Per capita, Morgan County must be the most civically active county in West Virginia. Take this afternoon, for example.
Senator Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) came to the Fairfax Coffee House to do some retail politics.
And while there was the usual glad handing, Manchin faced a swarm of citizens asking about fracking, his support for the Democratic ticket in West Virginia, and an alleged deal with Senator Max Baucus on abandoned mine funds.
On the fundamental issue of whether he’s supporting the Democratic ticket in West Virginia top to bottom, Manchin said “I’m supporting it as much as I can.”
Was he supporting President Obama over Governor Mitt Romney in the November election?
“I haven’t gone that far yet,” Manchin said.
Democrat Howard Swint is running against Republican Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito in the Second Congressional District.
Swint opposes mountaintop removal, favors a Medicare for all single payer system, and favors increasing the minimum wage to $10 an hour.
Is Manchin supporting Swint over Capito?
“Howard is a good man,” Manchin says.
Do you support him over Capito?
“Howard is a good man,” Manchin says again.
But do you support him over Capito?
“I’m sticking with Howard,” Manchin says. “Would I vote for Howard? Absolutely.”
A group of protesters from Morgan Frack Ban greeted Manchin outside the Fairfax Coffee House.
They wanted assurances that Morgan County wouldn’t be targeted by out of state natural gas frackers.
Manchin wouldn’t oblige.
He said there are laws in place that regulate fracking.
“But we can’t say no to fracking,” Morgan County resident John Webster told Manchin.
“The law is the law,” Manchin responded.
“Are you going to help us change the law?” Webster asked.
Manchin says that the frackers have to live within the law.
“Have you talked to your legislators down in Charleston?” Manchin asked.
“You know that all of our legislators are for fracking, just like you and our President are,” Webster shot back.
Morgan County attorney Bill Carey asked Manchin about an alleged deal Manchin made with Montana Senator Max Baucus (D) to redirect funds from the Abandoned Mine Land trust to be used to build roads instead.
“We heard that you made an arrangement, a deal recently with Baucus?” Carey asked.
“Not that I know of,” Manchin responded.
“You have not worked out anything with Baucus recently?” Carey said.
“I haven’t talked to Max,” Manchin said. “Mike Enzi (R-Wyoming) is the guy I talked to. . .Mike Enzi never brought this to my attention. You’re saying it’s Max Baucus, not Mike Enzi?”