With tensions rising between Russia and Ukraine, President Biden’s bumbled handling” of the matter, and the Freedom Convoy refusing to bend the knee to the Canadian government’s dictatorial threats all taking center stage over the last couple of weeks, talk of the upcoming Supreme Court confirmation battle – which will see Biden intentionally nominate a black woman as he promised to during his campaign – has fallen on the back burner for the time being.

But that hasn’t stopped some reporters from trying to keep the story in the limelight, including CNN Congressional correspondent Manu Raju who appears to have temporarily halted his daily “have you changed your mind on the filibuster?” question to Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), opting instead to try and find out where Manchin stands on the possibility of a second Supreme Court seat coming open before the 2022 midterm elections are held:

Manchin told me he’d oppose filling a SCOTUS vacancy if one were to arise shortly before ‘22 election. Said he’d be opposed if it happened on similar time frame as when RBG died, and then ACB was confirmed about a week before election

"I'm not going to be hypocritical on that.”

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 14, 2022

Manchin: “I'm not going to be hypocritical on that. If it would come a week or two weeks before — like it did with our last Supreme Court nominee — I think that's the time that it should go to the next election."

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 14, 2022

Naturally, Manchin’s answer caused quite the stir on the Twitter machine, with former Vox.com hack Aaron Rupar whining about how “Nothing Joe Manchin says matters. He just makes it up as he goes,” and anti-Semitical MSNBC host Mehdi Hassan accusing Manchin of “literally being hypocritical on it.”

But as it turns out, either Manchin misheard the question or Raju worded it poorly – or maybe Manchin got an angry call from Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), because a short time later, Manchin walked his comments back, clarifying with reporters that he was talking about a hypothetical SCOTUS nomination battle shortly before a presidential election, not a midterm election:

Manchin later he says he “misspoke” and was referring to a confirmation vote right before (a week or two) a presidential election. Not midterm election. Initial question was about midterm election

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 14, 2022

That said, don’t be surprised if Manchin flip flops in the event such a scenario plays out later this year just weeks before voters head to the polls to voice their mounting frustrations with the Democratic party under Joe Biden’s failed “leadership.” Manchin has made clear before that one of the reasons he’s stood against Biden’s Build Back Better agenda is because he didn’t appreciate the strongarm bullying tactics that came from “woke” Biden administration officials including White House chief of staff Ron Klain, known in some circles as the co-president.

Manchin’s just the guy to turn around and put the brakes on a potential second SCOTUS nomination in 2022 if he feels like Democrats are continuing to disrespect him, which is another reason why those same wokesters on the left need to keep doing what they’re doing, because few things are more delicious and entertaining to watch in a critical election year than rampant Democrat infighting over “the message.”

As always, stay tuned!

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