Democratic chairman 'not wild' about Joe Manchin for Senate ad
| Washington
In an usual move for an election year, the Chairman of the Democratic National Committee criticized a video ad by his party鈥檚 candidate for the US Senate from West Virginia.
At a Monitor-sponsored breakfast with reporters Thursday, DNC Chair Tim Kaine was asked about an ad West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin released this week in his bid for the Senate seat formerly held by the late Robert C. Byrd. In the video, Governor Manchin at a mock copy of the 鈥渃ap and trade鈥� energy bill which died in Congress earlier this year.
Manchin, now in a tight race with wealthy Republican businessman John Raese, also says he would vote to repeal the 鈥渂ad parts of Obamacare鈥� using a critical term for health-care reform usually favored by Republicans. Mr. Raese has paid out of his own pocket for ads charging that Manchin would be little more than a 鈥渞ubber stamp鈥� for President Obama鈥檚 policies if he were elected.
When a reporter asked about the Manchin ad, Kaine replied, 鈥淚 am not wild about it. I am not wild about it. I am not wild about it. The part that I most don鈥檛 like is, you know, fixing what is bad about Obamacare.鈥�
Kaine then went on to point out that Manchin was taking a position opposed to the votes by Democratic West Virginia Senators Byrd and Jay Rockefeller. 鈥淗e had two Democratic senators, very good senators, who voted for that bill and they voted for it because it probably has as much to offer the residents of West Virginia as virtually any state. If you look at health stats and things like that.鈥�
In an apparent effort to take the edge off his critical comments, Kaine said, 鈥淏ut I know Joe very well. He and I did a lot together鈥� when Kaine was governor of Virginia. 鈥淛oe and I have worked very well together. He has been a great governor and I think he is going to be a fine US senator, but I am not wild about the ad," Kaine said.
The DNC Chairman said he had not talked to Manchin about the ad. 鈥淚 have not, no, I have been on the road,鈥� he said.
When a reporter noted that Manchin鈥檚 ad featured 鈥渁 big gun,鈥� Kaine replied, 鈥淗e is a hell of a shot.
