West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin has sent a warning to Vice President Kamala Harris and Democrats following President Joe Biden’s announcement on Sunday that he is stepping down from the presidential race.
Appearing on MSNBC’s Morning Joe on Monday, Manchin, an independent and former Democrat, was asked about Biden endorsing Harris and her ability “to prosecute the case against Donald Trump.”
Manchin replied, “If it’s only about Donald Trump and trying to demonize him even more and they have nothing else to go on… I don’t think it’s a winning solution.”
He continued, “We know who Donald Trump is, he basically confirmed who he was at the end of the [Republican National] Convention. He does not recognize, basically, the orderly transfer of power, the election. He has not basically recognized the insurrection… Those concerns are still there, but people know that and they know what they’re getting there.”
Context
On Sunday afternoon, Biden posted a letter on social media announcing that he was dropping out of the race and endorsing Harris.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President,” he wrote. “And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term. I will speak to the Nation later this week in more detail about my decision.”
In a separate post on X (formerly Twitter), Biden said, “My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.”
Biden’s announcement followed widespread calls from Democrats, including members of Congress, for him to step down in response to his debate against Trump last month. Biden’s poor performance raised concerns and questions about his mental acuity and age.
What We Know
Following Biden’s announcement, speculation arose that Manchin might run for the nomination. However, on Monday, he confirmed that he is not planning to run for the White House and suggested that Democrats should hold an open convention next month to select a nominee.
“I was hoping that with the decision that President Biden made, there would be a primary that we could find out the cream of the crop of the new generation,” Manchin said.
He mentioned some Democratic governors, such as North Carolina’s Roy Cooper, Kentucky’s Andy Beshear, Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro, and Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer.
“It would have been great to see what their thoughts were, and I think it would have strengthened Kamala. If she happened to come out on top, she would have been strengthened,” Manchin said.
Reactions
In a statement on Truth Social, Trump responded to Biden’s announcement, writing: “Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve – And never was! He only attained the position of President by lies, Fake News, and not leaving his Basement.”
Harris quickly won endorsements from the leadership of several influential caucuses and political organizations within her party. Several governors floated as potential running mates for Harris also issued statements endorsing her.
What’s Next
It is not yet known whom Harris might choose as her running mate, but Democratic Representative Jim Clyburn recently shared his thoughts on potential choices.
Speaking with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Clyburn mentioned three governors as possible running mates for Harris should she secure the nomination: Shapiro, Beshear, and Cooper.
“You’ve got a great crop of governors, and they’re awesome businesspeople,” Clyburn said. “She’ll go through her process. She’ll vet these candidates, and she’ll make her decision, and I’m going to support her decision, whoever it might be.”
Matt Pinner is a dedicated journalist for WVPrepBB.com, specializing in USA and crime news. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for uncovering the truth, Matt brings timely and insightful reporting to his readers. His work on WVPrepBB.com keeps the community informed and engaged with the latest developments in national news and criminal justice.
