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What Next | Daily News and Analysis

The Most Powerful Man in Washington?

What Next | Daily News and Analysis

Slate Podcasts

Daily News, News, News Commentary

4.32.4K Ratings

🗓️ 10 February 2021

⏱️ 23 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

As soon as the Democrats won a slim 50-50 majority in the senate, the jokes about President Joe Manchin started flying. The Senate's self described “conservative Democrat” from West Virginia is in a key position to influence legislation during the Biden administration. How will he wield that power?  Guests: Jim Newell, senior politics reporter for Slate Ken Ward Jr., co-founder of Mountain State Spotlight and distinguished reporting fellow for Pro-Publica Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

One of the key votes in the Senate joins us right now.

0:08.5

Democratic Senator from West Virginia, Joe Manchin.

0:11.3

Senator, welcome back to Special Report.

0:12.7

Thanks for having me, Brett.

0:13.7

Appreciate it.

0:14.7

When West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin showed up on Fox News last week, he was mostly there

0:19.4

to talk about Joe Biden's stimulus plan.

0:22.3

How much money he was willing to spend on it.

0:24.8

Whether he supported tacking a $15 minimum wage on the back of it, he was willing to

0:29.9

pay $15,000.

0:30.9

It doesn't.

0:31.9

But toward the end, the host asked him this question, it seemed like he had been waiting

0:36.5

to put out there from the very beginning.

0:39.1

I have 10 seconds here, Senator.

0:40.1

Are you ready?

0:41.1

Are you the most powerful person in Washington?

0:43.8

Let me tell you something.

0:44.8

I've seen people who thought they had power and abused it.

0:48.9

I've seen people that desired power and abused it.

0:52.2

And I've seen people that had an opportunity to be in a situation where we can make a difference

0:55.7

and I hope I'm that person to make a difference to bring our country together.

0:59.9

You know what Joe Manchin didn't say when he answered this question?

...

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