Joe Manchin (D-WV) on MTP: John Lewis skipping Inauguration plays into Russia's desire to undermine

[Miles Archer]

By EMILY SCHULTHEIS CBS NEWS January 15, 2017, 11:48 AM
Senate Democrat Joe Manchin says John Lewis' decision to skip inauguration is "uncalled for"

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/joe-manchin-john-lewis-decision-to-skip-inauguration-is-uncalled-for/

Rep. John Lewis has announced he won’t attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, the first time he’s skipping the ceremony in three decades -- and one top Senate Democrat says Lewis’s move is “uncalled for.”

“I’ve got the utmost respect for Congressman Lewis, he’s an icon if you will and we all have the most respect for him,” Sen. Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) told CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “I just think that was uncalled for. Maybe -- I just wish that rhetoric would tone down from both back and forth.”

Manchin added that the rhetoric from both Lewis and Trump -- who lambasted Lewis on Twitter -- is “non-productive,” and would play into Russia’s desire to undermine American political institutions.

“The bottom line is if we’re concerned about the Russians and we know the Russians want to be involved, Putin wants to be involved in altering our process, then he will succeed if he sees this bickering going back and forth,” he said.

[Orrex]

1. I'm not from West Virginia, but Manchin appears to be full of shit.

Am I incorrect?

[WhiteTara]

3. I don't think so Orrex.

[Bradical79]

44. Mostly

I guess Manchin creates that sort of situation by chastising and undermining Democrats who aren't interested in normalizng Trump's treasonous victory. It's like self fullfiling prophecy since Manchin is actively working to make his claim fact, whether he understands it or not.

[WhiteTara]

2. F You, Joe Manchin

you are a swill slopping pig at the public trough.

[Sherman A1]

4. To the Esteemed Senator

Horse Hockey.

[bdamomma]

5. There is such a thing

about a persons moral compass.

I agree with Congressman Lewis, if he did attend this is just normalizing the tRump Russian puppet.

People have very short memories, this man/child promotes sexually assault, won't show his tax returns and is not qualified to be pResident. He is a true threat to the country.

[riversedge]

6. Nah. It is healthy to get this out in the open.

[neverforget]

7. Fuck you Joe. You're aiding the guy who was the recipient of Russian help.

And who is a fucking tyrant wannabe lying, racist, unAmerican piece of shit.

[Dawson Leery]

8. Is Manchin with Russia?

What about Tulsi Gabbard. Their behavior and deference and willingness to excuse Putin's actions forces many questions to be asked.

[JI7]

15. no he is with the racists in west virginia. in 2012 almost half the dems

Voted for some criminal in prison over Obama in the primary.

[Dawson Leery]

23. The next Democrat needs to kill of coal and make sure it never comes back.

Fuck that vile state!

[Docreed2003]

9. To equate Rep Lewis' sincere comment with rhetoric is disgusting

And tells me that Sen Manchin heard nothing of the message in what Rep Lewis said and cares little about the overt ignorance and racism in Trump's tweet.

[onecaliberal]

10. Oh for fucks sake....

[angstlessk]

11. Actual republians infiltrate the Democratic party..we should do the same!

[AgadorSparticus]

12. Manchin is a douchebag!!! We NEED more outspoken voices like Lewis!

That has been the PROBLEM. ..elected officials don't speak up enough. It is about time someone spoke up!!

[Chasstev365]

13. Just get it over with and become a Republican!

We DON'T need him in t b e Democratic Party.

[MFM008]

14. drop dead republican

shill.

[hatrack]

16. Fuck you, Joe

Just fuck you - that's all.

[vi5]

17. Oh great. We have our first "Not all dems" superstar...

The type who realizes giving the fascists bipartisan cover gets his ugly mug all over tv and invited on every talk show to prove how extremist the Democratic party is.

[malaise]

18. He's been undermining his own party for years

Fugg him

[kimbutgar]

19. Are them any Dems in W Va that can run against him?

Or is W VA so rethug it will be a lock on a rethug in 2018? What about the democratic governor?

[JI7]

25. any with a chance of winning will be like him or worse

This is west virginia.

[ananda]

20. Bullshit

All Dems should boycott the ignorguration!

It's the right thing to do!

[Solly Mack]

21. No

[dchill]

22. Robert Byrd...

He ain't.

[oasis]

29. He resembles the Robert Byrd of the late 1940's.

[NCTraveler]

24. If he shows up...

It should be in a shirt that says Black Lives Matter on the front and Dump Trump on the back.

[dalton99a]

26. Fuck Joe Manchin and his whole damn family.

[Feeling the Bern]

27. DU rules say I'm not supposed to attack Democrats. So right now, I am confused

Am I supposed to support this guy and attack Bernie Sanders?

Someone help me. He is a Democrat. . .Bernie isn't. Should I put Party over Principle all the time?

[dalton99a]

28. No Democrat should side with Donald Trump against John Lewis.

[theaocp]

34. Yes, support him. He has a D after his name.

That is all that matters. ALL THAT MATTERS. Am I coming through clearly? LMFAO at this clown.

[Feeling the Bern]

35. Alerting for the personal insult for calling me a clown. The post was sarcasm.

[theaocp]

36. I didn't call you a clown. That was aimed at the esteemed gentleman from WV. n/t

[DonCoquixote]

30. Joe

you were silent during so many times when the Democratic Party was attacked. You were silent so many times when your daughter prove to be an example of exactly why we needed the ACA. You were silent when Trump appealed to the coal miners, and you allowed them to demonize her, all because she didn't want them to all die of black lung!

It is one thing to say that we may need the help of blue dogs in order to go ahead and get our agenda across, it is another when we get sniped in the back by a fifth column within our own damn party! It's one thing for Joe to go ahead and talk about coal, after all his state is set to be little more than a place where people are happy for the privilege of being worked to death. Why the hell did Joe have to open his mouth on Sen. Lewis? How was this supposed to be serving the interest of his state?

I am sorry, but there is a difference between someone who has to do with his voters wanting to do, even if said voters are being suicidal, and someone who joins the gravy train and attacking a civil rights leader who is, under the crosshairs of the most racist president in the past 20 years!

This is not pragmatic behavior, it is out right deplorable behavior, and no those words were not chosen by accident. Even if some of us can debate whether or not Hillary's choice about word to describe a group of people was the wisest chest move, that does not mean that there is clear deplorable behavior coming from politicians that are supposed to be on our team!

[dalton99a]

32. +1.

[oasis]

33. Joementum rears his ugly head again. (eom)

[ellie]

31. This guy needs

to STFU

[rogue emissary]

37. No surprise.

He'll back Sessions as AG, but he thinks Lewis shouldn't defend himself.

[Tatiana]

38. And this is another example of how Joe Manchin is essentially useless as a Democrat.

Instead of supporting Democrats, he attacks them.

Seriously, he would rather attack other Democrats than stay out of the fray (as some conservative Dems are wont to do).

We really need to let this seat go. He's brings too much drama to the caucus.

Maybe Earl-Ray Tomblin could be a prospect when he finishes up his governorship.

[dalton99a]

39. Worse than useless in this case.

[yallerdawg]

40. This is an electable West Virginia Democrat.

Y'all said we needed 'the white working class.'

Just don't want to pay the price?

If Manchin gives us the 51st Senate Democrat (or 60th!) wouldn't that make this a better world?

[ecstatic]

41. Swearing tRumP in plays into Russia's "desire to undermine"

We're fcked either way... but thank you, Sen. Manchin (D-West Virginia), for using your platform to attack Lewis and normalize tRumP.

Oops, did I say thank you? I meant, fuck you!

[moondust]

42. Yes, everyone must march along

in lockstep with the Republicans and their sinister agenda no matter what they say or do because that will show the Russians and the aliens from outer space that we're united.

At least until everyone but a few Republicans is living in the street with nothing to eat and nowhere to go. Or dead.

Idiot.

[hrmjustin]

43. It would be nice if Machine used his brain cells.