In a year scarred by so many individuals, from celebrities to academics to mere social media users, resorting to pathetic groveling in response to bullying and threats of repercussions for rightful conduct or simply stating an opinion that does not conform to Woke World cant, Sen. Joe Manchin’s refusal to be a weenie stands out like the shining city on the hill. And after several frustrating days in which I have been searching my data banks to find ten public figures I could justifiably say I admired, Senator Manchin has made the list. (I’m still three short.)
Today Manchin responded to the White House’s attack on him for staying true to his principles, telling West Virginia radio host Hoppy Kercheval,
[ Speaker Pelosi and Senate Leader Chuck Schumer] figured surely to God we can move one person. Sure that we can badger and beat one person up. Surely we can get enough protestors to make that person uncomfortable enough they’ll just say ‘Okay I’ll vote for anything,” just quit… ‘I’m from West Virginia. I’m not from where they’re from and they can’t just beat the living crap out of people and think they’ll be submissive. Period…[I told them]this is a 50-50 Senate. You all are approaching legislation as if you had 55 or 60 Senators or Democrats, and you can do whatever you want. Well, you know what? We’re all a little bit diverse, I said. I’m not a Washington Democrat. I’m fiscally responsible and socially compassionate. Now, if there’s no Democrats like that, then they have to push me wherever they want me.
Unfortunately, Manchin also exonerated President Biden for the harsh words aimed at him once his decision to oppose the “Build Back Better” bill was announced. “It’s not the President,’ Manchin said. “It’s the staff. And they drove some things and they put some things out that were absolutely inexcusable. They know what it is. And that’s it.” Manchin’s wrong about that, and wrong to let Biden escape responsibility. It’s his staff, and if he isn’t controlling their actions, then that is a big problem. If they are controlling his actions, it’s an even bigger problem.
Still, no weenie he.
Ethics Alarms 
(Jack, it’s Manchin.}
Fixed. Thanks I’ve always gotten him mixed up with the Haunted Mansion.
Jack, maybe you can fit in a Henry Mancini Christmas carol in honor of the “Manchini” family in my father’s home state. Or maybe even throw in John Denver’s “Country Roads.” (Boy, he was a talent that died too young. Schmalzy at times, but still, a genuine talent.)
From Joe’s wiki page: “The name “Manchin” was derived from the Italian name “Mancini”. His father was of Italian descent (from the town of San Giovanni in Fiore, and his maternal grandparents were Czechoslovak immigrants. He is a member of the Friends of Wales Caucus. [what the fuck? ed.]
Manchin’s father owned a carpet and furniture store, and his grandfather, Joseph Manchin, owned a grocery store. His father and his grandfather both served as Farmington’s mayor. His uncle A.J. Manchin was a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates and later the West Virginia Secretary of State and Treasurer.”
My father’s dear sister married Eduardo Pataleoni, who became Ed Patton. Is this a great country or what?
Nice to know Joe’s a paisan. Surprised he hasn’t been invited to march in NY as an honored guest, or maybe he has been and just wasn’t able to make it.
Actually, I like his saying, “It’s his staff.” He’s one of the first politicians and certainly the highest ranking and most prominent and level-headed to come right out and say Joe’s a sock puppet and Ron Klain is the leader of the free world.
I had the same thought. It’s not a GOOD answer. But maybe it’s an honest one. You think Trump would ever blame a deal going through on his staff’s inability to get it over the goal line?
Actually, my read is that it’s Manchin’s way, at least in part, of continuing to support the president. I think he sees himself as a loyal Democrat and Biden’s the head of the party. He just doesn’t see himself as an insane Democrat, hence finally drawing a line he won’t cross.
So I think it is still possible for Manchin to vote for some of the stuff that’s in the bill. However, that would require Schumer and Pelosi to repackage it and pair a program they want (such as pre-K) with the taxes to ‘pay’ for it.
Are the Progressives willing to accept half or a quarter of a loaf or would they prefer nothing?
So far, their stance has been all or nothing.
They’re Bolsheviks, DG. They’re perfectly willing to let them eat cake. Fuck half a loaf.
I realize that — but it is them who have to choose how much of a loaf they want to eat, or go without.
For myself — I am perfectly happy with the cake Manchin’s provided. I like cake. 🙂
I can’t get enough of liberal tears and angst — the gnashing of teeth is making my whole month.
Does that make me a bad person?
I guess Santa will be delivering a lump of carbon in Glenn’s stocking this year, so I’ll take the further opportunity and say that the Democrats are showing roughly the same intellectual acuity as said lump by attacking their 50th vote in the Senate on absolutely anything.
I’d shake my head, but it would look incongruous with my ear-to-ear grin.
If inflation doesn’t consume my entire retirement savings and render me indigent, I’ll probably send Senator Manchin a thank-you card someday because he’ll be partially responsible for my better prospects.
Glenn will fucking be here all fucking week, folks. Awesome.
Headline from Real Clear Politics: “Manchin: ‘Biden Administration is Staff Driven.'” Hah. Ya think, Joe?
Is there a possibility that Manchin is standing up for more than just himself and his constituency? It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s taking the heat for several other dems who agree with him but don’t have the guts to step up. There could have been an “understanding” worked out among such a group so that only one (all that was needed) had to take the hit.
I like the way you’re thinkin’ Wim. Interesting how Kirsten Sinema has disappeared of late. There have to be other careerist Dems who are sheltering in place … in their foxholes.
Yeah, I haven’t yet seen any indications that every one of the other 49 dem senators are united in “outrage” at Manchin. Could be that even more of the not-quite-psycho ones up for reelection in not-totally-safe states, even if not working with Manchin, are also mentally thanking him for giving them a bit of hope for remaining employed after November, 2022. All the speculation percolating to the surface about clearing out both Biden and Harris indicates they know SloJo isn’t helping their chances.
“It’s his staff.” Doesn’t that really explain what is going on in the Biden Administration? His staff is Obama’s people and they are pulling the strings. Klain is driving the decisions and telling Biden what to say.
As for the bill’s failure, is an inclined to think they are doing a bit of the Washington Waltz: two steps forward, one step back. The gnashing of teeth is merely cover for their regrouping. We haven’t heard the last of this bill.
jvb
Jack et al.,
I absolutely agree that Manchin has the stones to stand up, especially when he thinks he’s being bullied. I also acknowledge as likely true the theory that a small group of “moderate Democrat Senators” (does such a creature really exist?) may have struck a deal with Manchin to take one for the team. (All politics is local, except within the DMV boundaries, I think, so taking one for the team makes sense, perversely, to me.)
Who exactly is the “team” in the Democratic caucus in the Senate? We can come up with a guess, though Sinema of AZ doesn’t quite fit the pattern I’m thinking about, necessarily. I’d be looking for Dems in the Senate who are up for reelection in ’22 (more likely) or ’24 (less likely—voter memory is a fickle thing—but Sinema is in that class) and then, among that group, ask which among them would have a more difficult campaign of they didn’t have someone else sacrifice themself over this monstrosity. This may be true, but I’m originally from NYC and I’m a skeptic most of the time.
A blog on RedState planted a fertile seed in my mind. What have we seen since Sunday’s announcement? Jen Psaki giving a tongue-lashing to Joe Manchin? Other staff surrogates chastising him, too? But the real tell, I think, is the weak-ish response from Pelosi and Schumer, who I think are performing a carefully choreographed dance. True, with a 50/50 Senate, Manchin sticks a fork in reconciliation. But, the real question is whether or not it’s truly dead, the wailing from the House Progressive Caucus notwithstanding? True, Joe’s announcement makes it 49 yeas vs 51 nays. However, can Mitch, for the next 12 months (through 3 Jan ’22) really hold his caucus? What about Murkowski or others of her ilk; there must be 4 of them & all it would take is 2 defections to make Manchin’s gesture futile and not even need Harris in the chair. Bernie is right on this one, insofar as forcing a floor vote would hold Manchin accountable but, unfortunately for Bernie, I think is would squeeze the 2 or 3 squishy Republicans (whom Mitch might not be able to whip) to break the cardinal rule and vote against their re-election’s interests. If Schumer doesn’t call this for a vote (not just a phony “test” vote), the Republican side of the Senate Chamber will be a very scary place until Jan ’23, presuming it flips next year.
Just a few late night speculations. My gratitude and humility for the intellects whose comments I read here daily.
More Bill
I don’t see any GOP defections on this one. They would have nothing to win and everything to lose, and there’s no president they can’t stand from their own party to stick a middle finger up at. Schumer’s already talking about “playing hardball” with Manchin and an article I just read said the president needs to grab Manchin by the lapels and scream in his face. This shows you just what kind of people the left and the media (but I repeat myself) are. If someone won’t give them what they want, then they think it’s perfectly justified to act like street thugs. But go ahead, try and bludgeon Manchin into changing his vote. It’s just proof that the Democratic Party is made up of children in grown-up bodies. Actually, it’s proof that the Democratic Party is made up of people who display all the worst characteristics of children: arrogance, selfishness, greed, excessive certitude, undeserved confidence, a complete inability to compromise or take no for an answer, quickness to not just anger but to go from zero to sixty in one second, and a distressing tendency to resort to force or other bullying when they don’t get their way and manipulation gets them nowhere. This unleashing of “protesters” to harass legislators and even follow them into the bathroom is really no different than bullies following a targeted kid home and (at least one time that I remember) past his front door to attack him (that didn’t go down very well when the target’s mom told the bully to leave in no uncertain terms and the target’s father later had a little talk with the bully’s father about what the consequences would be if he did something like that again). In fact, “protesters” is becoming just a cover term for what those who do this really are: mobs. Now the party members themselves are acting like mobs. What’s next, is Schumer going to come on the Senate floor and cane Manchin while Bernie Sanders holds the other senators at gunpoint?
Kudos for the Sumner reference, although perhaps AOC would be the appropriate person to do the deed.
Apparently the left thinks that everyone will back down and acquiesce if they are bullied enough. To be sure, the empirical evidence has shown that not to be a bad bet. But there are always people who refuse to be bullied. In fact, some people, close to where Senator Sanders lives, once upon a time made a flag to illustrate that point. It actually is part of the DNA of us as Americans (I’m looking at you, mask mandate).
I am thrilled that Manchin does seem to have staked out this hill as his to die on. I feared that he too would cave, but it now seems not. Let’s celebrate this and go forward from here.
M.B.: Well, with elections being almost a year away yet, anything could happen in politics. Still, I lean towards Steve-O’s view that rhinoesque Republicans can’t afford to seem as “squishy” as they might normally be inclined to be. SloJo is increasingly toxic, even in the sane quarters of his own party. In spite of the gaslighting attempts from his handlers and the media, everyone who is not delusional can see with their own eyes the evidence of the damage caused by his incompetence.
They can see that prices are up significantly on the things they need every day, like fuel and food. They realize that significant inflation may be just around the corner. They see bare or skimpily stocked shelves and item limits, and know who didn’t bother to keep an eye on the supply chain while managing to make an absolute hash of the southern border. They see the president stomping on America’s energy production, giving the Russians a pass, and begging for foreign oil when we were energy independent a year ago. They know this affects the cost of everything, and they’ll be particularly reminded of this when they start receiving this season’s heating bills. They still see a plethora of “help wanted” signs, and know the touted unemployment stats are bogus.
If they’ve paying attention, they’ll also be aware of the lies, illegalities, and media manipulation that put this clown show in place, and the increasingly authoritarian bent of those now in power.
At the moment, I don’t see how a single Romneypublican would risk tying himself to this mess.
Arrrrghhhh…No “h” in “rinoesque”, of course.
I am, of course, glad that Manchin did what he did, but his follow-up remarks sounded to me like, ” If they had sent me candy and flowers instead of heckling and mau-mauing me, I might have been able to support their bill.” Manchin has had no “road to Damascus” conversion to abandon spendthrift Dem policies, so don’t be surprised when he returns to the fold soon.
Well, you can’t have everything. Manchin is not especially articulate or inspiring.