Joe Manchin is trying to play spoiler - vows to mobilize the ‘radical middle’

"Joe Biden has been pulled so far to the left, the extreme left, as far as liberal".

Manchin is parroting what the MAGA crowd says. That's basically all you need to know about Manchin.

Oh, and by the way, John Catsimatidis is a human turd.

The problem R1, is that he will siphon votes away from Joe Biden, and not Donald Trump.

It's a HUGE problem. Especially if he's successful at "mobilizing the radical middle."

Does he really think he has a shot at becoming President?

What a laugh.

The "radical middle"?

As if.

He’s a prick.

He can shut his lie hole and crawl back to the holler he slithered out of.

[quote] Senate Democrats warn Manchin that running for president would risk disaster

Sen. Joe Manchin’s (D-W.Va.) flirtation with a third-party presidential bid after announcing his upcoming retirement from the Senate is sparking anxiety among Democratic senators who warn that Manchin would make a big mistake if he challenges President Biden.

Democratic lawmakers say that if Manchin runs for president as an independent, it will hurt Biden’s reelection chances and could result in what they view as the nightmare scenario of electing Donald Trump to a second White House term.

Democratic senators were less concerned about a potential Manchin presidential run a few months ago, when they thought he was still likely to run for another Senate term.

America is so far to the right that our political rhetoric is literally absurd. Claims like "Joe Biden is a radical leftist" aren't just immediately mocked and dismissed you can say this kind of stuff seriously and maintain a credible standing.

Which Democrats would vote for him? I'm having a hard time thinking of any that he would appeal to. On paper, doesn't he conform to moderate Republicans instead?

Who is the "radical middle"?

Everything Manchin said needs to be viewed through the Republican prism of lies, deceit and half-truths. So, when he says "Joe Biden has been pulled so far to the left, the extreme left, as far as liberal,” what he's really saying is that the right has gone so far off the conservative deep end that we really don't have a frame of reference for where our left is.

I have a friend who lives in London (at present) and when we discuss politics he reminds me that everywhere else in the world our "liberal left" is so far to the right as to be unrecognizable, and our right and far-right are pretty much insane. Our latest discussion ended up questioning that the Republicans have simply decided that if they can't own and control everything they'll just burn it all down with their belief being that when it's rebuilt it will somehow reckon closer to what they want (a Christofascist theocratic military dictatorship). The sad part is that our far left (mostly the younger generation) suffers with the same delusion as they spout demands that Biden withdraw all of our support for Israel while unconditionally supporting Palestine and otherwise they'll vote for Trump (despite knowing that it is his intent to end democracy, the rule of law and ultimately the American way of life).

[quote] Which Democrats would vote for him? I'm having a hard time thinking of any that he would appeal to. On paper, doesn't he conform to moderate Republicans instead?

Correct.

But in a game of turnout numbers, Biden may need those center-right votes to put him over the top--especially if the far left follow Rashida Taleb and Cardi B in sitting out the election because they don't understand politics and got their feelings hurt.

Secondly, pardon me if this has been said upthread but...have we considered the possibility that he's being PAID to be a spoiler? Yes, his hubris is legendary but so is his greed.

It’s the extreme center not the radical middle.

Manchin maybe running but only as VP. No one is going to thrown their money away supporting that Joe except for maybe the GOP. By himself he does not hurt Biden, Any more than he hurts trump.

As a VP with a popular head of the ticket he would be big trouble. Maybe Romney.

If so I’d not be surprised to see a 1/3 1/3 1/3 split in the votes. With the greens making the difference?

[quote] Secondly, pardon me if this has been said upthread but...have we considered the possibility that he's being PAID to be a spoiler?

That was my first thought, as well.

The way he ran for the exit to leave his seat in Congress?

Bullshit. Someone paid him to do it.

Some rich Republican who WANTS Manchin to be a spoiler.

Manchin doesn't give a shit. He wasn't a real Democrat any way..

There's no such thing as a "moderate Republican"

Get 'a load of this guy here who hates tRump but refuses to support President Biden because (...checks notes...) the presidency is too powerful, which stifles industry, which means we should install the wannabe dictator so we have justification for muzzling his power...

(or something)

"Who is the "radical middle"?"

Independents. I like Manchin.

Can't he just fuck off?

[quote]The problem [R1], is that he will siphon votes away from Joe Biden, and not Donald Trump. It's a HUGE problem. Especially if he's successful at "mobilizing the radical middle."

Is there any real evidence that there are more center-left voters looking for an excuse not to vote for Biden than there are center-right voters looking for an excuse not to vote for Trump?

[quote]Manchin may be running but only as VP.

Who the hell is going to put a 76-year-old conserva-Dem from West Virginia in the VP slot? This whole notion of "the center" being well to the right of Democrats just won't die no matter how many elections belie it.

Why, R15?

I find him to be a two-faced, back-handed, money-grubbing, egomaniacally-driven, half-witted, Christo-fascist good 'ole boy. Please explain what there is to like in that.

[quote] Is there any real evidence that there are more center-left voters looking for an excuse not to vote for Biden than there are center-right voters looking for an excuse not to vote for Trump?

In a race where the margin of votes in each SWING STATE is razor thin, It could absolutely make a difference to have Manchin in the race.

That is exactly how Al Gore lost to George W. Bush in Florida. By a miniscule number of votes.

Joe Biden will have an uphill battle with just Donald Trump in the race. He doesn't need other candidates sucking away votes.

R19, I was asking whether Trump or Biden would benefit most from a third-party Manchin campaign. You assume there are more Biden voters on the fence who would be attracted by Manchin because of his "centrist" policies. An argument could be made that there are more Trump voters on the fence who would be grateful for a conservative alternative to Trump's chaos. But in the end I doubt Manchin has the appeal to pull even a razor-thin margin from either side.

Manchin is not going to run at the top,of the ticket. But the No Name Party is trying to draft a ticket of Romney-Manchin, Romney has been quiet. Manchin seems to be active putting this together.

If Romney thinks Biden can’t win he may enter in an attempt to save the country from trump. Allegedly he has previously ruled out running so as to not hurt Biden, But if he thinks Biden can’t win.

The only old that would suffer in that 3 Party race would be those who come across as really old.

Biden-Harris

Romney- Manchin

Trump-Scott

That would be one wtf crapshoot.