West Virginia Democrat Senator Joe Manchin has been a thorn in Barack Obama’s side for years, repeatedly challenging the president over his overreaching actions in the White House.
Well, now that Obama’s liberal legacy is in jeopardy with President-elect Donald J. Trump, the outgoing president is trying to save his disastrous ObamaCare, but Manchin has refused to help Obama in his efforts.
Just spoke to Joe Manchin – confirms he will skip Obama’s Hill meeting today.
“All respect to President Obama, but it’s just wrong.”— Phil Mattingly (@Phil_Mattingly) January 4, 2017
Obama is set to travel to Capitol Hill Wednesday to meet with Congressional Democrats, but Manchin told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that he will not be attending the meeting, insisting that such a partisan gathering goes against what the American people voted for in November:
In good conscience, I can’t do it. If anyone listened and paid attention to what the American people said when they voted, they want this place to work. We have the outgoing president coming up here today to talk to only Democrats. Only Democrats. We have the incoming vice president coming up to talk only to Republicans. Joe, that’s not what makes this place work and that is really what is wrong with the place. I just think it’s absolutely wrong.
While Manchin has refused to meet with Obama in this highly partisan meeting, as of now he won’t join with Republicans in the Senate in supporting a full repeal of ObamaCare, claiming that the law is “not perfect” but he doesn’t want to “throw the baby out with the bath water” by getting rid of a law that he thinks is working, despite millions of Americans feeling otherwise.
In the past, Manchin has vocally spoken out against Obama’s anti-coal agenda, arguing that the president’s left-wing environmental policies have severely damaged the West Virginia economy. Even though he does not support a full repeal of ObamaCare, the West Virginia Democrat once again has taken a vocal stand against the president by refusing to engage in a purely partisan all-Democrat meeting with Obama.
H/T: Politico
Given Manchin’s repeated battles with President Obama and members of his own party, do you think the West Virginia Democrat would fit in better with the Republican Party? Share your thoughts below!