‘SHAME ON HER’: Top Democrat Senator Pulls Endorsement, Humiliates Kamala Harris
Vice President Kamala Harris recently doubled down on her commitment to abolish the Senate filibuster, a procedural tool that has long been a cornerstone of legislative debate. Harris, seeking to push through a bill that would codify abortion rights, has made it clear that she believes the filibuster is standing in the way of progress on key issues.
The filibuster, often used to extend debate and block controversial legislation, has become a flashpoint in modern politics. Harris’ determination to eliminate it has drawn sharp reactions from both sides of the aisle. While some view her stance as necessary for advancing a progressive agenda, others see it as a dangerous erosion of Senate tradition.
One prominent voice in the Senate, Joe Manchin (D-WV), previously signaled an openness to endorse Harris. However, her vow to gut the filibuster prompted Manchin, a long-time defender of the procedural rule, to reconsider his position. On Tuesday during an interview, the senator from West Virginia announced he would no longer be backing her candidacy. His decision marks a significant blow to Harris.
Joe Manchin III, Senator from West Virginia (D), USA speaking in the: America (Un)Bound Session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 17 January. Congress Centre – Congress Hall. Copyright: World Economic Forum / Benedikt von Loebell
Manchin, who will retire at the end of the year, criticized his colleague in the Capitol, expressing deep disappointment. “Shame on her,” he said to CNN. “She knows the filibuster is the Holy Grail of democracy. It’s the only thing that keeps us talking and working together. If she gets rid of that, then this would be the House on steroids.”
New — Joe Manchin, a staunch defender of the filibuster, tells us he WON’T endorse Kamala Harris now over her vow to gut the filibuster to codify Roe.
“Shame on her," Manchin, who is retiring at year's end, said in the Capitol. "She knows the filibuster is the Holy Grail of…
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) September 24, 2024
“That ain’t going to happen,” Manchin continued. “I think that basically can destroy our country, and my country is more important to me than any one person or any one person’s ideology. … I think it’s the most horrible thing.” When questioned about Harris’s previous stance on eliminating the filibuster, Senator Manchin drew a parallel to her earlier position on fracking. “Well, she said she supported banning fracking too, and she changed that. I was hoping she would change this,” Manchin remarked.
In the U.S. Senate, filibusters can continue indefinitely unless 60 senators vote for a “cloture” motion to end the debate and proceed to a vote. This requirement makes the filibuster a powerful tool in the hands of a minority of senators who wish to influence legislation or obstruct bills they oppose. Harris recently expressed her support for eliminating the filibuster specifically for legislation related to abortion; this would allow such legislation to pass with a simple majority of 51 votes instead of the usual 60.
“I think we should eliminate the filibuster for Roe,” Harris said Tuesday morning. “And get us to the point where 51 votes would be what we need to actually put back in law the protections for reproductive freedom and for the ability of every person and every woman to make decisions about their own body and not have their government tell them what to do.”
In 2022, Harris pushed for ending the filibuster to advance her agenda on reproductive and voting rights. This wasn’t a new position for her. Back in 2019, while running for president as a U.S. senator, Harris also supported eliminating the filibuster to push through the controversial Green New Deal.
