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On Tuesday, a visibly irritated Sen. Joe Manchin, DW.Va., flatly told MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell that he “will not” talk about whether he plans to support President Biden if he runs for re-election.
During the latest episode of MSNBC’s “The Andrea Mitchell Report,” Manchin spoke with the host about the Deflation Act he and the Democratic Party just passed to provide government funding for energy and the economy. He specifically focused on the bipartisan nature of what he called “America’s red, white and blue bill.”
With bipartisanship as his focus, Manchin flatly refused to answer Mitchell’s follow-up questions about whether he would support Biden’s 2024 re-election campaign. Unfazed by the question, Manchin exclaimed several times, “I’m not going to talk about that! ” before Mitchell let the question slide.
Before the tense conversation, the MSNBC host brought up a conversation Manchin had on Sunday with “Meet the Press” host Chuck Todd. Manchin was asked by Todd if he hoped Democrats would retain their majority in Congress in the midterm elections.
During an appearance Tuesday on MSNBC, Sen. Joe Manchin declined to tell Andrea Mitchell whether he would support Biden’s re-election.
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At the time, Manchin declined to answer, instead claiming, “You know, I don’t make those choices or decisions about that.”
Mitchell turned to Manchin, saying, “Let me ask you to expand on something you discussed with Chuck Todd on the ‘Press Conference’ on Sunday, where you said — you didn’t say whether you would support the Democrats in the midterm elections. You said it would be decided based on individual candidates, I think.” She then asked, “Would you support Joe Biden if he’s on the ticket in 2024 as the Democratic president seeking re-election?”
Just as in his interview with Todd, Manchin dodged the question, preferring to tout the bill he helped pass. “Let me make this very, very clear. This is the most, one of the most important pieces of legislation in my lifetime that we’ve done to have energy security, to fight inflation, to help our geopolitical allies around the world,” he replied, before Mitchell cut him off. .
“And you worked with a Democratic White House on it,” she interjected.
Manchin acknowledged that, but said he wouldn’t answer her question because he didn’t want to “bring politics into it.” “But to bring the politics into it, ‘oh, this is a Democrat bill, this is a Republican bill, this isn’t.’ I am not talking about the 2022 and 2024 elections. I have no control over those elections,” he said. The senator added: “And I’m not going to talk about them, who are going to distort one of the greatest pieces of legislation.”
Manchin helped his party craft the Lower Inflation Act last week. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
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Manchin addressed the praise of Biden’s support for the bill, telling Mitchell, “I’m very grateful that the president saw it, he endorsed it, he supports it. God bless him for that. This is great for America. Can’t we do something for our country without having to bring politics into it? That is all.”
As Mitchell pressed one last time, trying to postulate, “Well, you’re a Democratic senator,” Manchin cut her off briskly. “I won’t talk about it!” he exclaimed three times.
Mitchell sheepishly replied, “I’m just asking if you would support your own — the leader of your own party.”
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Seemingly exasperated, the Democratic senator continued: “I support this bill, Andrea. This is the American bill. This is America’s red, white and blue bill. This is the bill we need to fight inflation, to have more energy to do the work we were sent here to do. Whenever you talk about politics, people get fired up. I won’t go down that road.”
“I’m not fired up, senator,” Mitchell replied, before expressing his gratitude that Manchin was able to help Democrats pass the Deflation Act.
Inflation reached a record high of 9.1% in June. Supporters of the Deflation Act say it will help ease economic pressures in the US (istock)
Gabriel Hayes is an associate editor at Fox News. Follow him on Twitter at @gabrieljhays.
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