Manchin refuses to say whether he wants Democrats to win elections. "That's playing politics."

[DetlefK]

https://www.rawstory.com/joe-manchin-democrats/

"You seem to suggest this week that you might not support Joe Biden," ABC host Jonathan Karl noted, "if he's the Democratic nominee for 2024. What's the bottom line? If Biden is nominated by your party, will you support him? Will you vote for a Republican?"

"Everybody is worried about elections," Manchin complained. "That's the problem. It's the 2022 election, the 2024 election. I'm not getting involved. I'm not getting involved in that, Jon."

"Whoever is my president, that's my president," he added. "And Joe Biden is my president right now."

...

"Do you want the Democrats to keep control?" host Chuck Todd asked, referring to congressional majorities.

"Whatever the voters choose," Manchin replied. "I've always taken the approach, whomever you send me, that's your representative and I respect them. ... I don't play the politics that way."

[KarenS]

1. yep,,,

Cuz he's all about the cash.

[pwb]

2. Fuck our Media.

What stupid questions they come up with to appear clever.

[muriel_volestrangler]

12. It seems like a friendly, simple to answer question to me

"Do you want your party to have a majority?" "Well, yes, of course, why on earth would you need to ask?". That's what the answer should have been. Instead, a politician lies that he doesn't take part in politics.

[femmedem]

3. He gave the answer he needed to give to be reelected in WV.

I don't fault him for that.

And of course, if he really wanted Republicans to have control of the Senate, he'd change parties.

[OnDoutside]

5. I agree with you.

It's amazing how some posters still expect him to say otherwise. He's the Dems Susan Collins.

[muriel_volestrangler]

11. If you mean "he's still a waste of space like Susan Collins", then OK

If you mean you agree with the other poster that you don't fault him for it, then shame on you.

[OnDoutside]

31. That sounds like you're attacking a Democrat?

To be specific, I hope Fetterman and Barnes get elected, so that Democrats don't have to depend on the votes of the other two. Manchin is what he is and that's not going to change. If the Democrats can get this one over the line, then that adds to the massive accomplishment of all Democrats over little more than 18 months, and that would have included all the crucial votes of Manchin.

Susan Collins plays voters in Maine, Manchin plays voters in WV. It is what it is unfortunately.

[muriel_volestrangler]

32. It's a Democrat who won't publicly support other Democrats, even when given a chance

which is pretty damn pathetic. Susan Collins is a two-faced wanker. She doesn't just "play voters". And I don't think Manchin "plays voters in WV"; he plays the Democratic party, and enriches himself, as part of the fossil fuel oligarchy.

[femmedem]

18. Thanks! n/t

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. He gave a ridiculous answer, because he's a Democrat

It's incredible you "don't fault him for that". Deeply disappointing. He is, nominally, a Democrat, not an "independent". Is it too much to ask a Democratic politician to be held to the standard of DU, ie support other Democratic politicians?

[onecaliberal]

14. 👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻

[femmedem]

19. I find it ironic that I'm being attacked for supporting a Democrat here on DU

by posters who are attacking a Democrat for not being more supportive of other Democrats.

Do I wish the voters of WV would elect a Democrat more in line with my values, and, I presume, yours? Of course.

But he lives where he lives, he represents who he represents, and he says what he needs to say in order to continue being elected as a Democrat, thereby allowing us to retain control of the Senate.

If he took the bait and said he hoped that the Democrats retain control of Congress, Republicans would flood WV's airwaves with ads about Nancy Pelosi or AOC or whomever WV voters despise most, and then say that Manchin supports them. And the result would be that Manchin would go down in flames.

[onecaliberal]

20. It's about the highest bidder.

Compare his state on all first world standards.

[Boomerproud]

21. He's a coal baron who lives on a yacht.

nt

[femmedem]

16. In his case, the best way to support a Democratic majority is to refrain from saying so.

He manages to continue representing WV, a deep red state, by saying he's above political party affiliations. If he were to say he supports a Democratic majority, rather than saying sidestepping it by saying he supports letting the voters decide, he wouldn't just be running against whomever his Republican opponent is; he'd be running against all Congressional Rs and finding himself having to defend other Democrats whom WV voters loathe.

Sometimes saying the right thing is less important than doing the right thing--something Manchin clearly understands, as he kept quiet throughout the most recent reconciliation talks with Schumer until after the chips bill passed.

All that said, I'd never vote for him in Connecticut, where we can safely run much more progressive Democrats.

Sorry you find that incredible and deeply disappointing. But I hope you enjoy the rest of your Sunday, nonetheless.

[SMC22307]

13. If he came out swinging like Fetterman West Virginians would get on board.

[femmedem]

22. I suspect Fetterman or someone like him would do well in WV!

But unfortunately, I have a tough time seeing Manchin pulling that off. It's just not his personality.

[SMC22307]

37. Plus the Maserati and the yacht.

Evidently Fetterman just hit 1,000,000 individual donations and broke the all-time record for 2Q fundraising. I truly hope he CRUSHES Mehmet Oz in November!

[qazplm135]

23. Saying I'd like my party to win

is coming out swinging?

Why even be a member of a party if saying at a minimum that you want your party to win is too much to ask?

[SMC22307]

38. That's a good question for Manchin. Wasn't he interviewed recently...

where he said he wouldn't endorse Biden in 2024 because that's "playing politics" or something to that effect? Has Manchin EVER said he's a "proud Democrat"? I mean, I'll take the guy, he's ours, but how hard is it?

[msfiddlestix]

4. I'll take that as a great big fat "NO" as the answer to the question .OBVIOUSLY. n/t

[Bettie]

6. He wins either way

majority or minority, he profits.

[Phoenix61]

17. This. So much of this. nt

[LakeArenal]

7. He plays politics himself. He is not "real" in anyway.

[Sneederbunk]

8. Make him irrelevant in November.

[Fiendish Thingy]

10. Joe Manchin is a Fine American Statesman

…that’s all his fan club will allow me to say.

[onecaliberal]

15. He's about money. Beginning, middle, end.

[qazplm135]

24. funny thing is if he were a member of DU

and said the exact same thing, he'd be timed out.

[DetlefK]

29. DU certainly has a censorship-problem.

I got OPs deleted for posting a news-article that a certain somebody is getting donations from a certain somebody. Twice.

Because it's absolutely FORBIDDEN to badmouth Democrats on DU... unless those Democrats happen to be Manchin, Sinema or Gabbard, in which cases it's somehow perfectly fine to say bad things about Democrats.

[qazplm135]

30. You aren't really defending Gabbard are you?

I happen to think Manchin and Sinema deserve criticism but my goodness Gabbard is a special case.

[DetlefK]

34. A Democrat is a Democrat.

The DU rules clearly say that bashing of Democrats is not allowed. There a no exceptions for "Democrats that would be a better fit for the Republican Party".

[qazplm135]

35. yeah she isn't really

she's a nutjob.

If Donald Trump changed his voter registration to Democrat tomorrow would say, well, can't bash him, rules are rules!

[Elessar Zappa]

33. It's a private site.

The owners have the right to enforce rules. No one is forcing you to post here.

[qazplm135]

36. no rules

about discussing or even complaining about the rules though, so seems like they are fine with what they posted, no?

[Tom Rinaldo]

25. I ask very little of Joe Manchin. Actually two things...

1) That he vote for a Democrat to be Majority Leader in the Senate, and he has.

2) That he overall be more supportive of President Biden's agenda than is the case for any Senate Republican, and he is.

For the foreseeable future, his West Virginia Senate seat will become a Republican pick up as soon as Manchin is not on the ballot.

[muriel_volestrangler]

28. You might expect the Democratic Manchin to be more supportive than the Independent Angus King

but he isn't. The bar you're asking him to clear is on the ground. To set it lower, you'd need to dig a trench.

[purr-rat beauty]

26. Uh, isn't he a politician?

Bit more so A fucking rubber kneed yellow bellied sellout to democracy

[Mad_Machine76]

27. Interesting headline framing here in a recent WAPO story

“Manchin says he has reached deal with Democrats on economy, climate bill.”