'Golden Campaign': McConnell presents an election gift to Manchin and Dems in red

MARTINSBURG, West Virginia – Joe Manchin appeared to be a strong bet for re-election after voting to confirm Brett Kavanaugh. But Mitch McConnell could have concluded the deal.

Facing some of the toughest campaigns of their career, the West Virginia Democrat and his fellow moderates feel they have received an unexpected gift from the Senate GOP leader. During the triumphant media tour that followed Kavanaugh last week, the Kentucky Republican expressed regret for the missed opportunity to repeal Obamacare and the need to reform the allocation programs to reduce the federal deficit.

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Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare are essential for West Virginia. In an interview Saturday, as he was gearing up for the annual Apple Crop Parade, Manchin called McConnell's comments "absolutely ridiculous" and said his Republican opponent, Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, would vote in favor of a reduction of benefits "immediately". Morrisey's support during a 2000 congressional race in New Jersey for partial privatization of Social Security funds.

"It will be a yes, 1000%, no matter what they ask him to do," Manchin said of Morrisey and GOP leaders.

In the countryside just steps from Manchin in this eastern Panhandle country town, Morrisey thanked Manchin for being open to liberal health policies and called it "the only one in the world". one of the most dishonest politicians you will find. " Morrisey insisted that he did not do anything. harm the benefits of the elderly.

Senate in danger The Democrats are trying to deflect the election of Kavanaugh and the "mob" that the president has incited to the party, in favor of widespread government programs that are popular with voters undecided in conservative states. This is a message that resonates louder in some places than West Virginia, whose residents rely on government programs at higher rates than most other states.

McConnell (R-Ky.) Spent the week talking about how these programs, as opposed to the Republicans' tax cuts, lead to an increase in the deficit.

"It is a bipartisan problem: reluctance to tackle the real debt factors by doing everything in its power to tailor these programs to the demographic data of America at the time of writing. future, "McConnell told Bloomberg.

Democrats, who have had holes in the polls after Kavanaugh's confirmation, including Manchin, believe McConnell's remarks put them on firmer ground. When asked when he was campaigning for his vote for Kavanaugh, Manchin replied, "No. But I am asked this question all the time. But is he defending health and aid programs at the heart of his campaign message? "Absolutely."

Manchin is far from being alone. During a debate on Friday night, Rep. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) Accused Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) Of trying to balance our budgets on the backs of people elderly. "In Missouri, the first question Republican Senate nominee, Josh Hawley, during a debate Thursday on his decision to cut Medicare and Social Security, and the same day, at the same time. 39, a discussion in North Dakota, Senator Heidi Heitkamp (DN.D.) harassed GOP representative Kevin Cramer about his willingness to reform these programs.

After several days of concern from Democrats over the issue of election and harassing GOP candidates over their eligible positions, Mr. McConnell sought to dispel the opposition. idea that he wanted to reduce health insurance and social security. At an event of the Ripon Society in Washington on Thursday, he explained that he simply asserted that these programs were fueling the budget deficit.

"That's not what I said," McConnell said. "The drivers of debt are the popular rights programs – Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. What I said is the only way to solve the problem, on a bipartite basis. "

Asked about McConnell's explanation, Manchin looked at a reporter in disbelief: "Oh, come on now.

Morrisey said Manchin's overt opening to larger health care programs, including "Medicare for all", would be far more damaging than anything he would support. Morrisey said, "There is no way to harm older people with Medicare."

"The reality is that they themselves have huge vulnerabilities. Joe Manchin said that he was open to the principle of the single payer, at the thought of Bernie Sanders … the opportunity to fundamentally change the health insurance. That's Joe Manchin. These words did not come out of my mouth, "said Morrisey.

But for the Democrats, the damage is already done. They note that McConnell also refused last week to rule out another attempt to repeal Obamacare. Anxious to divert Kavanaugh's confirmation from the conversation and the corresponding increase felt by Republicans, candidates and Democratic leaders spent the week of attacking the defense after playing for the defense for nearly a month.

Nevertheless, not all Republicans fled from McConnell. Cramer, who spoke without a doubt, said that the GOP chief simply stated the evidence.

"I'm not afraid to say out loud that if we do not deal with Medicare and Social Security, seniors will no longer be there for seniors and certainly not for future generations," Cramer said. after Heitkamp asked him about his position during their debate. "And with your plan to do nothing, guess what happens when he becomes insolvent?"

Of course, if Democrats win the House, there will be no chance of repealing Obamacare or reducing assistance programs. In addition, Republicans took no action to restrict health insurance or social security with congressional majorities and Donald Trump – who distrusted the loss of rights himself – in the White House.

But Democrats see a chance to return to an argument that they think they can win in the red states. The leader of the Senate minority, Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Said Friday that "what McConnell has done in the past three days is a game-changer for us."

Adam Jentleson, who was working for former Democratic Senate Leader Harry, said Adam Jentleson, eager to talk to the world about his good career. Reid.

Republicans say McConnell's comments do not resonate as Trump's words do.

"What [McConnell’s] said is identical to what he said in the last 10 years. Honestly, I think the Democrats are doing it because they're in a difficult situation, "said Josh Holmes, McConnell's former chief of staff and campaign manager. "The honest truth to God is this: if President Trump does not say it, it does not exist."

The president denied having seen any plans to reform this program.

"We will protect health insurance and social security and Democrats will destroy your social security. And they will destroy your health insurance, "Trump told Montana Thursday night.

In fact, Wisconsin GOP Senate candidate Leah Vukmir turned to Trump's defense of these programs when she insisted on McConnell's rhetoric. In a Friday night debate, she said she was "with the president on this subject".

But Manchin and other Democrats say this tactic will not work. They say that McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) Have concealed their desire to curb spending on retirement programs after cutting taxes and trying to scrap Obamacare. And they hope that a strong democratic opposition to these projects will make the difference in the tight races of the last two weeks of the campaign.

"Voters have seen exactly what they would get from a GOP convention," spokeswoman for the Democratic Senators Campaign Committee Lauren Passalacqua said, "and are more convinced than ever that programs that they have achieved are in danger. "