Sen. Joe Manchin urged President Joe Biden to end his reelection campaign on Sunday, marking another significant shift in the Democratic Party’s stance on Biden’s viability for the upcoming election.
Manchin, an independent from West Virginia who caucuses with Democrats but left the party earlier this year, expressed his concerns during an interview with “This Week” co-anchor Martha Raddatz.
He stated that his decision was made “with a heavy heart,” acknowledging that the growing number of Democrats calling for Biden to step down following last month’s debate has made the situation increasingly difficult for the president.
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“The first week after the debate, I thought the president needed time to evaluate and make a decision if he was going to at that time, and then I thought, well, we’d hear from my colleagues who are in very difficult, challenging areas of the country, whether it be in Congress, as far as their districts, or in the states, as far as my senators, and they’re speaking out now. And then when you see the donor class, basically, speaking up and saying that they went a different direction, if you will,” Manchin said.
Manchin argued that if Biden were to drop out now, he could focus on addressing a range of crucial issues he has prioritized. These include uniting the country, ending the conflict in Gaza, and aiding Ukraine in resisting Russia’s invasion.
Additionally, Manchin highlighted that this move would allow Biden to demonstrate to the world the orderly transfer of power from the world’s leading superpower.
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“He will go down with a legacy unlike many people, as one of the finest and truly a [patriotic] American,” Manchin said. “So, with that, I come with a heavy heart to think the time has come for him to pass the torch to a new generation.”
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