Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) told PBS last week that he supports companies that have recently started to de-platform Republican politicians, saying, “Thank goodness they’re pushing back now.”
Manchin made the remarks during an interview on “Firing Line with Margaret Hoover” when asked about the response to the recent riot in the nation’s capital.
“You called for Twitter to suspend President Trump’s accounts hours before they did permanently last Friday—” Hoover said.
“Days, days before they did,” Manchin interrupted.
“The president has been now banned from Facebook,” Hoover continued. “Parler, an app that is preferred by some conservatives, has been booted off of Apple, Amazon, and Google. The PGA has pulled its 2022 Championship from the Trump National Golf Course in New Jersey, and Simon & Schuster has dropped Josh Hawley’s book. Do you support all these examples of de-platforming?”
“I do. I really do,” Manchin responded. “I think there’s a responsibility they all have. These are private platforms. These are private individuals. These are basically publicly owned companies, and thank goodness they’re pushing back now.”
“Change comes, the markets change because of the pressure that’s put on,” Manchin continued. “So, maybe this will give my Republican colleagues some support that they can be free. The truth will set you free. Maybe they can break the bonds, these chains that they have of captivity within the Republican ranks, that they’re afraid they’re going to be primarried or there’s going to be challenges or things that they have to deal with that they’d rather not.”
WATCH:
PARTIAL TRANSCRIPT:
MARGARET HOOVER, HOST: “You called for Twitter to suspend President Trump’s accounts hours before they did permanently last Friday—”
SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV): “Days, days before they did.”
HOOVER: “The president has been now banned from Facebook. Parler, an app that is preferred by some conservatives, has been booted off of Apple, Amazon, and Google. The PGA has pulled its 2022 Championship from the Trump National Golf Course in New Jersey, and Simon & Schuster has dropped Josh Hawley’s book. Do you support all these examples of de-platforming?”
MANCHIN: “I do. I really do. I think there’s a responsibility they all have. These are private platforms. These are private individuals. These are basically publicly owned companies, and thank goodness they’re pushing back now. Change comes, the markets change because of the pressure that’s put on. So, maybe this will give my Republican colleagues some support that they can be free. The truth will set you free. Maybe they can break the bonds, these chains that they have of captivity within the Republican ranks, that they’re afraid they’re going to be primaried or there’s going to be challenges or things that they have to deal with that they’d rather not.”
HOOVER: “What is your response to those who fear that by de-platforming President Trump, you further embolden the kind of people who stormed the Capitol and those who are sympathetic with their movement?”
MANCHIN: “That’s the reason I say we need the time. That is exactly, you put it better than I can, that’s exactly. And we will embolden, and it will happen. It will entrench them more. Okay? And the true believers will be even stronger [and] using more radical tactics maybe. We just want the facts to come out that everyone felt the same that we do. We have to do this to save our country.”
