Contributing Columnist Rabbi Victor Urecki wrote a long column in the Daily Mail opinion page Sept. 15 (Manchin's choice a mark of statesmanship). He praised Senator Joe Manchin for his vote against the Iran Deal. He could have rightly summed up Joe's vote in far fewer words.
Joe performed like a seasoned Senate veteran by changing his position until the matter was settled. His first response was that he was for the pact. He quickly reversed his position to "undecided" after an overwhelming flood of West Virginia voters called and wrote to his office voicing strong opposition to his stand.
He then got on the fence and did a balancing act that would make the famous tight wire walking Wallenda family proud. He waited until Obama had enough votes to approve the deal and then made his cowardly statement that he would vote against the bill, probably with the approval and certainly with the understanding of Obama.
I can just hear him whining to Obama, telling him that it would be political death for him if he showed support until his vote was absolutely necessary.
When Manchin was running for the Senate office, he said that he would oppose Obama when his proposals were wrong and that he would be his "own man." That didn't last long.
His action on this obviously flawed deal shows that he has been sucked into the political cesspool of Congress.
I really thought that Manchin had a chance to become President of the United States, but I have surely changed my mind. Joe needs to read a biography of Harry Truman and maybe he can find out how to develop a backbone.
Gene Monk
Dunbar