Is Machin laying pipe for a 2024 Presidential run a la Kennedy v. Carter (1980) ?

[CincyDem]

Feels like he's trying to cultivate a "big middle" on the political spectrum that pulls from both sides. And he's certainly milking his day in the sunshine to cultivate a national reputation beyond WV.

IIRC, Kennedy spent a couple years rejecting all things Carter before announcing his run and many believe that his lukewarm support of Carter post-primaries contributed to Raygun's win in 1980. Granted, Carter's approval rating was half what Biden's is (and probably less than half by the time we get to 2023 primary season) so that could give him second thoughts but watching Manchin over this past 6-8 months...I think he takes a swing at it.

F'ing nuts IMHO but it'll be the icing on the cake of the "dems in disarray" bullchit narrative and I can imagine there would be more than a few traditionally republican donors that would get behind it. No risk for them...Manchin wins, they get their "center, center, right" guy...R candidate wins, that get their "right, right, wacko" guy...either way...they'll be getting a healthy shift to the right from today's executive branch.

I know he serves his purpose of keeping the committees in Dem hands but god he comes with such a cost.

[Irish_Dem]

1. Certainly could be one of the things he has been promised.

I keep wondering who and what has been offered to him for this kind of behavior.

[FBaggins]

2. Carter's approval was not half of Biden's

Carter's approval in November of 1977 was about ten points higher than Biden's current figure.

Carter continued to decline into the high 20s - but was actually much higher during the primary season

As for the actual speculation of the OP. No... I don't see a Manchin run as likely.

[onenote]

3. No

[Omnipresent]

4. Kennedy got Carter to pay off his campaign debt as part of the deal for the endorsement

Also, Carter was more of a conservative Democratic like Manchin is.

[Autumn]

5. He can lay it all he wants. He's going to get nowhere outside of his state.

[brooklynite]

6. No. Next question?

[JohnSJ]

12. I have three questions

[lagomorph777]

17. "African, or European Swallow?"

Love that bit!

[JohnSJ]

19. Yes

[relayerbob]

7. He can try, but he has pissed off too many Dems

And the GOP, even moderates, assuming there are any left, won't back him.

[lapfog_1]

8. No, Manchin is not running for President

To win the Democratic Nomination... he would at the very least need to win California and New York in a primary. Which he must know will never ever happen.

[JohnSJ]

9. No. He enjoys the power he has now, and he knows he wouldn't have enough Democratic

support

[Midnight Writer]

10. He is definitely laying pipe on the American people and the folks in W Virginia he represents.

[MoonRiver]

11. Can't imagine he is that delusional.

He's playing to his donors.

[FBaggins]

13. I think what he's actually doing is preparing to run for Governor

Swapping places with the (term-limited) current governor (Jim Justice).

[Buckeyeblue]

14. He could never win the nomination

However, what if he ran as an independent? That could potentially help Biden or whoever the nominee is. Maybe he's angling to be the VP for either side.

[lagomorph777]

16. He's poison - would not be helpful to ANY candidate on either side.

[lagomorph777]

15. Hahahahahahaaaaa!

Manchin is universally despised by Dems, and Reptilians will never vote for an ex-Dem.

He's not stupid enough to think he could run for President. He's just greedy - building his retirement fund from fossil/pharma bribes.

[Fiendish Thingy]

18. No, but Sinema is- shows just how delusional she really is. Nt