Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) has demanded that President Joe Biden apologizes for saying coal plants “all across America” will be shut down.
Biden caused outrage on Friday by blasting the coal industry and declaring that all fossil fuel plants will be replaced by “wind and solar.”
On Saturday, Manchin fired back at Biden’s comments in a scathing rebuke days before the midterm elections.
“President Biden’s comments are not only outrageous and divorced from reality, they ignore the severe economic pain the American people are feeling because of rising energy costs,” Manchin said.
“Comments like these are the reason the American people are losing trust in President Biden and instead believe he does not understand the need to have an all-in energy policy that would keep our nation totally energy independent and secure.
“It seems his positions change depending on the audience and the politics of the day.
“Politicizing our nation’s energy policies would only bring higher prices and more pain for the American people.
“Let me be clear, this is something the president has never said to me.
“Being cavalier about the loss of coal jobs for men and women in West Virginia and across the country who literally put their lives on the line to help build and power this country is offensive and disgusting.
“The President owes these incredible workers an immediate and public apology and it is time he learn a lesson that his words matter and have consequences,” Manchin said.
My statement on comments President Biden made about shutting down coal plants: pic.twitter.com/LEeqrGdwqm
— Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) November 5, 2022
On Friday, Biden blasted coal plants as too expensive to operate, saying:
“No one is building new coal plants because they can’t rely on it.
“Even if they have all the coal guaranteed for the rest of the existence of the plant.
“So it’s going to become a wind generation.
“And all they’re doing is it’s going to save them a hell of a lot of money and using the same transmission line that they transmitted the coal-fired electric on, we’re going to be shutting these plants down all across America and having wind and solar power.”
BIDEN ON COAL:
“We’re gonna be shutting these plants down all across America, and having wind and solar.” pic.twitter.com/JXIZxDzvsu
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) November 4, 2022
