GOP Slams New Dem Senator Who Skipped Votes to Attend Christmas Party
- Posted on December 19, 2010 at 6:44pm by
Meredith Jessup
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Newly elected West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat, is the latest target of Republican scorn after skipping several pivotal votes this weekend to attend a Christmas party — including votes on the DREAM Act, the nuclear START Treaty and the repeal of the military‘s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy.
“For a senator who has only been on the job a few weeks, Manchin’s absence today, and the apparent lack of seriousness with which he takes the job he was elected to do, speaks volumes,” Brian Walsh, communications director of the National Senatorial Campaign Committee, said Saturday.
According to The Charleston Gazette, Manchin and his family had planned a “holiday gathering over a year ago with all their children and grandchildren” because they could not be together on Christmas Day.
“While he regrets missing the votes, it was a family obligation that he could not break,”a Manchin spokesperson said.
The GOP may be especially miffed with the new Democratic Senator after he had pledged the oppose the DREAM Act and DADT repeal, two votes that would have bolstered the Republicans’ vote counts. But missing these crucial votes may not bode well for Manchin’s re-election campaign which comes in 2012 after he serves out the remainder of the late Sen. Robert Byrd’s term.
“I’m sure that most senators, as well as the hundreds of staffers who had to come to work today, would have rather been at a Christmas party like Joe Manchin,” Walsh said. “But perhaps in Joe Manchin’s world today was a win-win — not only was he able to skip work and party but he was also able to avoid voting on two very sensitive political issues.”
The Washington Post also points out that Manchin’s absence “stood in contrast to the presence of another Democrat, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who despite a recent diagnosis of prostate cancer, made it in for Saturday’s votes. (Wyden is slated to undergo surgery on Monday.)”
Further, Senate GOP aides pointed out that Manchin could have booked a seat on a flight after the votes and would have landed in Charleston in time to attend the party.
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Comments (106)
joan k
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 8:41pmCouldn’t we just send all the Dems home…. and any RINOs that are there, too. I think they have all done enough damage this year.
Report Post »Jasper64
Posted on December 22, 2010 at 4:50pmI’m with you on that. After thinking about this for a while, I can‘t really see that it’s a completely bad thing if a Democrat politician doesn’t vote. In fact, I’d really like to see a whole lot more of Dem politicians not voting…ever again. Maybe he can start a trend.
Report Post »bookofwisdom
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 8:36pmIn 20 years of working for one company I never got paid to leave my job to attend a family planned gathering unless it was a paid holiday or my regular day off. Why is he getting paid when he was supposed to be at work? And how can they abstain from voting? You either vote yes, or no. You either approve or disapprove of what you are voting on. When did the rules change and who voted to change them, I certainly didn’t. May God Bless.
Report Post »LIBS R RETARDED MONKEYS
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 8:27pm“hope and change” just keep saying it over and over and things will get better! Oh, and hole foods has fat free unicorn milk on sale!
Report Post »guyperram
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 8:21pmSo what? Manchin‘s vote wouldn’t have affected either piece of legislation whatsoever. Do you really think these congressmen can, or will, change things back to where they are supposed to be? If so, I laugh at you!
Report Post »They have spent close to 100 years getting this country de-railed. Now, when they just about have completed their mission, you think they will have a “change of heart” and deny themselves the power involved with being our new, heritary kings and princes? Guess again sucker!
DVT
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 8:21pmSame ****, different Senator!
Report Post »uncivilized
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 8:20pmHmph.
Report Post »How about Manchin’s obligation to the people of West Virginia? He didn’t have any trouble promising them the moon during his campaign, now did he?
dcwu
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 8:19pmThen it came burning hot into my mind, whatever he said, and however he flattered, when he got me home to his house, he would sell me tor a slave. …
John Bunyan – 1786 – The Pilgrims Progress
Report Post »Sgt.Murph
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 8:11pmHow about Utah‘s Bob Bennett’s (R) lame duck performance? Wish he had a Christmas party to attend right before his going away (thankfully!) party. Flaunting his Rhino strips for the last time. Good riddence!
Report Post »338lapua
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 8:24pmRino’s roasting on an open fire……
Report Post »DAG
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 8:09pmPerhaps if more democrats skipped votes to attend parties, we wouldn’t be in such a hard place. They could all go along with Obama every time there is a crucial event happening, either golf or vacation.
Report Post »TJexcite
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 7:59pmIf the person that he replaced did not die he too would not have been wheeled in
Report Post »cogito ergo sum
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 7:58pmThis is political theatre! The results for both pieces of legislation would have turned out exactly the same. I guess Sunday nights are slow news nights!
Cogito Ergo Sum
Report Post »grandmabb
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 8:17pmDude, I just binged your moniker and have now concluded “I read, I’m confused, therefore I am”
Report Post »Fina Biscotti
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 7:53pm…..in the lame duck session…..and during the Christmas holiday season?
Report Post »PatriotDaze
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 7:56pm….what, Republicans don’t work on December 18th? HAR! What kind of pagan holiday is that?
Report Post »PatriotDaze
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 7:58pmI guess the Republicans really are as naive as they appear? Except for, apparently, Snowe, Brown, Kirk, Ensign, Burr, Voinovich, Murkowski and Collins.
Report Post »338lapua
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 8:20pmNo-one expected a child to be an adult and vote…..troll@daze, you are being ignored.
Report Post »PatriotDaze
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 9:05pmLapua….the truth stings doesn’t it. The Republicans are grousing about the Dem, when they were unable to control their own Senators.
Report Post »broker0101
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 9:38pmRepublicans did just fine on the only important legislation of the past week. We controlled our own Senators and enough of yours to send the DREAM ACT down in humiliating flames. DADT repeal will be handled where and by whom it counts, at the platoon level by the troops and their unit commanders.
Report Post »nicks66
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 1:12amBroker, I couldn’t agree more. I don’t agree with it, but I know our soldiers will handle don‘t ask don’t tell. They are trained professionals and if a problem does arise, it will be addressed appropriately “at home”. The Dream Act looks bright and shiney on the outside, but in reading, it’s closely resembles a Stephen King novel. It goes bad quickly.
Report Post »Fina Biscotti
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 7:51pmActually, it is a DISGRACE…..!
But on the other hand, who would have expected the scumbg democrat party to conduct such important business……in the LAME DUCK SESSION..?!
Report Post »axxis 409
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 7:49pmActually Manchin was very clever, He ducked votes that might have come back to haunt him later…If he voted no the dems would have been mad . And if voted yes the repubs would have been annoyed also…..so, just dont vote…simple!!
Report Post »DaytonConserve
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 10:43pmI votes present… Wait, what do you mean I can’t do that here? Obama told me how he got away with that sham in Illinois…. Oh, the rules are different there? Well, dang. This is harder than I thought.
Joe
Report Post »antilevy
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 7:40pmWest Virginia… you have been duped again….. it seems you’d learn, but then again any state that elected a KKK MEMBER for 50 yrs. welll…. I guess that speaks for itself
Report Post »PatriotDaze
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 7:53pm…and Maine…..Massachusetts…..Alaska….Nevada…..Illinois….and Ohio. I guess that speaks for itself as well.
Report Post »Kalidor835
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 9:53amI for one never voted for Rockefeller, Byrd, or Manchin. We have the left side of the state (ironic ain’t it?) to thank for both of these bozos.
Report Post »TERMLIMITSNOW
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 10:44amYou can thank the unions for the senators in WV….and the morons that think this is their daddy’s democratic party. They will never wake up here in WV. They keep voting Rockefeller in and he has NEVER been a West Virgianian, its sad.
Report Post »inferno
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 7:25pmIf anyone wants to honor family commitments, that’s admirable. However, if they are in a position
Report Post »professionally that is important as voting on issues that affect our country, and that conflicts with their family, perhaps they should look for a different proffession.
PatriotDaze
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 7:40pmLike a reality TV show host about hunting and mining in West Virginia?
Report Post »JBaer
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 8:13pmOr look for a different family. Hahahaaa.
Report Post »Actually Inferno, you hit the nail on the head.
NHABE64
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 7:21pmDespicable, this bum should be sent home and replaced with a Patriot!
Report Post »temple62
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 7:20pmPut all the congress in a floor sack, shake it up and dump them out as they all look alike – Dems, Reps and Independents. The 2010 election did LITTLE to solve the problem of spending restraints. Hopefully the Tea Party can eliminate these offenders in 2012 as I have NO CONFIDENCE in these self serving career politicians to police themselves!
Report Post »PatriotDaze
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 7:05pmPolitical theater. The DADT repeal passed 2-to-1. They couldn’t manage their own Senators.
Report Post »komponist-ZAH
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 9:33pmYep, the Corruptocrats and Defraudicans up to the usual games. =(
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 7:02pmHeard there’d be dames at the gathering.
Report Post »Tyrone
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 6:57pmDo not be shocked to see Manchin miss as many votes as Obama voted present while a state senator. Can not hold it against him in 2 years. Another case of voters being Hornswaggled!
Report Post »PeachyinGA
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 7:54pmZactly what I was thinking, Tyrone! He might even be on the fast track to run for President in 2012! Hope the GOP has a candidate in mind who can win! (Someone from the Tea Party movement.)
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 6:53pmwait, Republicans hinged hope on a DEMOCRAT?! even our coonhound knows better than to EVER trust a democrat.
Report Post »j_man
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 6:51pmA lazy dem. Haven forbid.
Report Post »DagneyT
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 7:07pmHeaven forbid? Just sayin’
Report Post »komponist-ZAH
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 8:24pmMore like Socialist Utopia forbid…
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 6:50pmWell its a Christmas Party…if Oblahblah can drop everything to go to one, so can Munchkin
Report Post »Sledgehammer
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 6:49pmCome on now, with their performance over the past few years, did anyone expect it to change?
Report Post »cnsrvtvj
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 6:54pmThey talked about this over the weekend at donsmithshow.com. I hope they enjoyed the party.
lovenfl3
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 6:59pmI didn’t expect it to change Sledge.
Report Post »marhee9
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 7:00pmThat was a great show cnsrvtvj, the Clinton interview was priceless. Lol.
Report Post »Kurty C Wipe
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 7:18pmYou don’t vote……You don’t payed, kinda like the real world!
Report Post »Bad Thunder
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 7:22pmJust another Joe that’s only in it for himself…….
Report Post »lylee
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 7:42pmCould it be he does not want to go on record? NAH. Can’t be that logical.
Report Post »mikem1969
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 7:54pmWhat do you expect from a demoncrat.
Report Post »TXPilot
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 8:16pmWell, by missing all the votes, he did attain one thing by attending the party….deniability…if he didn’t have to vote yay or nay on the bills, he can spin in any direction he wants later on….
Report Post »Farnsworth
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 8:43pmThis was the guy that republicans early on wanted to see if they can flip. he would be a RINO at best, which we don’t need, let him rot.
Report Post »He is probably working the Democrat crowd, Nancy Pelosi needs a new person to carry her purse
WhatTheHuh
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 9:04pmI didn’t expect it to change as well, but I did expect the usual attempt to pretend they were sincere about changing things. We’re not even seeing that anymore. Washington D.C despises the voter and frankly, I think a lot of them just don’t care how they look anymore. They just wait until election season, put on a show, get elected, and then go back to business as usual assuming the voter will forget or not care next time around. This is especially true for Senators. Six years is a long time. Look at what Harry Reid is doing already with the Dream Act.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 9:40pmI wish they would ALL go to —- oh I’ll be “nice” … HOME!
Report Post »watchmany2k
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 9:40pmTHIS is why we have to stay busy and with our own state legislators., There IS a remedy to the clowns in washington and not just waiting until their term is up, it’s called RECALL. We need to have a few successful recalls to put some teeth into the tea party !!
Report Post »Rational Man
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 10:40pmI want to be sure that everyone knows that the National Rifle Association endorsed this liberal boob over the Rebublican candidate for senator who has a good record on the 2nd Amendment.
I ain’t sticking up for Obummer, but at least he voted present instead of being absent!
Reckon he’ll be absent during those 2nd Amendment votes too!!
Report Post »Cobra Blue
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 5:41amHey Folks…
The politicians are not worried about what WE THE PEOPLE think. They have no reason to fear us or what we say. Because they know we are all talk. The Founding Fathers didn’t talk their way to Independence. They laid it all on the line and took their freedom. Why would you think we can do it any other way? Maybe because we think a takeover of our country could never happen? Wake up! It already has. We haven’t come to the point we are willing to sacrifice our comfort and stuff for the cause of freedom. Much less our lives.or our honor.
Report Post »StonyBurk
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 7:40amI am not convinced that the complainers have any reason to slam him. The reprobates had already secured enough votes to harm the Military. John McCains dodge -quietly assuring everybody that
Report Post »there were enough votes to defeat the evil plan was just like his behavior when his fellow Navy Vets
went after his friend The Other JFK from Mass. He didn’t really want to get involved then either. There seems be too many Statesmen/i.e. compromising diplomats and not enough Patriots In other words
they are all mere politicians and no different than we thought them to be within the ranks 69-77-
a necessary evil .