Joe Manchin told a local news station yesterday that he “would think very seriously” about leaving the Democratic Party and becoming an independent. Unless, of course, the Biden administration comes up with yet another way of stroking his massive ego! Via the New York Times:

“I’ve been thinking about that for quite some time,” Mr. Manchin said in an interview on MetroNews’s “Talkline” show, adding: “The brand has become so bad, the D brand and R brand. In West Virginia, the D brand because it’s nationally bad. It’s not the Democrats in West Virginia. It’s the Democrats in Washington, or the Washington policies of the Democrats. You’ve heard me say a million times that I’m not a Washington Democrat.”

He said he had not made a decision yet — either about his party affiliation or about his electoral plans. He is up for re-election to the Senate next year in what, if he runs, promises to be a very difficult race, and he has flirted with running a third-party campaign for president.

Last month, he appeared at an event for the bipartisan group No Labels, which is considering fielding a third-party ticket in 2024 to the alarm of Democrats, who fear it would draw enough voters away from President Biden to ensure a Republican victory.

Morning Joe has a spirited discussion about the news, with Mehdi Hasan wrapping it up by pointing out we already have a centrist, bipartistan presidential candidate: Joe Biden.

The most intriguing thing I've read about Manchin is about how much he wants his colleagues to like him -- hence, his famous pizza parties aboard his yacht. I have to wonder how many of those people will be seen socializing with him once he comes out against a Democratic incumbent.

Because despite his lofty words, of course he would run as No Labels' spoiler. Specifically, he would be an entry on behalf of the fossil fuel industry TO STOP US FROM MITIGATING GLOBAL WARMING. What a jagoff.