Joe Manchin Explains His Reluctance To Endorse President Obama

[ProSense]

Joe Manchin Explains His Reluctance To Endorse President Obama

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) – who this week declined to align himself with President Obama over Republican rival Mitt Romney – offers some extended thoughts on why he remains undecided in 2012.

I strongly believe that every American should always be rooting for our President to do well, no matter which political party that he or she might belong to. With that being said, many West Virginians believe the last three and a half years haven’t been good for us, but we’re hopeful that they can get better. I have some real differences with both Governor Romney and the President, as I have said many times. I think there are many West Virginians like me who have deep concerns about Governor Romney understanding the challenges ordinary people face. And there are many West Virginians who believe that he’s out of touch, especially because of his plan to end Medicare as we know it and privatize Social Security.

With that being said, many West Virginians and I also have concerns about the Obama Administration when it comes to energy – coal in particular – and the need to get our financial house in order. Like all West Virginians, I will be watching very carefully as this race develops. Whoever is President, my first priority is the same – as always. I look for what’s best for West Virginia and the nation as a whole.

Manchin supported Obama in 2008.

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entries/joe-manchin-explains-his-reluctance-to-endorse-president

[Richardo]

1. The problem with sitting on the fence is that there's no place for your balls.

[Snotcicles]

15. I don't think thats a big concern for Manchin. nt

[Bolo Boffin]

31. The coal industry keeps Manchin's balls in a spent-out mine shaft. n/t

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Ah yes, we must never, ever mess with WV's coal industry.

[gateley]

3. That's a real problem -- States depending on something that a big chunk of the country

is trying to eliminate or impose restrictions on.

It boils down to the paychecks -- nobody is going to support a politician that deprives their area of revenue and most importantly their job.

That being said, is Obama coming down on the coal industry? I thought we felt he wasn't doing enough!

[banned from Kos]

5. yeah - the EPA will cost new coal-fired plants out of existence (love Lisa Jackson)

"politics is local" said some wise person.

[Kolesar]

6. Mercury and particulate emissions standards? eom

[banned from Kos]

9. Miners don't care.

I do. I support the EPA and Lisa Jackson 100%.

[Kolesar]

24. Are those standards what you are referring to?

Mercury and particulates?

[banned from Kos]

27. dogwood trees and ficus plants?

ferns and roots?

gas and coal?

We can put two things and a question mark together for days. I have no idea what you ask.

[Kolesar]

32. Boor ... eom

[spinbaby]

10. They don't need to.

The low price of gas has effectively ensured there will be no more coal-burning power plants.

[zipplewrath]

13. Pocket book politics

Alot of politics is based upon jobs and economic considerations. Iowa has its ethanol obsession, Detroit has always been concerned about the auto industry over other considerations such as the environment. Coal states are no different. I'm not sure how a progressive party ever confronts/addresses/considers these problems in the political arena. Democrats took some serious hits by addressing segregation within the party. The only real political "solution" is to find ways to bring in "other" industries to supplant the coal industry as the lead in to reducing/eliminating coal altogether.

"Clean Coal" is a ruse and been used by too many democrats as a way to avoid the hard problems here. How's about "clean jobs"? Maybe we could build this huge academey in W. VA and train people to provide a work force for all the H-1B visas being handed out.

[gateley]

20. Agree -- you can see that in how they vote in Congress. They ARE elected to represent their

constituents, and invariably they will vote to support something that keeps jobs in their State. Frustrating, but understandable. And the constituents care more about feeding their families than about anything else, which is no surprise.

I remember that Proxmire was hated in Washington State because he successfully thwarted SST travel, and WA wanted to pursue it because of Boeing.

I think the progressives are over a barrel and you're right about the only solution is to bring in other industries, but look at how much the Republicans are resisting any move toward that end.

And I so agree about clean coal -- that's always been my complaint about Schweitzer in Montana. I love him but have always been bothered by his enthusiasm for "clean coal". And of course I realized it's because he lives in Montana.

[banned from Kos]

4. I am no Manchin fan but he is in Appalachia - they are racist to the core.

better Manchin than any GOPer.

[sadbear]

7. Spoken like a man bought and paid-for by the coal industry

Might as well be a republican. He's about as useful to Senate Democrats as Joe Lieberman.

[Bake]

8. This guy is a DEMOCRAT???

Hell, Joe, freakin' RALPH STANLEY endorsed Obama! What the hell is YOUR problem???

Bake

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

11. Nothing new for Joe Liebermanchin

This is a guy who refused to endorse his party's progressive populist nominee for governor in 1996 and joined with other conservadems to campaign for her rightwing, coal executive Republican challenger.

It really baffled me when the national dems put him in charge of the Democratic Governors Association a few years back.

[BeyondGeography]

12. Your situation is pathetic, Joe

And so are you.

[razorman]

17. Are there any Democratic senators named 'Joe' who aren't turncoats?

[JoePhilly]

21. These guys are an embarasment to people named "Joe" every where, trust me.

Every time this idiot, or Lieberman, opens their mouth, I cringe.

And don't even ask me about "Joe the Plumber" ... whose first name is actually NOT Joe!!!!

God, I hate these nitwits.

[razorman]

29. I don't have much of a problem with 'Joe The Plumber'. He seems to be

saying what he believes. Fine. He has a right to do that. I may not agree with him, but a turncoat I cannot abide.

[JoePhilly]

30. Yea ... but his name is not JOE!!!! So his stupid statements appear to be from a "Joe".

It's bad enough having those other dopes make us look bad ... Joe the plumber takes his stupid, and passes it over to the Joe world.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

25. There used to be one: Joe Biden

[hfojvt]

14. uhm, Manchin is up for re-election

in a state Obama is probably not going to carry - again. McCain got 55.6% of the vote in 2008. Manchin has to convince people who are voting for Romney to also vote for Manchin or he loses the election.

I think he got some pretty good shots in against Romney while also distancing himself from Obama as he needs to do. His opponent is likely to want to hang Obama around his neck like a 10,000 pound albatross.

[sabrina 1]

23. Sen. Byrd spoke out against the Coal Industry's putting 'coal before people'. Maybe Manchin could

use some of Byrd's 'talking points', particularly the one where he pointed out that 'Coal is NOT WV's most valued resource, it's people are' as he educated them about the damaging, and often deadly effects of WV's Coal Industry's policies.

Sometimes, and I know it's a radical idea in the political world, people react far more positively to people who do what is right, who tell them the truth, than to those who see as political calculators who will say anything to get themselves elected. Maybe it's time to try that before it's too late for WV and the entire world regarding the environment.

[zorahopkins]

16. Come On West Virginia, Can't You Elect a REAL Democrat??

I don't pretend to understand West Virginia politics, but, HONESTLY, can't West Virginia elect a REAL Democrat to the Senate??

[MineralMan]

19. Probably not. WV is red as can be.

It shouldn't be, given its economic situation, but it is. Regional limitations on the electability of Democrats are real in many places. It's either a Blue Dog or a Republican. No progressives have a chance in those places. It's a sad fact.

[razorman]

18. Why is this guy even a Democrat? A senator from either party should be expected

to support his party's nominee. If he cannot bring himself to vote for that nominee, he should at least keep his mouth shut about it.

[LynneSin]

22. I hate to say this but as long as he supports the democrats in senate alignment

for now I'll deal with it.

[spanone]

26. walk away, joe.

get

[DisabledDem]

28. We have juat found the Zell Miller of the 2012 elections

[Odin2005]

33. It's because his state is full of racist bigots who hate Obama.