Sen. Joe Manchin says he’s skipping a meeting with fellow Democrats on Capitol Hill Wednesday in which President Obama is expected to defend his signature health care law.
“In good conscience, I can’t do it,” Mr. Manchin, West Virginia Democrat, said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
“If anyone listened and paid attention to what the American people said when they voted, they want this place to work,” he said.
“Can you imagine in here, with all the respect of all these people involved … we have the outgoing president coming up here today to talk to only Democrats, we have the incoming vice president coming up to talk only to Republicans,” he said. “That’s not what makes this place work.”
Vice President-elect Mike Pence is also expected to address Obamacare in a meeting with Republicans on Capitol Hill Wednesday.
“I’m willing to look at replacing, repairing, doing anything that we can to make it better, but put something on the table,” Mr. Manchin said. “I just can’t believe that Republicans will go down this path and just throw it out and say, ’Trust us. In two or three years, we’ll fix it.’ “
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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