How Can Manchin Call Himself A Democrat ?

The weird-looking guy in the picture above in Joe Manchin. He is the "Democratic" senator from the state of West Virginia. I put the word "Democratic" in quotation marks because I'm really not sure he qualifies to use the term to describe himself. He's one of those "blue dogs" that vote with the Republicans more than he votes with the members of his own party. And it is a common-place occurrence for Manchin to take to the floor of the Senate and notify anyone listening that he disagrees with the president.

All of that would be bad enough, and would be enough for anyone to question his Democratic credentials. Manchin takes his aversion to the president much further. You can bet he won't be sharing any stage with the president or ask him to come to West Virginia to campaign with him (and he'll avoid any other real Democrat for the next few months also). Manchin is running for re-election, and he's seems to be afraid that the voters of his state might think he's a real Democrat instead of a DINO.

But even that is not far enough from the Democratic Party for Manchin. He is entering "Lieberman-like" territory. He has told reporters that he doesn't even know whether he will vote for the president or his opponent, Wall Street Willie (aka Willard Romney). That's right. Even in the voting booth, where no one can see what he's doing, Manchin doesn't think he can bring himself to vote for the presidential nominee of his own party!

Manchin says, "I'm just waiting for it to play out. I am not jumping in one way or another. I'm worried about me. I've said it's not a team sport. You need to go out and work for yourself."

Not a team sport? Is he kidding? Of course it's a "team sport". That's why we have the party system, so a candidate can make use of a team of citizens to finance, work for, and get out the vote for his campaign. That team is called a political party, and Manchin wants to use the Democratic "team" without being obligated to give back to it. If he didn't want to associated with the Democratic Party (team), he should be running as an Independent.

Does this jerk deserve the support (financially or otherwise) of any Democrat? I don't think so.