Many Democrats are apoplectic these days with Sen. Joe Manchin—and plenty annoyed with several other Senate Democrats, albeit less vocally. The West Virginian, in his 20th year in statewide office and now in his 11th in the Senate, has the audacity to believe he knows his state better than certain others who may not have even flown over it, let alone stepped foot in it. He is not toeing the party line on many issues, including his opposition to abolishing the filibuster and his more limited view of what should be contained in an infrastructure package.
What does not seem to be apparent to some of these Democrats is why they have only 50 seats in the Senate these days, why Manchin’s support is so important, and why his views are relevant. CONTINUED
Charlie Cook