What's The Height of Absurdity? A Guy Standing On his $700,000 Yacht, Telling Progressive Activists

[TrollBuster9090]

...in a $200 kayak that they're on the 'same page.'

And when he starts blathering about an 'entitlement mentality,' he's not even in the same book, in the same LIBRARY!

[mahina]

1. Was Manchin on a fancy boat?

If so, bravo to those folks!

[Rhiannon12866]

2. They said on the news that this is where he lives when he's in D.C.

[TrollBuster9090]

5. Yep. He has a 40 foot yacht that he lives on while the Senate is in session. And yes, bravo to

...to whomever thought up the idea of confronting him on his $700,000 yacht. That was a real body blow in terms of his political optics, and carefully crafted image of being a 'regular Joe.'

[Bev54]

3. I hope someone shows him the poll that Rachel quoted tonight

When they polled W Virginians on the reconciliation package of 3.5 T 48% wanted it and 48% didn't. When the pollsters explained to them how it would be funded by taxes the wealthy and corporations etc then the approval of the package was 70%. He needs to see that poll and then tell us how conservative he is and how he is doing what his constituents want him to do.

[TrollBuster9090]

4. Agreed!

But sadly, I think he'd only be moved if a poll showed that 70% of COAL COMPANIES are in favour of the reconciliation bill.

[BlueLucy]

7. Yes but those folks prioritize culture issues. nt

[UTUSN]

6. *Thank* you for saying "yacht" - I was going to say it but held back thinking

somebody would excoriate me as not knowing a "houseboat" from a yacht.

*********MAGNIFICENT********* activists, intelligent, informed, idealistic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[XanaDUer2]

14. I called it a yacht in another thread. Nt

[BigmanPigman]

8. I listened to Rachel Maddow covering this

while I was making my Women's March sign. I didn't see it but looking at this photo now I would say he either has poor taste in yachts or perhaps he isn't getting as much from the coal companies as he had hoped.

[jg10003]

9. since we are the fact based party; manchin's boat is

A 65 foot houseboat for which he paid $220,000. It was bank owned, which means it was repossessed. So he got a good deal if the boat was in good condition (which repossessed boats are often not). Also the age of the boat is important. Houseboats depreciate faster than a motoryacht of the same size. I tried Googling the make and year of the boat but was unsuccessful. It looks to me that manchin has a reasonably priced houseboat (not a yacht) which is his residence in Washington. Considering housing costs in the D.C area, I don't think he is being extravagant. That is probably the only good thing I will ever say about Joe Manchin.

For more on this see Politifact
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2018/sep/28/national-republican-senatorial-committee/does-joe-manchin-have-700000-luxury-yacht/

[Raine]

10. Yes, my understanding is he lives on a houseboat not a yacht

I'm sure I saw a clip of it on one the networks and it didn't look like anything special.

[Irish_Dem]

11. Yes but large boats are seen as luxury items. Hard to fight the reality of public perception.

And we know Manchin is wealthy. The houseboat is just symbol of his wealth in the public mind.

[LeftInTX]

12. Also, I don't have TV, so I don't know if there were interactions between kayakers & Manchin

But there does not seem to be as much security as a residence.
It also doesn't look like it is very secure for the kayakers either...(They could tip and there are all those other boats etc)

[fescuerescue]

13. That's actually a rather cheap way to live in Washington DC really

Although the slip fees are probably pretty high.

[WarGamer]

16. and definition of yacht usually implies a hired crew.

[jg10003]

17. Not true, yachts up to 65 feet are usually owner operated.

[Patton French]

15. Found this article about it.

There’s a video of him coming to the side and talking to them.

https://www.newsweek.com/joe-manchin-ambushed-yacht-activists-infrastructure-bill-1634593?amp=1

[Blue Owl]

18. The height of absurdity is also the depth of depravity in this case