Joe Manchin Declines to Describe Himself as a Democrat

During Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, the Sunday morning show counterpart of Tucker Carlson, Senator Joe Manchin, a purported Democrat, declined to identify as a party member. Indeed, the senator who teases Republicans about leaving the Democratic Party is now claiming to be an American rather than a member of that party.

She and Manchin were talking about the senator’s political future prior to Bartiromo asking which party he identified with. Manchin refused to provide a direct response when Bartiromo asked whether he intended to run for president instead offering platitudes about working together.

Manchin stated, “My main concern is how do we bring this country together? How do we make it work? How do we make Democrats and Republicans become Americans again and not just party affiliates? We’re pushing people further apart, making people take a side, and then we’re rewarding bad behavior. The country has to be about America and coming together. I’ll be involved any way I can to help.”

When questioned by Bartiromo about whether he intended to run for president or governor of his home state, Manchin resisted, saying that he would rather just identify as an American.

Manchin’s party allegiance is up for debate since, along with Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, a colleague who defected in December, he has repeatedly tried to scuttle Democratic initiatives. He opposed raising taxes on the wealthy and opposed laws protecting voting rights. He has developed strong friendships with billionaires that support the right and is sleeping with big coal.