Meghan McCain warned Monday that attacks against Democratic West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin could result in a Republican taking his seat.
McCain pointed out that former President Donald Trump had won West Virginia handily and argued that if Democrats were to primary the Manchin — especially with someone who was further to the left — they would likely lose the seat. (RELATED: ‘I Am Not A Roadblock’: Joe Manchin Says He Just Wants The System To Work As It Should)
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Whoopi Goldberg noted that Manchin had made it clear he was not interested in doing away with the filibuster – and that he had recently come out against the Democrats’ For The People Act — and asked McCain whether she thought Democrats were right to be frustrated with him.
“I have a few thoughts. I could literally debate the filibuster for this entire show. We’re literally at zero time,” McCain replied, turning her attention to Manchin instead.
“What’s fascinating to me is that Democrats would seem to rather have a Republican in the Senate in Joe Manchin’s seat than a moderate,” McCain said. “In my home state of Arizona Kyrsten Sinema is also someone that came out said she wouldn’t vote for the filibuster either. I think that Mark Kelly is also going to be someone who is more centrist and they have to answer tough questions.”
McCain went on to say that everyone always wanted to talk about how the Republican Party had become about loyalty to Trump, adding, “Do Democrats have to bend the knee to the Squad and everything on the far left? It looks like AOC and the squad is dictating who is allowed in your party as well.”
“Joe Manchin won the state of West Virginia that went overwhelmingly, was the state that went the highest voting for Trump in the entire union,” McCain continued, arguing that Democrats should take a lesson from Manchin on how to win as a Democrat in a red state rather than attacking him. “They would rather call him a heretic and call him a traitor. If you’re a Republican who votes against your party, you’re a hero and a maverick. So the media coverage of him is really interesting, especially for someone like me. I respect free thinkers. I love people who buck party trends on both sides.”
McCain concluded by arguing that President Joe Biden had won by sticking to a more moderate platforms well. “If they continue down this path where anyone who thinks differently of them is blood-letted out and seen as a heretic, you’re going to have the same problem in your party that I’m having in mine.”