I counted at least three articles about Joe Manchin at Red State yesterday. However, the prize for hands down best would have to go to shipwreckedcrew's
Democrat Self-Interest in Re-Election Overtakes Desire to Pass the Socialist-Progressive Legislative Agenda
SWC offers a lucid explanation for why the Left simply has zero leverage over Manchin--their childish attacks on him do Manchin nothing but good in West Virginia. If he hopes to live out his days as senator from West Virginia that's all that matters. Indeed, as SWC suggests, Manchin might be tempted to
send a bus to pick up AOC, Rashida Talib [sic], and Cori Bush and bring them to Charleston and Wheeling to campaign against him.
However, SWC's main point, as we have also emphasized, is that Manchin's role is actually to be the front man for non-radical Left Dems. In other words, he fronts for several other senators (not just Kyrsten Sinema) with similar views. They're not all completely on the same page, but they're close enough that they'll hang together. Now that Diane Feinstein (a surprise) has come out, I count five--including, unsurprisingly, both AZ senators. Remember, there's an election audit going on in AZ, so any expectation of those two going out on a far Left wing is ridiculous. Neither are the ideologues that some other senators are, and there is the possibility of their elections being ruled invalid.
SWC goes on to point out why Schumer--just like McConnell--is highly unlikely to draw any hard and fast lines that exclude wayward Dems. With a 50-50 Senate he has to be concerned for maintaining even that precarious grasp on his position--not, as SWC says, paying "fealty to the nutjobs in the House."
