Senator Joe Manchin expressed doubts about President Biden’s ability to unite the country, saying the Biden he used to know could do so but has been “pushed too far left” by others.
While Manchin supported Biden in 2020, he said he would not endorse Biden for 2024 and wants to see if Biden can return to his previous centrist approach.
“You also said that, in a president, you’re looking for someone…who has the knowledge, has the function, and has the ability to…bring this country together. Is Joe Biden that candidate?” Kaitlan Collins asked.
“Well, that’s the Joe Biden I used to know. I’ve — and I’ve had this conversation with him and with his people that he’s gone too far to the left, they’ve pushed him and pulled him and whatever. But that’s not where America is. That’s not where our country is. So, I’m hoping the Joe Biden that we saw in 2020 will be the Joe Biden we see in 2024, if that can be done,” Manchin said.
Collins asked whether Manchin would endorse Biden.
“I’m not endorsing anybody right now. We’re going to see what all happens. We’ve still got plenty of time here. I’m going to do everything I can to help move them back to the middle and show them where the strength of this country lies, where the voting bloc of the country lies,” Manchin said.
Collins questioned what viewers should take from Manchin refusing to endorse Biden.
Manchin argued the country is not where the more left-leaning Biden has moved and hopes to push Democrats back to the moderate middle where most voters are.
He characterized both Donald Trump and some Democrats as extremists and believes bipartisan centrist governance is preferable to polarized extremes.
“No, no. I’m just — I’m trying to do everything I can to make sure that we have a pathway forward where the center of this country is going to be represented, and that’s the center-left and center-right. That’s where the decisions — that’s where people live their lives. That’s the type of government they want,” Manchin said.
“They don’t want the extremes, and what we’re seeing is extremes. Donald Trump is an extremist. And with that, there [are] people that are going in that direction. I still believe there [are] enough good Republicans and Democrats that want this centrist type of approach to governing.”
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