Manchin first Dem to announce support for Gorsuch

[PoliticAverse]

Source: The Hill

Sen. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) announced Thursday that he will back Judge Neil Gorsuch, becoming the first Senate Democrat to throw their support behind President Trump's Supreme Court nominee.

"I will vote to confirm Judge Neil Gorsuch to be the ninth justice on the Supreme Court," Manchin tweeted.

Thirty-three Senate Democrats have come out against Gorsuch's nomination, according to The Hill's Whip List, with Republicans signaling that they are willing to change Senate rules to confirm him with a simple majority if eight Democrats don't back him.

...

Shortly after Manchin announced his position, Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.) became the second Democratic "yes" vote on Gorsuch.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/326600-manchin-announces-support-for-gorsuch

[Hulk]

1. Who would have guessed....

We are talking West Virginia here. manchin is a disgrace, for the most part, when trying to align him with any progressive agenda. He's "Mr. Coal". So sad that we have to settle for such trash to even fill our ranks at all.

[Efilroft Sul]

5. Joe "Lieberman" Manchin

Seriously, what the hell does he have to lose by opposing Gorsuch? Yeah, yeah, West Virginia is a red state and all, but Manchin's voters would eat the corn from his shit to keep him in office.

[DownriverDem]

16. Manchin has a lot to lose.

Manchin could lose his seat. He votes Dem more than not. You under estimate how red WV is. WV went for trump big time. They want him to vote for Gorsuch. Not all states are the same. That's the reality of what is going on.

[Efilroft Sul]

25. Constituents might be mad at him for a while, but they'll get over it.

The more hick your name sounds, the likelier you are to be elected or returned to office in West by Gawd, no matter your party affiliation. This partly explains how Democrat Gaston Caperton beat Arch "the Crook" Moore to become the state's governor in the late 1980s. Joe Manchin's another such politician. To the trailer park meth addicts, a "manchin" is where their economic betters live. Joe's got a hick name, so he'll be re-elected unless the Republicans run someone named Billy Jack Duke or Daisy Joy Hoopie.

I lived in that state for four years and am now not too far across the border from it in Pennsyltucky, where the dumb shits in the counties surrounding Pittsburgh have become just as stupid as the easily fooled Rascal riders residing in Coal Country.

[PoorMonger]

2. Expected

Could have guessed this would be the case. He more or less admitted he would support him on msnbc on Tuesday.

[George II]

3. No surprise, a huge disappointment.

[still_one]

4. no surprise. While I think we need to pursue Howard Dean's 50 state

strategy, I also believe that states like West Virginia are a lost cause until its populous stops voting against policy that hurts them.

Coal jobs aren't coming back, and those with health issues from that industry will need the healthcare that the republicans are trying to destroy

[PoliticAverse]

10. West Virginia went for Trump over Clinton 68.6% - 28.5%. n/t

[DownriverDem]

13. Yep.

The reality is that those states want them to vote for Gorsuch. If they are up for reelection in 2018, it could be used against them. We'd rather the seat stay Dem. They vote more Dem than not. This is why the Dem leadership is giving them cover on this. Not all states are the same.

[still_one]

22. That is fine, but I still want the Democrats to filibuster this nomination as a whole, because of wh

the republicans did to Garland.

In fact, if the republicans eliminate the filibuster that will come back an haunt them big time. Not only because the demographics of the country are changing, but also because a lot of people are going to be hurt by what the republicans are doing, and there will be blow back

[still_one]

15. That is pretty much what I said, West Virginia is a lot cause until West Virginians stop voting

against their own interests. I guess they haven't been screwed enough by right wing policies to acknowledge that, and until that happens, nothing will change in WV

[IronLionZion]

21. 50 state strategy means no lost causes

and conservative Dems from red states are better than having whatever RW lunatic the GOP would replace them with.

Dean's strategy put a lot of new states in play which got us both houses in 2006, Obama in 2008, and the Supreme Court justices and committee leadership and major reforms that even conservative Dems voted for.

Having a Dem majority in congress would put the brakes on Trump's BS and advance progressive legislation to a vote.

Coal is over and Trump is going to face the ire of those voters he lied to. We could pick up votes from angry miners who might want some healthcare or training for new jobs or even a relocation assistance program.

[still_one]

36. I know

[Bradical79]

30. Certain states you have to take what you can get, I guess

It's frustrating though that after 8 years of near unanimous obstruction from Republicans, we have Democrats supporting the pick of a traitor.

[JI7]

34. 50 state strategy means there will be candidates like manchin

[still_one]

37. That is exactly right

[volstork]

6. DINO

Worthless POS

[Hula Popper]

7. manchin

Put this MOFO to sleep. Get rid of all these useless repugs.

[Dig Deep]

8. Gorsuch must be a friend of coal

Joe we could have told you how you are going to vote, not news to us. Time to think of switching parties.

[NewDealProgressive]

9. What a shock.

There's always a Traitor Joe in the group. This asshole is usually him.

[DownriverDem]

11. Differences in States

I know many won't like this, but moderate Dem senators like Manchin & Heikamp come from states that want them to vote for Gorsuch. Not all states are the same. I wish all Dems were the same, but the differences are there. Moderate Dems provide more votes we like than not though. I don't have an answer, but that is what is going on.

[turbinetree]

17. All I have to say is Standing Rock

and the Human Rights Issue of Human beings which were fired upon with Rubber Bullets, Teared Gassed, Pepper Sprayed, attack dogs, and had f***ing Water Cannons pointed at them along with the "enforcement from various state militia and out of state "law" enforcement
(hired thugs ) attacking and protecting a worthless corrupt corporation

[Dig Deep]

26. coal country is shrinking

I see him on MSNBC a lot ; last time I seen him he said that he was against the filibuster of SUPREME COURT JUSTICES and even the lower courts that SEN Harry Reed did. Well if sen McConnel wants to break the filibuster rule and go down to 50 votes, it's on him. I hope the people of W.Virginia know what they are getting in judge Gorsuch with his bent on the management side. The coal industry is a shadow of its former self due to mechanization and gas prices. Gas prices were $13 less than 10 years ago, now $3.

[jalan48]

12. Munchkin needs to go back to Oz.

[secondwind]

14. This guy is totally USELESS.. FU Manchin!

[geek tragedy]

18. Trump won his state better than 2-1 in 2016.

Reality is that Senators from blood red states are going to cast votes like this on certain issues so they can stand with us on bread and butter issues like Medicaid.

[Cha]

41. Yes.. and now trump isn't helping the coal miners and trump's

popularity has plummeted..

It should make a difference but I guess not.

[geek tragedy]

43. Trump's about as unpopular as he was during the election

The geniuses in WV will be the last to leave his side. State chock full of Deplorables.

[ProudLib72]

19. Come 2018

we need to make DINOs like Manchin extinct. All this is telling me is that Manchin's vote caused Heitkamp to feel emboldened to vote against her party as well. So much for solidarity when we need it most.

[MarcA]

20. So who will the Rs run in ND and WV in '18?

[Dig Deep]

33. nobody

They already have the votes from our dinos; or they could run on both tickets at same time.

[paleotn]

23. Asshole!!!

[yurbud]

24. is there a whip count of how many will support filibuster or at least not vote FOR Gorsuch?

[PoliticAverse]

27. According to the following article, Schumer already has the 41 he needs...

to filibuster Gorsuch...

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/326435-dem-leaders-give-centrists-space-on-gorsuch

A senior aide to a Democratic senator who is undecided on Gorsuch said he has not seen an obvious effort by Schumer to whip votes one-on-one.

The aide said Schumer is giving red-state Democrats a lot of leash because he knows he has the 41 votes he needs to block Gorsuch.

[flying-skeleton]

28. In the words of Kevin O'Leary

Joe Manchin is dead to me !!
(Figuratively speaking of course)

[mountain grammy]

29. He really is a Republican, like Lieberman.

I expected this, not much backbone here. Gorsuch probably shared his favorite fishing hole with right wing Joe.

[iluvtennis]

31. He doesn't count - has voted with rethugs on everything thus far. Needs to change parties

[bucolic_frolic]

32. Expel him from the party. Now.

He's less useful than Susan Collins on every critical point of legislation for Democrats.

We're better off without him.

[KingCharlemagne]

44. I agree with you that he should be expelled from the Dem Party, but I'm not sue

the Dem Party has any such expulsion process outlined in its by-laws.

He definitely needs to be primaried by a real Democrat the next time he's up for re-election.

[zentrum]

35. Just emailed him.

Not from his state but told him we'd raise money to support any Democratic challenger to him in the next election.

https://www.manchin.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-form

Please do contact him.

[Locutusofborg]

38. Senator Heidi Heitkamp

Of North Dakota just became number two.

[YOHABLO]

39. Fuck Manchin and Fuck Heitkamp !! Traitors.

[Cha]

40. Not smart.. trump isn't helping the Coal industry and how

popular is he going to be in WV @ election time?

Remember Merrick Garland.. don't let the gop run you over, JM

[Demsrule86]

42. Red state Democrats. It is to be expected.

I hope we have enough votes;I want to pay back the Republicans for stealing Obama's nomination...but the GOP will use the nuclear option if we filibuster so eventually, Gorsuch will get on...thus this does not worry me...had they done this for the ACA repeal it would be different...you will never have a liberal Dem in those area...and we need those seats if we are to take back the Senate and stop Drump cold starting in 18. Now if Leahy who is from a safe state does not joint the filibuster or Feinstein, I would be pissed but not surprised. We have a variety of opinions in our party and some seem to think they need to use the filibuster for the next time which I don't understand. If your Senator is among those who is not filibustering than call them...my Senator Sherrod Brown is going to vote for the filibuster. I also look up zips and call other states as well.