There’s a lot of talk—well, speculation, really—about former First Lady Jill Biden these days. And now, Gisele Fetterman, who’s married to Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman, has become a focal point, drawing comparisons to Lady Macbeth. It seems she has, quite publicly, sought power while inadvertently highlighting her husband’s vulnerabilities.
Gisele made headlines again with her new book, titled “Extreme Kindness: The Value of Vulnerability in a Often Unkind World,” which was released on July 8. The public response? Largely indifferent, with Amazon reviewers giving it a mix of one-star ratings and a single five-star review. So, it’s safe to say the reception hasn’t been great.
A review in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette hinted that Gisele seems aware of the personal details tied to her husband’s mental health. It’s particularly relevant given John Fetterman’s struggles: he suffered a stroke in May 2022, right before his election win against Dr. Mehmet Oz, becoming a Pennsylvania Senator.
The stroke caused serious issues for him, particularly with auditory processing. He relies on tablets to help him understand conversations, as reported by The New York Times. It was later revealed that John was also experiencing significant depression after the stroke.
Gisele recounted a pivotal moment, saying she told him, “If you were to pass away, the kids would remember you as a sad person. Is that what you want?” The day after that conversation, he checked into Walter Reed Medical Center, a decision that made headlines in February 2023.
This brings up a question: what’s the point of broadcasting such personal information about a sitting senator? It seems more than just a warning for voters. Gisele’s revelations—not just about her husband but also about their family life—raise eyebrows. It’s surprising that she would disclose such details publicly; they might not even suit a regular individual, let alone a public figure.
“The media attention was too much,” Gisele said after her husband entered treatment. And it’s true—she seems to mirror Meghan Markle in a way, lamenting about media scrutiny while ensuring her own narratives keep feeding the media machine.
In her book, she reflects on how dealing with mental health struggles in public has exposed both her and John to some overwhelming criticisms. While it’s novel for politicians to be openly vulnerable about mental health, Gisele didn’t expect such harsh backlash.
For a sitting senator who struggles to comprehend conversations without aid—well, the media’s interest in this is hardly unwarranted. John himself has openly commented about how, if he were told he had only six months to live, he’d feel quite differently about his life.
It’s encouraging to see John Fetterman return to a healthier state, both mentally and physically. But it does raise concerns. Many prominent politicians fear being perceived as disabled while in office, which is a broader issue within the Democratic Party, too.
Gisele acknowledged, “Because John is a public figure, we could not keep what our family faced private.” She faced pressures regarding public opinion, though she was keen to share her perspective. After all, that’s likely why she chose to write a book. It guarantees more opinions about her life—an interesting choice given everything going on.
