Thursday, November 04, 2010
Manchin Lays Out His Philosophy
WEST VIRGINIA...
For six years as governor, Joe Manchin said Wednesday, he's tried to bring people on different sides of an issue together -- and he plans to use the same philosophy as a U.S. senator.
"Whether you're a Democrat or a Republican, conservative or liberal, business or labor, we are going to work together," Manchin said Wednesday afternoon during his first press conference since winning the Senate race Tuesday.
Manchin, who did not give interviews on election night, hopes the election results can be certified by late next week, so that he can join the Senate in time for the lame-duck session that will begin on Nov. 15.
Manchin defeated Republican John Raese and two other candidates, getting 54 percent of the vote to 43 percent for Raese, 2 percent for the Mountain Party's Jesse Johnson and 1 percent for the Constitution Party's Jeff Becker.
"I enjoy a good, competitive race," Manchin said. "This was a competitive race, and it got tough, but you either survive or you don't."
He conceded that it took some time for his campaign to build momentum, something he attributed to the initial shock over the June 28 death of Sen. Robert C. Byrd.
"It just knocks the wind out of you, and then it took awhile to get our legs back," Manchin said.
In response to Raese's initially successful campaign strategy of portraying him as a rubber-stamp for President Barack Obama, Manchin took steps to distance himself from Obama administration policies, including cap-and-trade and health care reform.
However, Manchin said Wednesday he did not fundamentally change his positions on those issues, and said his first priority remains unchanged.
"I've always felt I'm representing the people of West Virginia," he said.
For six years as governor, Joe Manchin said Wednesday, he's tried to bring people on different sides of an issue together -- and he plans to use the same philosophy as a U.S. senator.
"Whether you're a Democrat or a Republican, conservative or liberal, business or labor, we are going to work together," Manchin said Wednesday afternoon during his first press conference since winning the Senate race Tuesday.
Manchin, who did not give interviews on election night, hopes the election results can be certified by late next week, so that he can join the Senate in time for the lame-duck session that will begin on Nov. 15.
Manchin defeated Republican John Raese and two other candidates, getting 54 percent of the vote to 43 percent for Raese, 2 percent for the Mountain Party's Jesse Johnson and 1 percent for the Constitution Party's Jeff Becker.
"I enjoy a good, competitive race," Manchin said. "This was a competitive race, and it got tough, but you either survive or you don't."
He conceded that it took some time for his campaign to build momentum, something he attributed to the initial shock over the June 28 death of Sen. Robert C. Byrd.
"It just knocks the wind out of you, and then it took awhile to get our legs back," Manchin said.
In response to Raese's initially successful campaign strategy of portraying him as a rubber-stamp for President Barack Obama, Manchin took steps to distance himself from Obama administration policies, including cap-and-trade and health care reform.
However, Manchin said Wednesday he did not fundamentally change his positions on those issues, and said his first priority remains unchanged.
"I've always felt I'm representing the people of West Virginia," he said.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 10:21 AM 
