Joe is caught between a rock and a hard place, with his nuts and career inbetween.
If he votes against Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court, he’s out of the Senate.
If he votes for Kavanaugh AFTER DICKING AROUND AND NOT TAKING A FIRM STANCE FOR HIM, he’s out of the Senate.
His only other option would be to vote against Kavanaugh and hope that the Dems take the Senate. Otherwise he is toast, without butter.
If he was smart, years ago he would have left the Dem Party and become an Independent like Jeffords, Sanders, etc. so that he could play one party against the other.
Singing “It’s Too Late Baby” (Carole King).
“If he was smart, years ago he would have left the Dem Party”
Well, I tried to get him to switch to the GOP years ago. He has not been true to himself and the way he was raised. He would be having a whole different career if he had listened. He’s on his own now.
The solution for Manchin is to come out strongly in support of Kavanaugh now. Right now. But not just supportive. He needs to be as indignant as Lindsey Graham at the sleazy tactics of his dem colleagues and say so. Loudly. The he might win. Immediately after that, change parties, citing his lingering disgust with the dems and his inability to reconcile that with his own moral and straight arrow ways (in other words, avoid being punished relentlessly by Schumer).
If he was smart he would support Kavanagh and hope for a win and come winking and blinking to McConnell and ask for goodies to switch parties and do so. As a Democrat in WV his days are numbered in office otherwise.