Remember ol’ Joe? When he was Governor of West Virginny and running for the Senate back in 2010, he needed to establish the fact that, in a state that was trending ever more red, he wouldn’t be just another lockstep lefty Dem. So he cut this now-infamous commercial called Dead Aim. In it, he held his bolt action huntin’ rifle, making sure the first promise he spouted was, “As your senator, I’ll protect our Second Amendment rights. That’s why the NRA endorsed me.” He even put a bullet through what was then one of the left’s biggest brainstorms — the cap and trade bill — just to show the folks back in the hills and hollers that he wasn’t going to let Obama shut down the coal industry that was so important to their livelihoods. And Mountain Staters bought that pile of tailings hook line and sinker . . .

Now, in the wake of the Sandy Hook massacre, the “proud gun owner” has had a change of heart. Seems he’s experienced a road to Damascus conversion and those Second Amendment rights he said he held so dear really aren’t so sacred after all.

“Who would have ever thought, in America, or anywhere in the world, that children would be slaughtered?” he said on CNN’s “Amanpour.” “You know, that–it’s changed me.”

Manchin said he’s committed to bringing “the dialogue that would bring a total change.”

“And I mean a total change,” he added.

Looks like the linguini-spined, NRA A-rated defender of gun rights hasn’t had much trouble adopting the language of the anti-gun forces he once pretended to oppose.

“It’s time to move beyond rhetoric. We need to sit down and have a common sense discussion and move in a reasonable way,” Manchin said earlier Monday on MSNBC.

Impressive. Tailgunner Joe was just reelected to a full term in the Senate in November, so he’s clearly hoping six years will be long enough to make West Virginians forget the abrupt about face. Guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

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49 COMMENTS

  2. Cap and trade, like obamacare was thought up and proposed by republicans. just because lefties came around to it and subsequently the right abandoned it doesn’t rewrite history.

  3. simple don’t vote for him next election…you lie…you lose…I’m writing my reps, senetor and gov here in texas suggesting that if they vote against you will not have my or my families/friends votes suggest everyone out there do the same…don’t take this lying down..

    • His next election is 2016, this storm will be long gone by then. He has 4 years to do his dirty work.

      • never the less he will only then suck on the tax payers tit for 4 years then out you go….back to walmart

      • The NRA has a long memory and in a state that is very pro gun his challenger only has to show the video of him talking about gun control to weaken him in a state that is treading Republican.

        Thanks
        Robert

  4. I love how the left keeps saying we need to have a “common sense discussion”. That discussion is only common sense if you agree with their viewpoint.

    • Well it will be easy to figure out. Will this new committee include the NRA, SAF, and GOA?????
      If it doesn’t well then that will be your answer no won’t it.

  5. Do not forget it was/is the current NRA leadership that supported and gave these weenies OUR money. I be thinking its house cleaning tme.

    • I think the gun owners of America ratings are pretty good, but like you said, NRA ratings are hit and miss.

  8. So, write, call, protest and get involved. There is no point in being silent and yelling at a blog post. There are mid-term elections and 2016 elections. He was voted in, he can be voted out. Make sure no NRA money goes his way. There is no longer time to be lazy and to shut up.

    True, that the damage may already be done, but it will be a clear message to others whose next gets the seat.

    He has allowed the coal miners to get screwed and now the gun owners, why does this guy deserve his job?

    • The NRA knew beforehand. GOA knew but the NRA didn’t? We’ll see if the NRA stabs us in the back Friday. I won’t be renewing my membership if they feel the need to “compromise” on Fineswine’s bill.

      The NRA is the most powerful ally we have, but they’re not as progun as many people believe. I only trust GOA.

      • The Second Amendment Foundation is pretty trustworthy as well. They sponsored McDonald vs Chicago, which led to the SCOTUS ruling that handgun bans were unconstitutional.

  9. “I would never abdicate, nor would I expect any other governor to abdicate, the responsibility to protect the people of my state.”
    Joe Manchin

    And yet, he is willing to disarm you. Sounds about right

    • Ya know, not supporting the NRA and “disarming you” are two different things.

      In fact, you could even argue that with it’s very unpopular public perception, the NRA makes foolish gun control measures (like anAWB) easier to sell.

  10. Come on, he’s a freakin politician! They don’t have spines, they bend whatever direction gains the most votes. To expect anything else from them is just as irrational as thinking a stupid sign will stop evil from entering a school.

    • Question: Why do politicians have bodyguards?

      Answer: So that people dont see they are spineless when the wind is blowing.

  12. I think all of the supposedly pro-2A Congressmen that are jumping ship were just waiting for a way to ‘justify’ their change of position. No one who really believes in the Constitution will flip because of one event, no matter how tragic. The Democrats that were elected because of NRA support just want to have their jobs and ignore the people who elected them.

  13. This reminds me that all elections at the federal level are national elections in a sense. Congress people each affect us all. You can’t effect results in other states with your votes, but since things have become so much about money, might as well make it work for you. If you live in hopelessly anti-gun states, consider supporting sympathetic candidates in other states, especially where the races are close.

    Doesn’t help with Joe right now, but keep it mind the next time around.

  14. It’s unfortunate WV doesn’t have a provision to recall a senator. Or should I say lucky for Manchin.

    • You really think he wouldn’t survive a recall election? Byrd died in office, Rockefeller has been threre since 1984, both voted for the last AWB. I’m sorry but the poplation of WV has shown they don’t care about individual gun rights with the people they keep electing.

    • It is true that any person has the right to change his or her mind on the basis of new information. However, politicians get elected of the policies and platform they espouse. Changing their views and platform after an election is bad form.

      Now, if the politician truly has an epiphany of sorts, he could also resign and seek reelection on the basis of his new platform. Now that sort of uprightness and integrity would be a refreshing change from what we have become accustomed!

  18. “common sense” and “reasonable” in the opinion of those opposed to private citizen self-reliance and self-defense, and in support of the common citizen being victimized. Perhaps the reason the Left wants to push forward the Health Care Bill is to be prepared to deal with all the people who will need ER care after guns are banned.

    • Funny, just last night one of my liberal friends came back with “I think we should make gun licensing more rigorous and create an insurance requirement that helps fund funerals and hospital care for victims”

      WTF? Now I’m supposed to subsidize funerals for dead bad guys? Also, and to your original point, didn’t we recently enact healthcare reform so that everyone would have access to hospital care?

      • Typical thinking of people who are extremist either far left or far right. Perhaps car buyers should support everyone hurt in an auto accident and pay for their funerals too? How about all those single parents who raised a criminal paying for all the human and property damage their minor or adult-child does?

  22. GOOD JOB, Joe! You’ve been owned. Soon you’ll be back to NO support from either party… think ’bout that for a minute. Good day, sir.

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