Joe Manchin: “We send a message to the public that we do not think this agency is that important.”

When you like both people and both sides, you can sit down with both sides, you can agree to disagree, you can try to find compromise and make things happen.

My observation, and recommendation from observation, would be, John, trust me, set yourself free and become an independent.

The way the parties have weaponized the political process today, they make it impossible to have a 'D' or an 'R' next to your name and speak to the other side.

The pledge is simply this: that you remain independent and not be part of the Democrat or Republican system.