He defends his record of working to get those wrongfully convicted out of prison and to implement criminal justice reforms.

“Bring it on,” he said. “That would reflect poorly on my character if I would let the fear of some trumped up political ad to stop me from pursuing criminal justice reform and helping free the innocent or the deserving from needlessly dying in Pennsylvania prisons at taxpayer expense.”

CNN’s Kasie Hunt tweeted out her exchange with Fetterman on abortion:

The National Media Doesn’t Get John Fetterman

The reason why so many Pennsylvania Democrats love John Fetterman is that he is direct and states what he believes clearly. Fetterman isn’t triangulating or focus grouping his answers. The Lt. Governor speaks his mind.

The feeling for Fetterman is especially strong in Western Pennsylvania where Democrats outside of Pittsburgh are often heavily outnumbered. Fetterman speaks to them and for them.

Establishment politicians in the state were so afraid that Fetterman could not win a general election that they led poor Rep. Conor Lamb to slaughter in the Democratic primary.

The Pennsylvania Democratic establishment pushed for Lamb before they knew that the Republican primary would go off the rails and nominate a candidate who would struggle to win statewide.

The national media doesn’t get Fetterman, but Pennsylvania does, and it would not be surprising if John Fetterman won and helped keep Democrats in the Senate majority.