The Joe Lieberman of 2012

[Senator Clarence]

http://gop12.thehill.com/2012/04/democratic-senator-undecided-on-romney.html

[Jayhawker]

I'll take it. Speaking of one of my favorite Senators, has Lieberman made an endorsement?

[GLPman]

Wow, I didn't expect this from Manchin. Good find! I wonder how this will pan out.

[Governor Scott]

Looks like I'll be supporting the Mountain Party for the next WV Senate election.

I thought these Democrats would have learned from Lieberman's mistake, but I guess not.

[Hashemite]

What a stupid douchebag. But we knew that Manchin was hardly a bright bulb since 2010.

[MilesC56]

Pryor also said that he won't be campaigning for Obama.

I don't have any feelings against that..its just something they need to do to win the south.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Pryor also said that he won't be campaigning for Obama.
 

Not campaigning is not the same thing as not voting. At least in 2008 Chuck Hagel and Wayne Gilchrest didn't openly announce that they didn't vote for their party's candidate until after the election (or not at all) even though both of them were retiring.
But Manchin is trying to have it both ways by playing coy. This guy certainly isn't material for a Profile in Courage award.

[Senator Clarence]

I was very disappointed in Hagel and Gilchrest... out of any one I wouldv eexpected them to stay with McCain

[oakvale]

I think openly not supporting your Presidential nominee when you're an elected member of your party should be grounds for being expelled from that party, frankly.

[Senator Napoleon]

I think openly not supporting your Presidential nominee when you're an elected member of your party should be grounds for being expelled from that party, frankly.

Voters had already expelled Lieberman.

[argentarius]

I think openly not supporting your Presidential nominee when you're an elected member of your party should be grounds for being expelled from that party, frankly.

He's just saying something that will help the democrats keep a seat in WV this year. If you have an attitude that everybody is forced to get in line with the nominee, it's going to hurt you not only in WV, but Kentucky, the Dakotas, Montana etc.

[Governor Scott]

Will there be a Senate primary against Manchin this year?  If not, we'll look towards 2018.

[nkpatel1279]

Manchin's predecessor- the late longtime US Senator Robert C. Byrd- a former member of the teaparty during the 1950's endorsed Obama-D during the 2008 Presidential Election-both in the primary and in the general.  If Byrd were around he would endorse Obama-D and he would do it in front of the media.

[Ѕenator Αverroës]

Joe Manchin is no Robert Byrd.

[Emperor SJoyce]

Excusable. It's West Virginia, a state where Romney is up 21% in recent polls. Not like endorsing Obama will help his polling, and downticket effects on that kinda thing could devastate his campaign.

[ag]

Manchin's predecessor- the late longtime US Senator Robert C. Byrd- a former member of the teaparty during the 1950's endorsed Obama-D during the 2008 Presidential Election-both in the primary and in the general.  If Byrd were around he would endorse Obama-D and he would do it in front of the media.

Byrd didnt't have to fear losing.

[Inks.LWC Supports Chuck Hagel]

I was very disappointed in Hagel and Gilchrest... out of any one I wouldv eexpected them to stay with McCain

Just because he was a veteran?

[I Can't Get That Sound You Make, Out Of My Head]

Manchin's predecessor- the late longtime US Senator Robert C. Byrd- a former member of the teaparty during the 1950's endorsed Obama-D during the 2008 Presidential Election-both in the primary and in the general.  If Byrd were around he would endorse Obama-D and he would do it in front of the media.

Mate, he was worse than the Tea Party.

In the 1940's he was a KKK member!

[Lloyd Bentsen's Ghost]

I doubt he'll endorse Romney. Lieberman was serving his final term as an independent, wasn't running for re-election, and could pretty much do whatever the hell he wanted. Manchin still has his career to think about. The national party would cut his pursestrings off if he pulled something like that.

[Politico]

Joe Manchin is no Robert Byrd.

I am pretty sure Machin never had any association with the KKK, so you're absolutely right. Machin strikes me as a very sensible moderate in an increasingly immoderate party. If the DNC tries screwing with him, he can easily switch parties, win re-election in 2016, and obtain a prominent chair at some point down the road.

[Democratic Hawk]

Joe Manchin is no Robert Byrd.

or Jay Rockefeller for that matter. He, too, like the late Sen. Byrd, endorsed Barack Obama in his party's presidential primary and general election. Sen. Rockefeller was re-elected in 2008, winning 64-36, while President Obama was losing the state 56-43

[rbt48]

I think openly not supporting your Presidential nominee when you're an elected member of your party should be grounds for being expelled from that party, frankly.

It is not Great Britain in terms of party discipline in the US.  And there is no loyalty oath like there was in Georgia in 1066 when Weltner had to abandon his re-election bid.

[LINCOLN REPUBLICAN]

The day that individuals in any party, ordinary members, or prominent members of that party such as Senators, are not allowed to break party ranks and support a candidate of another party, who they believe is better for the nation, and are told if they do this they will be banned from their party, is the day America is headed down the slippery sloap towards intolerance and dictatorship.

[nkpatel1279]

Joe Manchin is no Robert Byrd.

or Jay Rockefeller for that matter. He, too, like the late Sen. Byrd, endorsed Barack Obama in his party's presidential primary and general election. Sen. Rockefeller was re-elected in 2008, winning 64-36, while President Obama was losing the state 56-43

Manchin-D,Rockefeller-D and Byrd-D are highly popular long time Democratic Statewide Elected officials.
Byrd-D won 9 US Senate Races in WV by a landslide margin until his death in 2010.  Rockefeller-D was elected 2 terms as Governor before getting elected to the US Senate in 1984. He is in his 5term. The only time Rockefeller-D faced a tough race was in 1984-during the Reagan landslide.  Manchin-D like Rockefeller-D was a two term popular Governor-before he became US Senator in 2010-
During the 2000 US Presidential Election. Did Zell Miller(D-GA) who was running for the US Senate in GA in a special election outright endorsed Bush-R over Gore-D or did he remain neutral.

[Senator Ben]

Joe Manchin is no Robert Byrd.

I am pretty sure Machin never had any association with the KKK, so you're absolutely right.

It's more that while Robert Byrd fought for some of the central tenants of liberalism, and openly supported liberal candidates, Manchin has been a spineless coward.

The day that individuals in any party, ordinary members, or prominent members of that party such as Senators, are not allowed to break party ranks and support a candidate of another party, who they believe is better for the nation, and are told if they do this they will be banned from their party, is the day America is headed down the slippery sloap towards intolerance and dictatorship.

That's moronic.  You wouldn't be saying the same thing if a Republican were considering endorsing Obama.