Appearing on “Meet the Press” over the weekend, one of the most important Senators for the Democratic Party, the one who is somewhat moderate and so can go with Sinema to the Republicans or vote his party and side with the Democrats, suggested that he might be willing to run against Joe Biden in 2024. That senator, of course, is Joe Manchin.
His comments on the presidential question came when Todd asked him “So everything on the table, there’s basically only one other thing: the presidency. Is that something you would do outside the Democratic Party?”
Replying, Sen. Manchin said “The only thing I can tell you is what I will do is whatever I can when I make my decision, what I think is the best, that I can support and represent the people of West Virginia, but also be true to this country and the constitution of this country.”
Commenting on what Manchin’s response likely meant, Todd said “That sounds like something, somebody that’s looking for a way into national politics.”
The two then went back and forth for a second before Manchin said “I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that when I make my decision I make it based on what’s best, what I think I can do, to support, and best for my country and my state.”
Watch the exchange here:
WATCH: Sen. Joe Manchin indicates he may run for President in 2024
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 22, 2023
The comment about potentially running wasn’t all that Manchin had to say when speaking to Chuck Todd. He also sounded off on the lack of a proper budget, saying “I’ve been here 12 years. We haven’t had a budget yet. There’s nothing that holds us accountable. Nothing at all. We can say, ‘oh, we’re gonna do it,’ but as I’ve said before, 12 years, we haven’t had a budget. That’s ridiculous.”
Continuing on that point about the budget, he said “The process isn’t working. How come we’re not held accountable to have the appropriations bills done at a certain time before the end of the fiscal year… you know what happens, it rolls over into an omnibus bill at the end, everything’s thrown into it and, ‘Okay here. We got it guys. That’s it.’ It makes no sense.”
Further, Manchin appeared on CNN and discussed the debt ceiling situation, saying the he has a different stance than Biden and some other members of his party on negotiations over the debt ceiling, saying, when discussing the Biden Administration’s refusal to negotiate:
“I think it’s a mistake. This is a democracy that we have. We have a two-party system. And we should be able to talk and find out where our differences are. And if they are irreconcilable, then you have to move on from there and let the people make their decisions.”
He also said, when asked about his opinion on Sen. Dick Durbin, the Democrat Whip, and his refusal to negotiate on the issue “We just respectfully disagree. Every American has to live within a budget. If they don’t, they’re in trouble financially. Every business that is successful has to live within a budget. Every state has to live within a budget. Shouldn’t the federal government have some guardrails that say, ‘hey, guys, you’re getting over — you’re overreaching here and you’re overspending?‘”
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