Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia described the Biden administration as far left, increasing speculation that he may be considering an independent bid for the White House.
President Joe Biden has struggled with his relationship with the moderate Democrat who has often challenged Biden’s legislative goals over the last three years.
While speaking with CNN, Manchin criticized the federal government. He described the current White House as being dominated by “far, far-left liberals.” Although he described the current president as a “good, decent man,” Manchin remained unsure of the long-term effects of a second Biden presidential term.
According to the report from Edward-Issac Dovere:Three years of exhaustion at Manchin upending Biden’s agenda has left the president and top aides keeping their distance, trying to sound out what he’s up to without risking riling him up by going to him directly. They hope Manchin will ultimately decide on his own against an independent run. But they know that a Democratic senator traveling the county warning that Biden has been pulled too far to the political left would be a problem, particularly as the president and his aides try to stitch back their 2020 coalition that ranged from Sanders supporters to anti-Trump Republicans.
The senator announced in November that he would not seek another term in Congress – opening up a seat he has held since 2010. Manchin, a former governor, was appointed following the death of Robert Byrd, the longest-serving member of the Senate who died at the age of 92 after just over 51 years and five months in office.
“I’ve never cared about where good ideas came from and I’ve never blamed one side for creating a problem nor believed that only one side can fix them,” said Manchin in a video statement released on X. “When America is at her best, we get things done by putting country before party, working across the aisle and finding common ground.”
Biden praised Manchin after his fellow Democrat announced his long-awaited retirement plans, complimenting the senator for his over 40 years spent in the service of “his beloved West Virginia.” He also highlighted their previously friendly relationship.
“During my time as Vice President and now as President, Joe and I have worked together to get things done for hardworking families. From the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – which is upgrading America’s aging infrastructure, to the PACT Act – which is making sure our veterans get the care they deserve, to the Inflation Reduction Act – which is strengthening our energy security and lowering prescription drug costs for our seniors, to the most meaningful gun safety legislation in three decades, we’ve made real progress,” the president said in a statement released by the White House. “I look forward to continuing our work together to get things done for the American people.”
Just under two weeks later, Manchin told radio host and billionaire John Catsimatidis that Biden “has been pulled so far to the left, the extreme left” and that he is “not the person we thought was going to bring the country together.”
“Washington wants you and I to be divided, and the rest of America to be divided because it’s a better business model for ’em,” he added. “I’ve decided to go around to see if I can mobilize the radical middle – the radical, moderate, sensible, reasonable, middle, modern part of this country.”
