U.S. Senator Joe Manchin’s announcement today that he is not running for re-election sent shockwaves throughout the Acela Media, worried about the imperilment of both the Democrats’ Senate majority and the Biden presidency. But that panic was most palpable on ABC, which ran wild quotes against a Manchin run.
WATCH as ABC’s Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce dials the fear to 11:
MARY BRUCE: Manchin today clearly leaving the door open for a third party presidential run.
U.S. SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV): What I will be doing is traveling the country and speaking out to see if there is an interest in creating a movement to mobilize the middle, and bring Americans together.
BRUCE: Manchin is affiliated with a group called "No labels" that is exploring a centrist unity ticket in 2024. They are already on the presidential ballot in 12 states, including several key battlegrounds. But Democrats warn they could play spoiler, taking votes away from President Biden and benefits Donald Trump. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called "No Labels" perilous to democracy. Biden has called their efforts “a mistake”.
In all honesty, the other networks covered the Manchin news with the same furrowed brow and the same concern over what may befall the Democrat Senate majority and the Biden White House. But only ABC-Disney went to the effort of producing graphics indicating that Manchin’s potential White House aspiration is “perilous to democracy”.
And that, in and of itself, this suggestion that additional candidacies in a democratic election (whether Manchin, RFK, or Cornel West) “threaten democracy” is downright Orwellian.
Manchin doesn’t threaten democracy but he may, in theory, pose a threat to Joe Biden. And that’s why the partisan Acela Media, most emblematically ABC, are in a collective panic.
Click “Expand” to view the full transcript of the aforementioned report as aired on ABC World News Tonight on Thursday, November 9th, 2023:
DAVID MUIR: Tonight, the centrist senator from West Virginia, Democrat Joe Manchin, says he will not run for re-election. So, the question tonight: will he run for president? He's not ruling it out. Here's Mary Bruce.
MARY BRUCE: Tonight, a political bombshell from Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia. The conservative Democrat announcing he will not run for re-election in the deep red state.
U.S. SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV): I believe, in my heart of hearts, that I've accomplished what I set out to do for West Virginia.
BRUCE: The move has huge implications for Democrats' ability to hold onto the Senate, and possibly the White House. Manchin today clearly leaving the door open for a third-party presidential run.
MANCHIN: What I will be doing is traveling the country and speaking out to see if there is an interest in creating a movement to mobilize the middle, and bring Americans together.
BRUCE: Manchin is affiliated with a group called "No Labels" that is exploring a centrist unity ticket in 2024. They are already on the presidential ballot in 12 states, including several key battlegrounds. But Democrats warn they could play spoiler, taking votes away from President Biden and benefitting Donald Trump. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called "No labels" perilous to democracy. Biden has called their efforts a mistake.
The president today with auto workers in Illinois, taking a victory lap after they won a new contract. Biden reminding those workers he joined them on the picket line, the first president in history to do so. And Donald Trump did not.
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: Here's the difference. When you're in the middle of a fight, I stood and others stood with you shoulder to shoulder on that picket line. My predecessor went to a nonunion shop and attacked you. I hope you guys have a memory. Where I come from, it matters. MUIR: So, let's bring in our Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce live at the White House tonight. Mary, this group, “No Labels”, says they are going to announce in the coming months,early next year, if they plan to move forward with a third-party presidential ticket?
BRUCE: David, that is their announcement plan and they say they have a strategy to be on the ballot in all 50 states by Election Day. Tonight, the group is commending Senator Manchin, calling him a longtime ally of their movement. David.
MUIR: Mary Bruce with us. Thank you, Mary.
