Friday on CNN’s “New Day,” House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) reacted to Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) calling for more bipartisanship in response to the January 6 Capitol riot.
Host John Berman asked Clyburn if he sees Manchin as an “obstacle” since his Democratic colleague will not support every piece of legislation that Democrats try to push through.
Clyburn said he intends to speak more with Manchin but questioned how he could “compromise” with conservatives after seeing what happened during the riot.
“I have spoken with Senator Manchin, and I am scheduled to meet with him when we return to Washington,” Clyburn advised. “And I’ll gladly meet with him. I want to share some experiences with him. I’m going to take him back to his parents, my parents, and our grandparents and let him get a better understanding of what voting rights mean to me and others who look like me. And I do not know whether or not he’s had that kind of a conversation.”
“He says — if I remember your interview — that January 6 changed him,” he continued. “Well, it changed me as well. And I want to remind him of what some of those insurrectionists were saying to those African-American law officers who were out there. One man talking about how many times he was called the n-word. I want to know how does that man compromises in such a situation? How would he have me compromise in such a situation? So, I think that it would be good for us to sit down and have some shared experiences.”
Follow Trent Baker on Twitter @MagnifiTrent
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