Joe Manchin praises Trump as most engaged president since Clinton

In his recent book published in September 2023, Joe Manchin reflected on his political career and relationships with former presidents. He described President Donald Trump as the most engaged president he worked with since Bill Clinton. Notably, in the book, Manchin revealed that he had more communication with Trump during the first two years of Trump’s presidency than he had with former President Barack Obama in all eight years of Obama's administration. He emphasized that collaboration and open lines of communication with Trump facilitated effective discussions.  Manchin's commentary on his relationships with these presidents came in the context of his growing disillusionment with the Democratic Party and its progressive agenda. He noted that his shift to becoming an Independent was partly influenced by the Democratic Party's increasing detachment from working-class voters, particularly in rural areas like West Virginia. Manchin pointed out that he felt the party had overlooked these communities during President Obama's tenure, which led to a significant political shift in West Virginia toward the Republican Party. He characterized this change as a seismic realignment in which the Democratic Party failed to maintain its support among the electorate. Further elaborating on his experiences, Manchin discussed a cordial working relationship he had with Trump that included numerous discussions and visits from the president to West Virginia. He claimed that Trump had an 'open line of communication' with him and often involved him in policy discussions. Manchin recalled that maintaining influence with Trump depended on being the last person to speak to the president about a subject, which he effectively managed to do on occasion. In contrast, his interactions with Obama were characterized by a lack of engagement, especially during key political moments. Manchin's reflections in his book synthesize a blend of personal anecdotes and broader observations concerning the political climate in Washington. He consistently advocated for a bipartisan approach, seeking to bridge divides between parties. However, this ideology faced criticism for lacking concrete solutions to pressing partisan issues. In essence, his narrative aims to challenge the prevailing partisanship while acknowledging the practical complexities that exist within the political landscape. The juxtaposition of his relationships with Trump and Obama serves as a lens through which Manchin critiques the current state of American politics and advocates for a return to common sense governance.