Manchin urges lawmakers to stop acting in ‘attack mode’ amid political violence | US politics
Former US senator Joe Manchin said on Sunday that politicians should “calm down” amid political violence in the US and stop approaching each other in “attack mode”.
The West Virginia independent, who caucuses mainly with Senate Democrats, echoed similar comments made at a town hall Saturday by Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed in September.
“We need to calm down a little bit,” Manchin said on WABC 770 AM Cats Round Table. “We just need to calm it down. Everyone should want their elected leaders to succeed, and you don’t need to be harsh on them and say, ‘I hate this person, I hate that person.’ Just say: ‘Listen, I disagree. I wish they would consider something else.'”
He noted that too many lawmakers remain in “attack mode,” adding: “You are not the enemy. And the American people are not stupid.”
Manchin was a longtime Democrat but left the party to register as an independent in 2024 — shortly before retiring from the Senate after 15 years in office.
Manchin, a wealthy coal industry executive, has argued that the party has become intolerant and harsh on ordinary citizens, placing blame on progressive activists.
In Sunday’s speech, Manchin called on both Democrats and Republicans to rid themselves of the influence of the “far left” and “far right” and instead focus on building a “reasonable majority” that can advance policy.
“I am fiscally responsible and socially compassionate,” Manchin said. “I think most Democrats and Republicans feel that way, too. They may have different ideas about how to solve the problem, but they’re all Americans. They feel strongly about our country.”
Manchin’s comments show that members of both political parties have been calling for a reduction in heated political rhetoric lately, especially following the Sept. 10 killing of Charlie Kirk in Utah.
Authorities investigating Kirk’s killing allege that the man accused of killing the Turning Point USA co-founder did so after becoming fed up with what he perceived as Kirk’s “hatred.”
during a Saturday Town hall CBS host Erika Kirk said “everyone has a responsibility” in deescalating the events.
“I’m doing my part,” Kirk said in response to a question from an audience member. “I can’t control other people.”
The question came from Utah Valley University student Hunter Kozak, who asked Charlie Kirk about political violence before Kirk was fatally shot.
Kozak touched on tensions around political extremism and talked about Donald Trump’s recent comments accusing six Democratic lawmakers of treason for telling U.S. military members to resist illegal orders. On Truth Social, the president accused his MPs of “PROVINCIAL BEHAVIOR” THAT WILL BE “PUNISHED BY DEATH”!
“Do you condemn the violent rhetoric of Donald Trump, the most powerful and influential person in the world?” Kozak asked.
The problem is “much deeper than just one person,” Kirk said.
Republican senator Rand Paul of Kentucky also warned Sunday about a potential increase in political violence triggered by recent bipartisan efforts to draw new redistricting maps that favor their party.
“I think this will lead to more civil tension and possibly more violence in our country,” he said. NBC NewsHe told Meet the Press that the move was a “mistake” by both parties to boost their prospects in the 2026 midterm elections.
“I think if people feel disenfranchised if they are not represented, that has the potential to lead and lead to violence in our country,” he added.
Sunday’s comment came after Trump survived two assassination attempts while successfully running for a second presidency in 2024. Then, in the months before Kirk’s killing, there was the firebombing of the official residence of Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro, as well as the fatal shooting of former Minnesota state House speaker Melissa Hortman.
Shapiro, like Hortman, is a Democrat.
