At least some Democrats are finally opening their eyes.
Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, praised President Joe Biden for successfully negotiating a bipartisan agreement on the debt ceiling. However, he expressed his belief that progressive influences are pulling the President towards the far-left.
In transcript provided by the Washington Examiner, Manchin explained, “I think [with] Joe Biden, that’s his inherent [to] who he is. He’s been pushed to the far Left. And that far Left is not basically where the country is, and the far Right is not where the country is.”
The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 was signed by President Biden over the weekend, suspending the debt ceiling until January 2025. This agreement was reached in exchange for implementing various measures to reduce spending growth. Senator Manchin applauded the efforts of both parties in working together to secure this deal, effectively averting the potential risk of default. It was predicted that the government would have faced a cash shortage to meet its financial obligations as early as June 5.
Manchin later added, “I give everybody credit. President Biden did what he must do, and what he does best is bring people together, use bipartisanship. But 90 days ago, we could have started this.”
In recent weeks, Senator Manchin has intensified his critique of President Biden regarding the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act and the initial reluctance to engage in negotiations with the GOP regarding the debt ceiling. Additionally, there have been indications that Manchin is considering a potential presidential run, emphasizing the importance of fostering bipartisanship.
When asked about the potential impact of President Biden shifting towards the center on his own likelihood of running for office, Senator Manchin avoided giving a direct response.
“We can’t continue to be pushed to the Left and push[ed] to the Right. Stay in that middle and pull people back to the middle,” Manchin explained.