Senator Joe Manchin, an independent from West Virginia, made headlines on Tuesday when he announced that he would not endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for president due to her stance on the filibuster and abortion rights. In an interview with CNN, Manchin expressed his belief that eliminating the filibuster would lead to chaos in the Senate and divide the country. He referred to the filibuster as the "Holy Grail of democracy" and stated that Harris's proposal to do away with it was unacceptable to him.
Harris, in an interview with Wisconsin Public Radio, advocated for eliminating the filibuster in order to pass federal legislation protecting the right to an abortion. She argued that this would ensure reproductive freedom and the ability for women to make decisions about their own bodies without government interference. Other Democrats, such as Senator Patty Murray from Washington, have expressed support for Harris's proposal.
Pro-life advocates, however, criticized Harris's call to end the filibuster, stating that it would not be supported by the majority of Americans. March for Life President Jeanne Mancini accused Harris of promoting a radical abortion policy that is out of touch with mainstream America.
It is clear that the issue of abortion and the filibuster has become a point of contention within the Democratic party. While Harris and some Democrats support eliminating the filibuster to protect abortion rights, others, like Senator Manchin, believe that maintaining the filibuster is crucial for the functioning of the Senate and the unity of the country. As the debate continues, it will be interesting to see how this issue shapes the upcoming presidential campaign.