West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin Says He Won’t Seek Reelection In Senate, Doesn't Rule Out Third-Party Presidential Run
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) announced he’s not running for reelection Thursday after two terms in the Senate, after a spate of public disagreements with fellow congressional Democrats and President Joe Biden.
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00:00 40 years ago with my dad.
00:02 John Manchin owned a furniture store
00:03 in Farmington, West Virginia,
00:05 a small coal mining town of hardworking people.
00:08 And one day, our local state representative came in
00:10 and asked dad for a favor, saying,
00:12 "You owe me for all the things
00:14 "I've done for your little town."
00:16 When the man left, I turned to my dad and said,
00:18 "Now wait a minute.
00:19 "Isn't helping Farmington that man's job?"
00:23 That moment defined the difference
00:24 between self-service and public service.
00:27 When I told my dad that I was going to run for office,
00:29 he said, "Oh, Joe, politics is a bad business.
00:32 "I'm telling you right now, stay out of it."
00:35 I didn't disagree that often with my father,
00:37 but that time I did.
00:39 I reminded him of the famous line
00:40 from President John F. Kennedy's inaugural address,
00:43 "Ask not what your country can do for you.
00:46 "Ask what you can do for your country."
00:48 I was 13 when I first heard it,
00:51 and I'm still inspired today by it.
00:53 My family were devoted Catholics
00:55 who immigrated from Italy and Czechoslovakia.
00:58 So do us, President Kennedy was held in the highest regard,
01:01 and I knew President Kennedy's words would sway my dad.
01:05 It took him about a minute, but my dad said
01:07 that he would support me running if I made a vow
01:10 to serve all the people, friend or foe, and not just myself.
01:15 That promise made to my dad all those years ago
01:17 has been my guiding light.
01:19 I've never cared about where good ideas came from,
01:22 and I never blame one side for creating a problem,
01:25 nor believe that only one side could fix them.
01:29 When America is at her best, we get things done
01:31 by putting country before party,
01:34 working across the aisle, and finding common ground.
01:37 Many times, this approach has landed me in hot water,
01:41 but the fight to unite has been well worth it.
01:44 Today, West Virginia's attracting more investment,
01:47 opportunity, and jobs than it has in decades.
01:50 Here at home and across the country,
01:52 we are building more roads, bridges, manufacturing plants,
01:55 and energy infrastructure than almost any time
01:58 in America's history.
02:00 After months of deliberation
02:02 and long conversation with my family,
02:04 I believe in my heart of hearts
02:07 that I have accomplished what I set out to do
02:08 for West Virginia.
02:10 I have made one of the toughest decisions of my life
02:13 and decided that I will not be running for re-election
02:15 to the United States Senate,
02:17 but what I will be doing is traveling the country
02:20 and speaking out to see if there is an interest
02:23 in creating a movement to mobilize the middle
02:26 and bring Americans together.
02:27 To the West Virginians who have put their trust in me
02:31 and fought side by side to make our state better,
02:34 it has been my honor of my life to serve you.
02:38 Thank you.
02:39 Every incentive in Washington is designed
02:42 to make our politics extreme.
02:44 The growing divide between Democrats and Republicans
02:47 is paralyzing Congress and worsening our nation's problems.
02:51 The majority of Americans are just plain worn out.
02:54 Our economy is not working for many Americans
02:57 from the rising cost of food and fuel
03:00 and everything in between.
03:02 We have a border crisis with illegal drugs
03:04 entering our country and killing Americans every day.
03:08 Our national debt is out of control
03:10 and Americans don't feel safe even in their own communities.
03:14 We are providing critical aid to two of our allies,
03:17 fighting wars for their survival,
03:19 and we must prevent being pulled into a major war ourselves.
03:23 These are not Republican or Democratic challenges.
03:26 These are American challenges.
03:28 They affect every one of us
03:30 and we need to face them together.
03:32 I know our country isn't as divided
03:34 as Washington wants us to believe.
03:36 We share common values of family, freedom, democracy,
03:41 dignity, and a belief that together
03:44 we can overcome any challenge.
03:46 We need to take back America
03:47 and not let this divisive hatred further pull us apart.
03:52 Public service has and continues to drive me every day.
03:55 That is the vow that I made to my father over 40 years ago
03:59 and I intend to keep that vow until my dying day.
04:03 May God bless America, the great state of West Virginia,
04:07 and each and every one of you.