Joe Manchin Puts Rumors to Rest

(WatchDogReport.org) – Independent Virginia Senator Joe Manchin recently announced that he won’t run for president, which many analysts consider good news for Vice President Kamala Harris and her attempt to become the Democratic Party’s nominee. During an interview with CBS Mornings, Manchin made the announcement and explained he doesn’t “need” to challenge Harris.

When asked about the numerous Democratic leaders who have already endorsed the vice president, Manchin said he thought backing Harris so fast was “a mistake.” He explained that instead of expressing their support immediately, what many Democratic leaders should have done was to open competition through a “mini-process” or a primary.

Harris announced her intentions to pursue nomination a couple of minutes after US President Joe Biden announced he was stepping out of the race, following weeks of pressure from some liberal leaders who called him to do so. The commander-in-chief, along with some of the most influential Democratic politicians, immediately endorsed her. These included former president Bill Clinton, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and even Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Two prominent liberals who haven’t expressed any support for the vice president have been former president Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle.

While many journalists speculated about the possibility of an open convention, Harris secured the support of more than the 1,976 delegates that every presidential candidate needs to guarantee nomination. However, some political analysts believe that it wouldn’t be surprising if some Democrats change their minds, as many see Harris as a political leader who wouldn’t be strong enough to compete against former president Donald Trump.

Since the last debate between President Biden and Trump, many Democrats have been saying that the party needed a proper nominee to prevent the former commander-in-chief from getting into office again. Many journalists said that Manchin could have been useful despite his decision to leave the party, as he would’ve debilitated the Republican nominee by taking votes from him.