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Manchin says Trump will destroy democracy if he becomes president again

Warning of the dangers associated with Trump back in the White House, Manchin hints at having a go himself

Senior Culture Editor

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Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., arrives for the Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on the national security supplemental request on Tuesday, October 31, 2023. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., arrives for the Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on the national security supplemental request on Tuesday, October 31, 2023. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Just one week after making the announcement that he won't be seeking reelection, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., is hinting at a third-party run for president as an alternative to Republican frontrunner Donald Trump.

In statements obtained from AP News, Manchin spoke out against the dangers of giving Trump a second term, going so far as to say that “he will destroy democracy in America.” And although the senator is against a two-party system, and "would never want to be a 'spoiler' who contributed to getting any other candidate elected," he'd give it a whirl if he was viewed as the right man for the job.

"I’ll do whatever I can to save this nation," Manchin said. “These parties have taken over to where they weaponized us against each other. And that’s wrong.”

Going more into his views on Trump specifically, he added, “You can’t have this visceral hatred spewing out every time you give a speech, denigrating Americans. And the only good American is the one that likes you and supports you; the only fair election is the one you win; the only laws pertain to everybody but you.”

 

 

 

By Kelly McClure

Kelly McClure is Salon's Senior Culture Editor, where she helps further coverage of TV, film, music, books and culture trends from a unique and thoughtful angle. Her work has also appeared in Vulture, Vanity Fair, Vice and many other outlets that don't start with the letter V. She is the author of one sad book called "Something Is Always Happening Somewhere." Follow her on Bluesky: @WolfieVibes

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