WWJD? What Will Joe Do?

Joe Manchin Has Just 24 Hours To Notify National Democrats If He Stands With West Virginians Or Barack Obama
MORGANTOWN, WV - Sen. Joe Manchin has done everything that he can to distance himself from his good friend Barack Obama, even going as far as refusing to tell West Virginians who he will vote for in the 2012 presidential election. This is a far cry from his stance in 2008, when Joe Manchin was an early and vocal supporter of President Obama's campaign. Four years ago, Manchin defied the will of his fellow West Virginia Democrats - who supported Hillary Clinton's candidacy over President Obama's by a whopping 41% in the 2008 primary - by casting his vote as a super delegate for Barack Obama. No matter how hard Manchin tries to avoid the subject, it appears an obscure rule in the Democrat's Delegate Selection Plan will require him to make his presidential preference know by tomorrow, Tuesday, June 19th. According to Section B. 1 b) (3) (delegate selection plan; page 6) of the Delegate Selection Plan, the presidential preference of the state's unpledged delegates must be submitted within 10 days of the completion of the state's delegation selection process, which ended with the party's state convention on June 9, 2012. "Joe Manchin may think he can pull a fast one on West Virginians, but no matter how hard he tries he cannot run from his record," said Josh Sowards, Raese for Senate campaign spokesman. "Sen. Manchin has, and always will, support President Obama's failed agenda and it is time for him to come clean with West Virginians and let us see who the real Joe Manchin is: a dyed in the wool Barack Obama Democrat. We need change in Washington. Someone who will fight for good West Virginia jobs and stand up to President Obama's war on coal. John Raese will always stand with West Virginians." West Virginia Democrats have tried to give Joe cover, claiming that national Democrats will give Manchin a pass and not hold him to the rule. National Democrats have made no such promise, however. West Virginians deserve to know who their elected representatives will support. After all, Joe Manchin should be answering to the West Virginia voters, not the National Democratic Party. Regardless of what his party bosses say, it's time for Joe to come clean with West Virginians and let him know where he stands: with us or with President Obama.

BACKGROUND
IN 2008 MANCHIN WAS TOTALLY COMMITTED TO OBAMAS CAMPAIGN Manchin: We Are All Totally Committed To Senator Barack Obama Being The Next President Of The United States. I Can Assure You That. (Governor Joe Manchin, Remarks At DNC Press Conference, 6/10/08) Manchin: I Can Assure You That [Obama] Is Ready And Willing To Work Closely With All Of Our States Democrats, Republicans And Independents To Achieve A Victory For All Of America In November, and he is definitely looking forward to coming to West Virginia again soon. I have assured him that the people of our state will join him in doing our part to achieve the change that our nation so desperately needs. (Manchin Says He Will Back Obama, Charleston [WV] Daily Mail, 6/6/08)

Manchin Held Out As Long As Possible, But Now Calls Obama My Guy. Absolutely not, he said, when asked if the controversies swirling around Obama posed any difficulty in his support for his presidential hopeful. All we have to do is look at the eight years weve had and I know we can improve off that. I know hell do great. (Mannix Porterfield, Manchin Reaffirms Support For Obama: No
Surprises At Special Session, The [Beckley, WV] Register-Herald, 6/18/08)

After This Election, Congress Will Be In The Democratic Column. The U.S. Senate Will Be In The Democratic Column. Give Us Barack Obama And Joe Biden At The Top, Manchin Said. (Paul J. Nyden, Tour For Change, The Charleston [WV] Gazette, 10/19/08) Manchin Said Voters Should Look Not Only At Candidates Experience, But Their Compassion For Ordinary People. Obama Could Bring Comfort And Calmness To The Chaotic System We Have Now, Manchin Said . (Alison Knezevich, Jefferson-Jackson Day
Dinner, The Charleston [WV] Gazette, 9/21/08)

Gov. Joe Manchin, Who Addressed The Crowd Early In The Afternoon, Disagreed. Ive Never Been More Committed To Change Than I Am Today, Manchin Said. He noted that Hillary Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, have united behind change even after Hillarys tight race with Obama for the Democratic nomination. Theyve asked all of us to do the same, he said. (Davin White, UMW, Democrats Join Forces At Labor Day Picnic, The Charleston [WV] Gazette, 9/2/08) Theres Definitely More Excitement At This Convention Than Any One Ive Been To, Manchin Said. People Talk About The American Dream, But This Party Is Living It Right Now. Nominating Barack Obama For President Speaks Volumes. (Phil
Kabler, State Delegates Ready For Obama, The Charleston [WV] Gazette, 8/27/08)

Its About The Economy, The Governor Continued. West Virginia Has Done Very Well, But We Can Come Down With This National Economy As Its Sinking Right Now. I Think [Obama] Would Be A Tremendous Partner. Ive Never Seen A Presidential Candidate Or Heard Of One Reaching Out To The Governors State-By-State To See How They Can Work And Make Things Better. (Jake Stump, Obama Says W.Va. Still In Play, The Charleston [WV] Daily Mail, 10/30/08) Manchin: I Think I Will Have A Better Opportunity Working With Barack Obama Than John McCain. Manchin said he and Obama both support a strong energy policy with a focus on coal and clean coal technology. Manchin said West Virginia has an opportunity to become a global leader in clean coal technology under an Obama administration. I think I will have a better opportunity working with Barack Obama than John McCain, Manchin said. (Charles Owens, Manchin Confident Mountain State On The Right Track, Bluefield Daily
Telegraph, 10/19/08)

Manchin Did Not Rule Out A Position In The Obama Administration. When asked what his role would be in an Obama administration, Manchin said West Virginia would stand to reap many benefits under an Obama administration. While Manchin didnt rule out the possibility of a cabinet position for himself in an Obama administration, he said it unlikely. Manchin said he has not had an opportunity to work closely with the Obama camp because he is in the midst of his own re-election campaign. (Charles Owens, Manchin
Confident Mountain State On The Right Track, Bluefield Daily Telegraph, 10/19/08)

Despite Some Of The Attacks On Obama As An Anti-Coal Liberal, Manchin Said Hes Confident That West Virginians Will Benefit From An Obama Presidency. I Feel Very Comfortable Working With Him, Manchin Said. I Talked To My Colleagues, Governors Around The State That Have Coal. Were Going To Form A Coal Coalition And Work With Him. Hes Been Very Receptive. (Jake Stump, Manchin Pledges To Keep Building Economy, The Charleston [WV] Daily Mail, 11/5/08) Not Even A Day Removed From His Own Inauguration, Gov. Joe Manchin Applauded Obamas Inaugural Speech And Deemed The Frenetic Washington, D.C., Atmosphere Electrifying. The governor flew to the nations capital early Tuesday to witness history in the making as Obama was sworn in as president of the United States. Manchin said he could think of only one other time in his life when Americans felt so much hope and enthusiasm over a single political figure, and that was the inauguration of John F. Kennedy. I remember as a child in the 60s everyone being so excited about a new president, said Manchin, who was 12 at the time. I never imagined seeing anything else like it since then. But this is something special. Theres so much optimism and excitement. His speech was just excellent. (Jake Stump and Justin D. Anderson, Manchin, Others Praise Long-Anticipated Speech, The Charleston [WV] Daily Mail, 1/21/09) Even Manchin Himself, Who Will Attend The Inauguration Of President-Elect Barack Obama, Referred To That Event Monday Morning At The Asbury United Methodist Church, Where He Was Among Those Marking The Birthday Of The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. In My Life, I Never Thought This Day Would Come, Manchin Said, Referring To The Election Of The Nations First Black President. (Tom Breen, WVa Gov Begins 2nd Term With Parade, Parties, The Associated Press, 1/19/09) Manchin Defended Obama When He Was Criticized For Saying, If Somebody Wants To Build A Coal Power Plant They Can, Its Just That It Will Bankrupt Them Because They Are Going To Be Charged A Huge Sum For All That Greenhouse Gas Thats Being Emitted, Claiming Opponents Were Misconstruing Obamas Comments. In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle

last January, Obama discussed his cap and trade proposal that aims to reduce emissions and curtail global warming. Obama told the newspaper, If somebody wants to build a coal power plant they can, its just that it will bankrupt them because they are going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas thats being emitted. Democrats, including West Virginia officials Gov. Joe Manchin and Sens. Rockefeller and Robert Byrd, defended Obama and said his opponents were misconstruing his comments. (Jake Stump, Senator
Pushes Funding For Coal, The Charleston [WV] Daily Mail, 1/23/09)

Manchin Praised Obama For His Selection Of Kathleen Sebelius For Secretary Of Health And Human Services. Gov. Joe Manchin today released this statement about President Obamas nomination of Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to become secretary of Health and Human Services: I understand that earlier today Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius accepted President Obamas offer to become the secretary of Health and Human Services and I cant applaud the White House decision enough. It has been my pleasure the past four years to work with Kathleen on a number of national issues. Shes a tremendous leader, but shes also a real person who understands that everyone deserves quality health care. Shes compassionate and has been extremely successful in her health care efforts to help people in her home state. As HHS secretary, she will bring her knowledge and experience in this field to help improve health care for all U.S. citizens. No one is better prepared to take this important position. (Gov. Joe Manchin, Governor Issues Statement About White
House Nomination Of Gov. Sebelius, Press Release, 5/8/09)

OBAMA HAS PRAISED MANCHIN POTUS: And I Want To Again Thank Governor Douglas And Governor Manchin For Their Outstanding Leadership With This Organization. (President Barack Obama, Remarks by the President and the Vice President to the National Governors Association, 2/22/10) POTUS: I Want To Begin By Acknowledging Your Outstanding Chairs Of This Extraordinary Organization -- Jim Douglas Of Vermont And Joe Manchin Of West Virginia. Thank You So Much For The Great Work That You Guys Do Each And Every Day. (President Barack Obama, Toast Remarks by the President and Governor Douglas at the 2010 Governors Ball, 2/22/10)