Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) commented this week that his Democratic Party was becoming “increasingly Anti-American,” leading CNN’s Table For Five panelists to debate whether he was just “poking the bear” to get a reaction.

“He’s been rewarded with one of the biggest shifts I’ve ever seen within his own party in terms of popularity ratings,” said CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten. “His net popularity, his net approval rating, has shifted like 100 points in the wrong direction among Democrats from where he was at the start of his term.”

“It’s pretty amazing,” said host Abby Philip.

“He’s now 40 points under water with Democrats,” Enten continued. “He is in a positive net approval rating with Republicans, and that leaves him in the political wilderness, whereby he is being cited, you know, oftentimes on Fox News, while Democrats are consistently distancing themselves from him. And I just have to wonder what exactly is his political future?”

Phillip rolled tape on Fetterman and Bill Maher laughing over President Donald Trump’s “quiet piggy” admonishment to a female reporter.

“I mean, it’s interesting because Fetterman is the one who brings it up and is laughing about it,” Phillip said. “But again, this is why it goes for some liberals beyond, ‘Well, we disagree on policy issues.’ He’s — to them, it’s a character thing.”

“Well, to your point, ‘poking the bear’ — I feel like he’s doing this, at least to me,” said CNN contributor Cari Champion. “I don’t think that he’s doing this because he wants to unify and have one voice and be a part of the common sense caucus.”

“I was having dinner with someone the other night and they were dead set on why they liked Fetterman,” she continued. “They thought that he was a tough guy. He had his own opinion. He was doing what he wanted to do, and he was speaking from his heart.”

She added:

I can’t relate to that, that “tough guy,” that “machismoism” that I’m feeling and hearing. And certain men really respond to that. And I think when you hear him say “anti-American,” I think he thinks what Trump is doing is tough and strong… And those things he relates to, and people are giving him credit for being — or Bill Maher is saying, “It’s so refreshing to see how honest you are.” And in my mind, I’m like, Well, is he being honest or is he being a frat boy?

Watch above via CNN.

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