Sen. Manchin calls on Biden to "pass the torch to a new generation"
Independent Sen. Joe Manchin has said it is time for President Joe Biden to “pass the torch,” joining the growing calls from members of Biden’s own party to step aside in the 2024 presidential race.
Manchin said he hoped the transfer of power could be done “in the most respectful way.”
The independent senator said campaigning is an “unbelievable” mental and physical challenge “to anybody,” and said he wanted the president to instead focus his energy on seeing out the last five months of his term. Manchin said Biden can use that time to “unite our country, to calm down the rhetoric and be able focus his attention to peace in the world.”
On potential replacements: Manchin said he hoped there would be an “open process” to pick a new nominee if Biden stepped down. He said he favored governors as potential replacements, because they “can’t afford” to be partisan as the leaders of a state.
Manchin floated Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro as potential options. The two governors are on a long list of names considered in Democratic circles.
About Biden’s mental capacity: When asked by Tapper if he had noticed any changes to President Biden’s mental cognition, Manchin responded: “I have not.” He disputed any suggestion he had noticed a difference with how the president was behaving in recent months, saying, “I’ve not had that problem whatsoever.”
Some background: Manchin and Biden’s relationship has frayed during the Biden presidency, during which the centrist Manchin has served as a key roadblock on some of the president’s legislative priorities, and switched his party affiliation from Democrat to independent.
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