Apparently, after voting no on ending debate last week, Senator Manchin did what all real leaders do during the vote to end debate on DADT today- he hid in the Senate cloakroom during the vote:
Six Republicans — Sens. Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Susan Collins and Olympia J. Snowe of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mark Kirk of Illinois, and George Voinovich of Ohio — joined 56 Democrats in support of the measure. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) did not vote Saturday, but released a statement saying he could not support repeal “at this time.”
He was also unable to find the floor of the Senate for the DREAM act vote, but issued a statement for that, too.
At this point, I simply can not figure out what his team is trying to accomplish, and the only thing I can figure is his staff simply is not ready for prime time and he is getting horrible political advice. When he voted no on cloture for DADT and the measure received only 57 votes, one of his aides rushed out to inform people that if it came down to his being the 60th vote, he would have voted differently. Today, when it received over 60 votes, he was nowhere to be found.
In other words, his aides want you to believe if it came down to him being the 60th vote today, he would have done it. But 61st or 62nd? No way! It simply makes no sense, and his team is clearly not ready for the big leagues. Manchin could have easily voted yes to end debate today on DADT, thrown a bone to Democrats and WV gay rights groups, and then chosen to vote no on the actual bill tomorrow. He then could refute the negative GOP commercials in 2012 about supporting the repeal of DADT, because he would be on record with a no vote. That would have been the smart way to play both sides of the game.
Instead, he looks weak and cowardly to everyone, pissed off Democrats and the base, and then will probably alienate them more by voting against repeal tomorrow. Unless he is still hiding in the cloakroom releasing statements to the press.
This guy has been my governor for years now, and he hasn’t been a bad governor. I just have no idea what he and his team are doing in the Senate. They look like a bunch of gutless amateurs. Put aside the fact that he is failing a test of basic decency on the DADT and DREAM Act, and look at it from a position of political advantage. Exactly what have they accomplished to help themselves politically here? It just makes no sense.
*** Update ***
The only possible way for Manchin to make his position and his votes more confusing right now would be for him to vote in favor of repeal this afternoon. Your guess is as good as mine what he will do. They’ve got me completely confused as to what they are trying to accomplish.
shortstop
Final vote is 3 p.m. today, not tomorrow — the GOP has given up the 30 hours requirement.
Does Manchin think this is the way to get reelected in WV in two years? What is up with him?
Outside of that, it’s very heartening to see this legislation within hours of going down.
El Cid
__
That would only have emboldened Satan and his plans for the homosexual agenda.
JPL
Manchin is hoping that folks will forget. If he won’t vote to end a filibuster for DADT, what will he vote for? Tax cuts for the rich?
Maude
He’s trying to have it both ways. This isn’t going to work. He’ll end up getting his tat caught in a wringer.
Omnes Omnibus
Baby steps here…. He didn’t vote against it.
J.A.F. Rusty Shackleford
TPM is reporting that the final vote will be held this afternoon after Reid and McConnell came to an agreement.
dmsilev
I think people have wised up to that sort of game. I can’t imagine that any ad maker who wants to use DADT against Manchin (or against anyone) would have any trouble spinning the just-finished cloture vote as the “real” vote.
dms
JGabriel
DREAM fails, DADT Repeal passes. It’s official now: Congress hates Mexican babies more than the gays.
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Dennis SGMM
Asw, c’mon: Manchin just didn’t want to be responsible for our failing to win in Afghanistan.
dmsilev
@JGabriel: But what about the gay Mexicans? Where do they fit in?
dms
4tehlulz
@shortstop: Mitch McConnell is now a RINO. A real Republican would have run out the clock.
mellowjohn
otoh, i’m half way proud of my new senator, mark kirk, today for his “yes” vote on cloture for dadt. (alas, he voted “no” on the dream act. i still wouldn’t vote for him on a bet, but it’s nice to know he’s not completely in yertle the turtle’s pocket.
scav
Maybe
tested well for a re-election bumper sticker.
Baud
Speaking of profiles in courage, I wonder if the incoming GOP will making restoring DADT one of their agenda items, or more accurately, whether the right wingers will pressure them to keep pursuing this. Why health care repeal, but not DADT-repeal repeal?
c u n d gulag
What better place to hide when the Senate’s about to vote on an issue regarding gays than the closet?
Or maybe he was waiting for the right moment to ‘come out’ of the closet and vote ‘yes’ for repeal, and just fell asleep?
Jim C.
“Senator Manchin did what all real leaders do during the vote to end debate on DADT today- he hid in the Senate cloakroom during the vote:”
You just know this is going to be quoted in a Republican attack ad at some point and attributed to “the leftist blogger John Cole from Manchin’s own home state”.
James E Powell
Instead, he looks weak and cowardly to everyone, pissed off Democrats and the base
I have to believe you are correct that Manchin and his team are not ready for national prime time, but does that matter for purposes of getting re-elected?
I am wondering what, in West Virginia, comprises the Democratic base? Do they care about this?
somethingblue
Give the poor guy time. He’s clearly doing his best, but you can’t expect him to display finely honed, perfectly calibrated centrist wankery right out of the gate.
I think he has a lot of promise, though. Maybe Ben Nelson will take him under his wing and show him how to do this properly.
ChrisS
@4tehlulz:
Why? the rich still get their tax cuts.
The culture wars are always and forever and means to rile up the voters. The homophobes will still vote GOP each and every November.
JGabriel
shortstop:
That’s suspicious. Why would Mitch O’Connell agree to anything that allows the Senate to move forward at a quicker pace?
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batgirl
@JGabriel: He’s lost? And he wants to get it over and done with and forgotten as quick as possible?
Dennis SGMM
@somethingblue:
Nelson is fairly open about being an asshole. I’m thinking that Max Baucus is far better at being a despicable little weasel. Manchin will be drawn to Baucus like a fly to shit.
Phil Perspective
Cole:
I just sent you Tweets about Manchin’s staff. When does Kofinis start work? He’s not a newbie. He worked for Edwards and was/is a KO regular.
James E Powell
@Baud:
Why health care repeal, but not DADT-repeal repeal?
Because the corporate ruling class only cares about its money and power. Teh Gay does not threaten either one.
And with the different votes on DADT v. DREAM, one wonders whether the use of homophobia to rally the right-wing base is played.
Scary immigrants are still working for them. I expect a host of anti-immigrant ballot issues for the 2012 election.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
I know it doesn’t much matter now, but Voinavich deserves some kind of profile in cowardice award for doing the right thing now that he’s dragging his sorry old ass out to pasture, after being Dick Cheney’s/ Mitch McConnell’s bitch for ten years. He makes those quivering jello molds from Maine look like stalwarts.
JGabriel
@JGabriel:
McConnell, not O’Connell. Apologies for the brain fart.
.
somethingblue
@JGabriel: You were probably confusing him with O’Biden.
WyldPirate
@shortstop:
Jesus H. Friggin’ Christ on a fucking moped. You’re as naive as you are stupid.
It’s West Virginia, you moran.
bk
In the meantime, and a little OT, Michelle Bachmann has won a seat on the House Intelligence Committee. Isn’t “Bachmann/Intelligence” as good an example of an oxymoron as “jumbo shrimp”?
KG
There’s a huge difference between politics as a member of a legislative body and as a governor. From the sounds of it, Manchin (or his team) doesn’t understand the difference between the two. It’s like he’s trying to play a pocket-veto game with these votes. And considering how much you heard Republicans ridicule Obama for voting “present” so often in the Illinois legislature, you can just imagine what they are going to do with this guy come reelection.
Ana Gama
@JGabriel: Suspicious? Maybe. But also true. Tune in a 3:00 and watch history.
Alex S.
Ok, WV is not the most socially progressive state, but why didn’t he just vote against it? I mean, we all know that this is bad policy, but he is also doing bad politics. Maybe he wants to run for even higher office in the future so he tries to avoid controversial votes?
scarshapedstar
They’ve pissed off libruls. The only thing that matters to Republicans and Blue Dogs.
amk
Hey Cole. You left out the five dem traitors who voted against DREAM act. These MF’ers could have voted for cloture and then voted No later. Assholes.
stuckinred
@bk: Bachmann OT . you ain’t seen nothin yet, bbbbbbaby
WarMunchkin
@amk: yeah seriously. we had the votes for DREAM. still, savoring the win on this one. It’s been a while since progressives got a nice win.
Anya
John, maybe your Senator is a bigot. He does not want to be associated with the gays, browns and the commie in chief. This is his way of trying to run away as far as he can from Obama. Using the Cap and Trade bill as a target practice should have giving you a clue. It’s depressing how we are saddled with a bunch of unprincipled cowards. Alot of elected Democrats are really awful. How can they not stick together, at least on cloture?
Alex S.
@amk:
Since many voters don’t even understand that it takes 60 votes to get something passed/to get to the vote to get something passed I really don’t get why many conservative democratic senators don’t take this yes on cloture/no on the bill approach.
amk
@Alex S.: Assholes will be assholes, I guess.
And two of them are librul dahlings. Assholes.
JGabriel
@Alex S.:
Cloture requires 60 votes. Not 60% of those present, 60 votes — even if only 61 Senators are present. So not voting for cloture has the same effect as voting against it.
By not voting instead of voting against cloture, Manchin gets to avoid the controversy over repealing DADT now, but doesn’t have to go on the record as a homophobe. That means he’ll probably skip this afternoon’s vote too.
.
amk
The best schadenfreud for me today how tundra trollop lost twice today on DADT – one mccain and two murkowski.
Eat it beeyotch.
Just Some Fuckhead
If DADT is repealed, Joe won’t have to hide in the closet anymore.
burnspbesq
@bk:
Yes, but not as good as “educational television.” Or “rap music.”
morzer
And here I was thinking that Fearless Joe Manchin shot TIE Fighters out of the sky and that WV had elected itself a Real American Man. Still, nothing says “hero” like the ability to hide in a corner and soil yourself rather than taking a stand that 70% of the country supports. Doubtless Manchin will redeem himself when there are hamsters to be stoned, old women to be mugged, orphanages to be burned, and rich people to be tax-cutted.
Phil
Oh my goodness John Cole, you mean politicians make unseemly and calculating decisions prior to casting (or in this case not casting) votes? OH NOES! I’m like so cynical and jaded now! Face it, West Virginia is a socially conservative red state now and Manchin has to pretend to play the part. Just like he has to pretend he’s against cap and trade and Obamacare. Awkward….
Oh by the way, the tick tock tick tocking is now long over as you know but I refrained from gloating. But alas for you, 63 seats are gone and now your “progressive” boyfriends are reduced to amateur hour status.
Next year we take a knife to your welfare state and investigate the hell out of your false idol. Looks like the glorious progressive era lasted…all of 2 years. It turns out citizens don’t like it when you bankrupt their country and pass shitty health care bills while the unemployment rate jumps up to 10%. Next time try not to nominate an amateur to lead your party.
Suck It Up!
I have a feeling that Manchin might switch parties in the next congress.
morzer
@Phil:
Go ahead, child. Privatize Social Security and invade the wrong country while you are at it. Worked well the first time around, didn’t it?
stuckinred
@Phil: Tell you what motherfucker, come see us when you run one of these morons you have lined up for your next run. Maybe you can run that phony fucking McCain again.
cat48
Is it just me, or does this NPR Headline sounds a little pissy?
Scott de B.
Wait a minute. I thought the ACA was supposed to be a massive corporate giveaway. I’m interested in the logic that makes the “corporate overlords” pro-repeal.
Chyron HR
@Phil:
Wow, that’s sure going to fix the economy and reduce unemployment.
shortstop
@Alex S.: He’s trying to play it down the middle — in two years, he’ll have to face a Republican in a state in which even most Democrats are not particularly socially liberal. I think @JGabriel is right and Manchin won’t vote this afternoon, either.
Going forward, it will be interesting to see if he keeps the strategy of sitting out votes like this. If so, he’s probably right in assessing that most WV Dems won’t punish him for it. It does put him at greater risk against a moderate-sounding Republican in the general, if that’s who the GOP puts up against him.
Phil
Uncomfortable fact of the day for “progressives”: even if we eliminated all of the Bush tax cuts (even for lower level earners), we’d still have big deficits and the interest rates on our debt would have still gone up a whole percent a week ago.
So in other words, the progressive welfare state is collapsing under its own weight, just as “progressives” want to expand it further. So much for that!
We’re going to take a knife to your welfare state – no longer just because we want to, but now also because we have to. Enjoy the next two years. Next time hire a better accountant.
Suck It Up!
@cat48:
what the fuck?
stuckinred
@Phil: Yea, you cocksuckers set it up just fine didn’t you?
amk
@Phil: Hey maroon, running up bankruptcies is a rethug skill set.
shortstop
@amk: If only we could have a secret window into John McCain’s Saturday evening. Guy’s head is exploding right now. Is it wrong to so thoroughly enjoy his impotent rage?
burnspbesq
@Phil:
Phil, it’s awfully early in the day to be tripping.
Chyron HR
@Phil:
Are you going to make soap and lampshades out of them as well?
LikeableInMyOwnWay
What really surprises me is that Manchin isn’t from Arizona. We seem to have the market cornered on slimy, weasly lying cowardly senators out here.
I guess he picked the next best state to live in. Any state that can make it safe for Don Blankenship has to be safe for the assholiest of all assholes, I’d reckon. But ….
Manchin went after Blankenship and appeared to be taking on the mining industry in the interests of safety and public health before he became a senator… so it is puzzling why he would cave in to something like bigotry against gays.
But then there was this:
A gesture that would be charming if a soldier had done it, but a politician with national aspirations …. maybe the guy is just a damned fool? You can’t rule out the Damned Fool possibility here.
Citizen_X
@Phil: “Buddy, I don’t know if you’ve been paying attention to current events but YOU just got your ass kicked!”
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@cat48: Scott Simon got control of the website for the day?
amk
@shortstop: Actually, I wish for all the rethug critters what they wish for the poor and non-whites – drop dead.
shortstop
@amk: Does it have to be a fast drop, though? Can’t they writhe in agony for a bit first?
chopper
i dunno what he’ll do. he’s a real maverick. seriously tho, the bill is going to pass, it’s not like he can wheel and deal for his vote, that time’s long past. i think it depends on where his mood is swinging when it’s time to vote, or maybe a coin flip.
LikeableInMyOwnWay
Phil is a spooftroll. I blame the king of all spooftrolls, DougJ.
chopper
@Phil:
lol, why don’t you run and get your older brother and come back?
Phil
@Citizen_X:
I did? I support DADT repeal and oppose the DREAM Act. Sounds like I had a pretty good day actually.
amk
@shortstop: LOL. I’ll lend my all metal baseball bat gladly.
chopper
@Just Some Fuckhead:
innit it ironic? couldn’t vote for cloture on DADT cause he didn’t want to come out of the closet.
maybe there was some crazy drama outside the cloakroom door with a midget and shit and he was totally ♪ stuck in the closet ♫.
Chyron HR
@Phil:
Well, his story checks out.
stuckinred
You know, I suggest some of you idiots be careful what you write on this blog.
Citizen_X
@Phil: “I meant to do that!” was funny when Pee-Wee Herman said it.
You? No.
maus
@Phil:
You are 100% not going to take a knife to the welfare state. You don’t even know what the welfare state IS.
4tehlulz
Another one with the “we” shit.
gwangung
Uncomfortable fact of the day: Um, no. Do the math.
KCinDC
I see Hatch was also a profile in courage, skipping today’s votes and thus avoiding either voting against the DREAM Act that he had previously sponsored or voting for it and giving tea party bigots more ammunition to use against him in the Republican primary to portray him as a RINO as they did with Bennett.
Citizen_X
@4tehlulz:
Oh, no no no no! It’s situational, don’t ya know? See his comment at 67.
Republicans might win in the future: we.
Republicans already lost: they.
JGabriel
Phil:
True, which explains why Democrats won the House, Senate, and Presidency after Bush crashed the economy in September 2008.
However, it says nothing about the 2010 elections, which largely followed the same mid-term pattern typical to most of our country’s history — losses for the party in power.
.
Anoniminous
@Phil:
Excellent.
The first thing to do is remove all subsidies to the cotton, tobacco, and corn farmers. Cattle ranchers need to start paying market prices for their use of public lands. Get the government out of crop insurance.
Too long have these deadbeats sucked at the public pig trough. They need to man-up and face the Free Market forces like the sturdy independent Americans they ain’t.
Yutsano
@gwangung: But maths iz HARD!!
amk
@Anoniminous: LOL. Guess Phil has run back to his teabagging territory.
jayjaybear
@JGabriel:
W00t! We moved up a slot!
Sorry, bebes mexicanos.
Admiral_Komack
“Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) did not vote Saturday, but released a statement saying he could not support repeal “at this time.”
This is a chickenshit motherfucker.
Fuck him.
ChrisS
Does anyone really think that John McCain really cares about this shit?
He has two goals: 1) getting republicans elected and 2) cutting taxes. That’s it. Everything else is for show in service of Nos. 1 & 2.
McCain will fall asleep tonight on his big giant bed made of money and get up tomorrow to go on Meet the Press and riff on the latest outrage to American decency.
morzer
@ChrisS:
“His giant bed made of Cindy McCain’s money”.
Just sayin’.
lamh32
OT, But Dems picked up 2 votes, wonder who it was? Was Manching 1, I doubt it.
Ok, I hear it was Burr and Ensign, anyone heard the same?
shortstop
@ChrisS: He may not give a damn either way if gays and lesbians serve openly, but he seems to care deeply about having his self-described “expertise” questioned anytime and by anyone. He also seems to spend a lot of time fuming that he got shellacked by the smarter, younger, taller, better educated, cooler and more charismatic black guy–and most of his current activities are directed toward damaging said SYTBECMCB guy.
For McCain, this is a loss of face, and he’s never learned to bear up under those as normal people do. He’s extremely pissed off right now. And I’m enjoying it extremely.
tomvox1
Or, um, Manchin does not actually have any core convictions of his own and has the pee-pee pants over facing his back-home electorate by showing any hint of them one way or the other. I swear, when the last Blue Dog-style Democrat is extinct (and they will be because GOP-lite is not gonna cut it with anyone anymore–see Lincoln, Blanche), I will dance on their grave with all the gay, immigrant and poor friends that I can find.
Sorry, John–this Manchin guy is a fucking moral Munchkin.
Triassic Sands
The perfect camouflage if one wants to disappear in the US Senate.
It’s kind of funny that in the end the vote was 65-31. So Manchin ends up associated with a “superminority,” and manages to look like an inept, spineless fool without even the courage of his convictions, which would have had him vote “no.”
Manchin is going to fit in really well in the US Senate.