Is Manchin Considering Quitting the Democratic Party?

[Galraedia]

As the drama with intra-Democratic negotiations over the Build Back Better budget reconciliation bill intensifies even more, a report involving one of the story’s central figures is bound to get a lot of attention. Veteran Mother Jones reporter David Corn is hearing talk from Joe Manchin’s “associates” that he is mulling a party switch, which he will execute if and when he becomes definitively dissatisfied with his influence over his fellow Democrats. The report was very specific:

He told associates that he has a two-step plan for exiting the party. First, he would send a letter to Sen. Chuck Schumer, the top Senate Democrat, removing himself from the Democratic leadership of the Senate. (He is vice chair of the Senate Democrats’ policy and communications committee.) Manchin hopes that would send a signal. He would then wait and see if that move had any impact on the negotiations. After about a week, he said, he would change his voter registration from Democrat to independent.

The timing of this news makes it immediately suspect, and Manchin himself quickly brushed it aside:

Link to tweet

The transparent motive for Manchin to put out what Corn is reporting is, of course, to remind Democrats in general and progressives in particular that he can not only deny them his vote for the reconciliation bill but can threaten or even deny them control of the Senate. In other words: He’s not just one among many senators claiming leverage over this most consequential piece of legislation, but the Big One, if only because he’s willing to walk away from his party entirely if his demands aren’t met. So it’s a power play, not an actual threat — at this point, at least.

Read more: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/10/is-joe-manchin-considering-a-party-switch.html

[Thomas Hurt]

1. Who knows but if he does, the excuse will be "because I was driven to it and it is Biden's fault."

[Ocelot II]

2. Doubtful. If he switches sides he loses his power.

He'd be just another GOP senator who isn't fascist enough for them. He'd be an unpopular nobody. As a nominal Democrat he gets an enormous amount of attention and holds power over the party's goals.

[JohnSJ]

3. Exactly

[moondust]

10. Bingo.

Just another soldier in the back row who wouldn't last long among lockstep fascists.

The switching story *could* be a tactic to try to scare Democrats into submission.

[Shermann]

11. But but look how popular Mittens is over there! nt

[bottomofthehill]

18. If he switches parties they will give him anything he wants

[bottomofthehill]

19. McConnell would let him have his wife if that's what it takes to be the majority leader.

[C_U_L8R]

4. Seems like he quit being a Democrat a long time ago.

He must likes the perks.

[Bev54]

7. He has always been a right leaning democrat

We have always known that but he has voted for democratic policies far more than Sinema has. He is not going anywhere, as has been said he is important right now.

[easttexaslefty]

5. Don't let the door hit ya

Where the god lord split ya

[Ocelot II]

6. And turn the senate over to the GOP? That would be a pyrrhic victory, wouldn't it?

[lapucelle]

8. No. N/T

[Budi]

9. Sounds more like a Media Source in need of a headline.

Someone said some associate said...

Until it's announced by Manchin himself, it's bs.
Would "they" be happy with McConnell as Speaker?

Media's quite pleased with the profits Manchin is making them.
Truth or Lie isn't the point, profit still ranks #1.

"Money & Media"

[Galraedia]

13. More like a Manchin strategy to score points in West Virginia

It's just Manchin's way of getting attention and exposure to earn himself brownie points with the conservative base in West Virginia.

[Budi]

16. No0e. Media ran another 'Someone said, someone said' headline & everyone looks, clicks, repeats...

Manchin is a top dollar name for Corporate Media right now.
They live for this shit!$$$$

Truth or lie. Doesn't matter one wit.
Until he declares it himself, the intent of this story is suspicious, & profitable.
Big Corporate Owned Media thanks Joe Manchin, & those who feed them those sensational headlines..everybody win$
$$$$

[Generic Brad]

12. Nope. He leaked it because he needs leverage

He is losing bigly so he's playing his last card before he relents. No way he crosses the aisle to be last in line amount the GOP.

Sinema, on the other hand, remains a wild card and I wouldn't put anything past her. She does not behave logically.

[stillcool]

14. Definitely power play...if he is no longer

a Democrat, he loses whatever power he has. Goes to the other side and withers on the vine.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

15. On the Reidout, Corn is still sticking to his reporting

Link to tweet

[Budi]

17. Corn has no more clue than the rest of us. Someone said.....

Until Manchin says it, it's all a telephone game feeding the profits of Big Corporate Owned Media.

[PoliticAverse]

20. Manchin is reminding people what cards he holds. n/t