Manchin Is Going to Tick off More Dems Big Time With His Latest Remarks – Opinion

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) were both on CNN’s “State of the Union”  with Jake Tapper Sunday to talk about bipartisanship.

The topics they covered were diverse.

Manchin on Build Back Better: “That bill no longer will exist … my biggest concern and my biggest opposition: it did not go through the process … it should’ve gone through the committee.” pic.twitter.com/mhTjvxDIra

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 6, 2022

Manchin reiterated for anyone who didn’t get the message yet that Build Back Better – as conceived – was dead, “that bill no longer will exist.” He’s already made it very clear, but some Democrats have refused delivery on his refusal. He said his main objection to it was that it didn’t have Republican Senatorial Committee input on it.

Talking, Manchin and Murkowski shared a moment which is sure to tickle the Democrats. Manchin said that he would be “endorsing my dear friend, Lisa Murkowski.”

Joe Manchin drops a little news on CNN’s State of the Union: “I’m endorsing my dear friend Lisa Murkowski. Alaska couldn’t be more fortunate to have Lisa continue her service. pic.twitter.com/tgZWGnBxUF

— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) February 6, 2022

“She knows I feel that way, too, very strongly,” Manchin told CNN’s Jake Tapper. “It’s hypocritical to basically work with a person day in and day out, and then when they’re in cycle you’re supposed to be against them just because they have an R or D by their name. If these are good people I’ve worked with, we have accomplished a lot, why in the world wouldn’t I want to work with them and continue to work with them?

“It doesn’t matter if I’m a Democrat, and they’re a Republican, or vice versa,” he added. “They’ve been my dear friends, we get a lot accomplished and I think the country has fared better with us working together than not.”

Manchin, one the few moderates of his party made a similar move when he supported and offered to run for Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Maine in 2020.

It’s anticipated that Murkowski will be in a tough fight in the next election. There are multiple contenders for Murkowski’s primaries, including Kelly Tshibaka who has been endorsed by Donald Trump and is an ex-commissioner of the Alaska Department of Administration. Sarah Palin suggested that she could be interested. Murkowski might be in real trouble. It is possible that she will not make it to the general election as a Democrat. There’s no Democratic candidate. But this doubtless will infuriate Democrats that he’s endorsing a weak Republican who could very well be taken out.

Also, they discussed the Electoral Count Act. Now, it’s not clear how that would be written up or shaken out, but anything that Democrats are pushing with their efforts to grab power has to be a concern, especially if they want to overturn existing laws. They have between 15 and 20 employees, he said.

Tapper then pushed Murkowski about ‘voting rights,’ where she should have said that there is no threat to voting rights posed by Republican bills. But Murkowski being Murkowski, she didn’t say that. Talking about the issues they thought could be a common cause, she only mentioned protecting electoral workers. This is what we all want. The Democrats have lied about it all. She didn’t even make the effort.

Finally, Manchin spoke about how he was “an American first.” This is how every senator and representative should feel; unfortunately, he is rare among Democrats in thinking this, it seems.

“I am an American. Prior to all other things, I’m an American. I am proud of my country.” God bless you, @Sen_JoeManchinGod bless West Virginia. Joe Biden has done far more to unite us than you. You have done much more.#BoycottBoston #BankruptBoston pic.twitter.com/NjgqntswZ9

— Fibci (@Fibci2) February 6, 2022