Expect more rain and fog but warmer temperatures with a high in the low 70s.

John Fetterman and Mehmet Oz finally faced off during their high-stakes televised debate last night. For many voters, this was likely their sole chance to see the candidates outside of ads and to hear them address specific policy issues.

If you weren’t able to catch it, we have you covered. Our lead story centers the takeaways.

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— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

The intense and nationally-scrutinized Pennsylvania Senate debate last night was the first and only between the two candidates, and came during the final two weeks of campaigning.

Most polls indicate that the race between John Fetterman and Mehmet Oz is neck-and-neck, with control of the Senate potentially riding on the outcome.

Some key takeaways:

Keep reading for a complete debrief.

Pennhurst Asylum, a former institution for people with disabilities turned haunted house, is a huge Halloween attraction that draws large crowds every year.

Also every year, critics chide the attraction as profiteering off of the suffering of about 10,600 people who were institutionalized at Pennhurst over eight decades. They argue that turning the facility into an entertainment attraction makes light of the true terror people experienced there.

But those who work there say there’s more nuance to the story. There’s a community of people with disabilities who participate in the show because they feel it’s empowering and preserves Pennhurst’s history.

Necessary context: The Pennhurst State School and Hospital opened in 1908 as a part of a state-funded effort to segregate people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It was never an asylum or a psychiatric hospital, but warehoused thousands of people — called inmates, not residents or patients.

When the haunted house opened, the tourism was dark. It used original artifacts like restraining jackets and wheelchairs, and actors pretended to be mentally ill or have intellectual disabilities. It has since incorporated changes including:

Keep reading to hear from the actors running the show about how they embrace the complexity.

State Sen. Doug Mastriano is counting on his current “army” — what his campaign staff calls his supporters — to make a last-minute push. Polls show Mastriano is trailing behind his better-funded Democratic competitor, state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, but polls show the race could be tightening.

Regardless, he is pushing for his supporters to prove the polls wrong, just as former President Donald Trump did in 2016.

Two weeks from Election Day, he is hitting familiar buttons, like stroking anger over since-lifted COVID restrictions and culture-war grievances. He has done little to broaden his base.

Keep reading to discover how Mastriano is venturing into more unusual territory during the final days of his campaign.

📰 Reading: Elizabeth Wellington’s latest column all about Ye as he loses partnerships over his hate speech, “Of course, Ye has to go. But not alone.”

🍽️ Craving: Doro Bet’s fried chicken, Craig LaBan’s latest recommendation. 🔑

🎻 Listening: To Sudan Archive’s “Selfish Soul” on repeat.

Hint: First woman to run for Philadelphia mayor

DYNAH FEZNAPPERA

Think you know? Send your guess our way at morningnewsletter@inquirer.com. We’ll give a shout-out to a reader at random who answers correctly. Today’s shout-out goes to Jeffrey Smith, who correctly guessed Ryan Howard as Tuesday’s answer.

And that’s your Wednesday. I’m off to try my first pumpkin spice chai latte ☕. Thank you for starting it with The Inquirer.