John Fetterman, the Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, recently fired a set of tweets that had the media and observers scratching their heads. In the tweets, Fetterman chastised a Philadelphia journalist who had written an article defending the Lieutenant Governor after he had faced criticism from conservative outlets due to his stance on police reform.
The article, written by Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Christine Flowers, had praised Fetterman’s approach to police reform and had defended him from criticism that he was ‘anti-cop.’ Fetterman responded to the article with disbelief, taking to Twitter to state that Flowers had “erred in not only equating [him] with cop-hating extremists, but in the wrong assessment of [his] record & views”.
While some observers saw the tweet storm as a ‘Twitter tantrum’ gone wrong, others had a more sympathetic view of Fetterman’s reaction. After all, it is hardly uncommon to be frustrated at being misrepresented. As Fetterman clearly felt that her piece was a ‘wrong assessment’ of his record and views, it is understandable that he chose to address it publicly.
It could also be argued that Fetterman’s response – while somewhat aggressive – speaks to a larger movement within the Democratic party of standing up for one’s convictions. Fetterman’s ‘testy’ defence of his views seemed to be an example of what some have called the ‘post-Trump fightback.’
Regardless of one’s views on the Lieutenant Governor’s actions, it is clear that he is not afraid to show his colors. Despite facing criticism from both sides of the aisle, he is willing to put himself on the line to protect his beliefs and values – no matter whether they are popular or not. In this sense, his message was more one of empowerment and courage than it was of vitriol.
John Fetterman’s tough stance on police reform has been supported by equally strong words when it comes to defending his record. His ‘Twitter tantrum’ may have baffled some, but it has shown that he is a politician who is willing to fight for what he believes in – even if it means taking a stance that others may not agree with.
