Joe Manchin Reflects on His Relationship with Trump

Senator Joe Manchin from West Virginia has shared an interesting perspective on his interactions with President Donald Trump compared to former President Barack Obama. In his recently published book, Dead Center: In Defense of Common Sense, Manchin reveals that he conversed more with Trump during the early years of his presidency than he did with Obama throughout Obama’s entire eight years in office.

Manchin, who transitioned to the Democratic party before leaving the Senate last year, describes Trump as a fellow “outsider.” He even goes so far as to say that Trump was “the most enthusiastic president” he has ever worked with since Bill Clinton.

Interestingly, Manchin expresses a hope that the Republican Party (GOP) would gain control of the Senate to counter what he views as Democrats’ overwhelming push for “raw political power.”

He noted that from the very start, he had an open line of communication with Trump. In fact, he stated, “I spoke more during the first two years of his presidency than I did with Obama during all eight years.” Manchin also humorously pointed out that, to effectively influence Trump, one needs to be the last person to discuss a topic with him—a tactic that, according to him, has worked rather well.

Manchin reminisces about the 2018 election campaign, where Trump assured him he wouldn’t apply pressure in his campaign against Manchin. Although Trump made multiple visits to the state during that time, Manchin felt he still held his ground.

Reflecting on his relationship with Obama, Manchin recalls how it originated with a collaboration on a coal contract when both were in different political positions. He mentions feeling a growing disillusionment with the Democrats during Obama’s tenure, especially when he marked a notable distance from the party after the 2008 election campaign. In fact, when he invited both Hillary Clinton and Obama to West Virginia to support their campaigns, Obama declined, candidly acknowledging that his demographic wasn’t favorable in the state.

As time went on and with Obama’s push for environmental issues that targeted the coal industry, Manchin felt that the relationship soured significantly. He believes that Democrats have strayed from connecting with the working class, reshaping their agenda in a way that has led to a significant political shift from Democrat to Republican in West Virginia.

In closing, Manchin reflects on how West Virginia has often been overlooked by the national Democrats, with a strong sentiment that this sentiment was epitomized by actions taken during Obama’s presidency.