Fox News' Chris Wallace Confronts Joe Manchin Over 'Being Naive' About Bipartisan Cooperation

[truthisfreedom]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Omaha Steve (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: Newsweek

Fox News anchor Chris Wallace confronted Senator Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, asking him whether he was "being naive" about the possibility of bipartisan cooperation given the current partisan divisions. Since President Joe Biden took office and Democrats narrowly won control of the Senate, Manchin has emerged as one of the most powerful people in Washington, D.C. The moderate Democrat has repeatedly emphasized the need for bipartisanship and opposed ending the Senate's legislative filibuster—putting him at odds with many Democratic colleagues. With an evenly split Senate, Manchin's support or opposition to Democrats' legislative priorities has become a key factor in determining whether they move forward or not.

Wallace questioned Manchin over his views on bipartisanship during an interview on Fox News Sunday this weekend.

"If you were to keep the idea that maybe you would vote to kill the filibuster, wouldn't that give Republicans an incentive to actually negotiate? Because 'Old Joe Manchin's out there and who knows what he's gonna do.' By taking it off the table, haven't you empowered Republicans to be obstructionists?" the Fox News host asked.

Manchin responded by saying he doesn't "think so." The Democratic senator argued that there are still a number of Republican senators who vote for "what they know is right, the facts as they see them—not worrying about the political consequences."

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/fox-news-chris-wallace-confronts-joe-manchin-over-being-naive-about-bipartisan-cooperation-1597970

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Wallace makes some surprisingly astute observations. He makes Manchin look like he hasn’t thought things through at all.

[captain queeg]

1. I like Chris. I'm surprised Fox hasn't dumped him yet.

[tosh]

32. Indeed,

he is the only one there who might be considered a journalist.

[CanonRay]

2. There seem to exist only three possibilities

Mancin is naive
Mancin is an idiot
Mancin is paid off

[mpcamb]

5. I pick 1, 2 and 3.

[irisblue]

10. 4- like Graham, a foreign power has something on his family or him

[Rebl2]

15. It does make

you wonder.

[mopinko]

40. or a domestic one.

let's never forget that rupert murdoch tapped the royal's phones.

[LudwigPastorius]

22. You forgot, 4) Manchin is a spineless triangulator.

He's afraid that taking an unequivocal stand with the Democratic Senate will cause him to lose the narrow margin of voters that reelected him in 2018.

He wants to be all "mavericky"...i.e. the next John McCain...and appeal to some voters in both parties.

[True Blue American]

35. Manchin won 49% with

Republicans voting for him.

[LymphocyteLover]

44. mostly #3 I'm afraid

[MurrayDelph]

48. 4) He is an old man, too stubborn to see he might be wrong

(which, admittedly, may be just a variant of #1)

Example from my life:

My late father, knowing my niece (his only other heir) and I did not get along, refused to codify his estate distribution, insisting it would force us to sit down and work things out. Our neighbor and oldest friend (by all definitions: her son and I have been friends for over 55 years) has a PhD in psychology and family counseling, and couldn't disabuse him of this fantasy.

The day my father died, my niece drove 50 miles to go to my father's bank (before they could be notified of his death), where she emptied his accounts and safe box. She then sued me to try to grab as much of the family memorabilia as she could (including things that had been in my house for decades).

All of this was predictable, but he wouldn't hear it.

Joe Manchin would have liked my dad

[SunImp]

53. too stubborn to see he might be wrong

That seems very common for entrenched people on both sides of the aisle

[Buckeye_Democrat]

3. Even Chris Wallace thinks he's a fool!

In private, Wallace probably shared stories of the fascism regularly promoted by top brass at Fox.

[brush]

4. Let's face it. Manchin is out of his depth. His naivete is showing...

in thinking 10 republicans are going to vote for the Biden/Dem agenda.

He's either naive or gaslighting us all as a closet republican in sheep's clothes.

IMO he's just not that smart and doesn't realize this current republican party doesn't work across the aisle for the good of the nation as it once did. They wouldn't even vote to investigate Jan.6.

[Walleye]

6. That's it, not too bright,in my opinion

[DownriverDem]

9. Here's his problem

WV is a very red state.
WV 2020 Election Results
Donald Trump Mike Pence 545,382
Joe Biden Kamala Harris 235,984

[brush]

12. We know all that. He's got to take one for the team now.

He's not up for re-election until '24 anyway. By then once Biden's agenda passes, WVa will have multiple infrastructure projects going with good jobs for the out of work coal miners. The voters will be grateful to him for bringing home the bacon.

IMO the man is just not too bright in insisting on this quixotic bi-partisan ship that is just not going to happen.

[moose65]

16. But he's not up for re-election until 2024

All of this will be ancient history by then. And if the infrastructure bill passes the Republicans will be out there taking credit for it anyway.

Manchin seems to me as if he doesn’t live in the same world we live in.

[tecelote]

18. A Republican plant.

DINO - Democrat In Name Only

[True Blue American]

36. Manchin has said

He wants to run for Governor again.

[FBaggins]

46. And Jim Justice is term-limited out in 2024 nt

[oasis]

29. Even the several Republican senators who are retiring refuse to

go along with Biden's "Build Back Better" agenda.

Mitch McConnell holds all the cards as long as Manchin allows him to. Manchin is fully aware of his power over what gets done and what gets kicked to the curb.

[mopinko]

41. he needs to be tasked with finding those unicorns.

they can stand up and say- i'm not voting for this bill, but let's get on w it.
up or down vote.

[DownriverDem]

7. I called him

and left a message. 202-224-3954

[Traildogbob]

8. Manchin not only

Has black lung, he has black brain. The coal dust in caked in there.

[Etherealoc1]

11. Chris Wallace asked

Everything that everyone was thinking
and all I heard from Manchin was a bunch of excuses.

Manchin's re election is all that matters to him. Without the Dem vote he's toast because there wouldn't be enough Republicans to push him over the finish line.

[OrlandoDem2]

13. That's the next question. Are you simply posturing to keep power as a senator from WV?

That’s all he wants. Power. He doesn’t care about America. He cares about Manchin.

[Yavin4]

14. Why don't he and Sinema produce these 10 Republicans?

Demonstrate to everyone that bi-partisanship is possible.

[moose65]

17. Good question

They should be put in charge of bipartisanship and see what they come up with!

[Joinfortmill]

24. ROFL

[BradAllison]

31. Please

John Cornhole will probably donate to Krrryyysttian's opponent. She's another dummy.

[LymphocyteLover]

45. they should be asked this 100 times a day every day

[Tree Lady]

47. Very true when he says there are some republicans

That do the right thing, true maybe 2 or 3 but never the 10 to pass anything. Thats what I would have said to him.

It's completely obvious that he is in a Trump state scrambling to stay in office playing both sides.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

19. Manchin: There are still Republican senators who vote for "what they know is right."

Name ten.

[Stuart G]

20. I had forgot that Chis Wallace is the son of Mike Wallace...

Chris is a class act...not to be fooled around with.

[elleng]

26. Right

[hadEnuf]

21. When Fox Propaganda even thinks a Democrat being a fool for the GOP....

[Joinfortmill]

23. Sigh.

[SharonClark]

25. Wallace is right.

Manchin is enabling GQP’s partisan obstructionism.

[KPN]

27. The fact that Manchin is a conservative Democrat makes it clear enough on its own that

Manchin "hasn't thought things out." He's really not very thoughtful, but likes to sound as if he is. Frankly, I think he's only in it for himself. Oh sure, he tells himself that he is doing or meaning good things for the country and for the people. So do we all. The difference is many of us really are.

[elleng]

28. 'By taking it off the table, haven't you empowered Republicans to be obstructionists?"

[Deminpenn]

39. An underated, but excellent point

McConnell and other Rs would come to the table very fast if they knew the legislative fillibuster was in danger of being eliminated. The entire reason they aren't is exactly because Manchin doesn't play coy about what he might do.

[BradAllison]

30. It's pretty sad when a FOX talking head has to smarten up one of our Senators.

Manchin's constituents do not want black people voting. End of story.

[BlueIdaho]

33. Manchin is either delusional

Or on the take. Frankly, I think it’s the second.

[brush]

34. Yeah, I'm beginning to think so too. He's been preaching this...

bipartisanship crap way long enough to know it's not going to work. And he's a grown ass man with some sense so that rules out naivete in thinking 10 republicans are going to magically change and vote for the Dem agenda.

He knows if the Dem agenda passes there will be lucrative infrastructure project in WVa with good jobs for the unemployed coal miners, so that doesn't leave much else.

Better check if he as off-shore bank accounts suddenly bulging.

[True Blue American]

37. Keep in mind

Like Susan Collins, Joe is concerned but then votes Democrat. He has not been put to the test yet, just threats.

[brush]

38. We'll see. He just repeated this morning the Velshi show...

what he wrote the Sunday paper op-ed that he's against the For the People bill, as well as being against dumping the filibuster.

He keeps repeating his anti-Dem intentions.

[True Blue American]

43. Manchin loves publicity.

As long as he can get his one minute he is fine. Notice how the media goes from one show off to the next? For a while it was talking like he has a mouthful of marbles, fake Southern accent John Kennedy? They use poll parrots.

Manchin will not be needed if Biden can get a few Republicans. He seems to understand negotiations.

[BlueIdaho]

49. Excellent points - thanks! nt.

[SunImp]

42. Manchin defenders be like

[Marcuse]

50. I thought these were extinct.

[andym]

51. Chris has always had a bit of his father in his approach--won't last much longer at Fox News

given Fox News is moving to 100% propaganda-- no need for even the foggiest appearance of "fair and balanced" (which they only gave lip service too anyways).

[Quanto Magnus]

52. Manchin

I really hate the DINO/RINO label, but he is really trying hard to own that DINO label.

or he is not just a little naive, but tremendously so

or he is doing this on purpose (DINO tag)

or, more concerning to me, he is getting bribed..... errrr 'donated to' by GOP groups and doesn't want to lose the gravy train.

What it is definitely not..... noble.... as he seems to be trying to claim

[Omaha Steve]

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