Bette Midler says Manchin wants US to be like West Virginia: 'Poor, illiterate and strung out'

Authored by thehill.com and submitted by cheaptouchdown

Actress Bette Midler, a frequent and fierce critic of Republicans on her Twitter account, called out Sen. Joe Manchin Joe ManchinOn The Money — Dems lay blame for Build Back Better blowup McConnell: Manchin's opposition to Biden plan 'great shot in the arm for the country' Harris says 'stakes are too high' for Build Back Better to be about Manchin MORE (D-W.Va.) on Monday, while also criticizing his home state of West Virginia.

Midler said Manchin "sold us out," apparently in reference to his blocking Democrats' social and climate spending package, and added he wanted the rest of the country to be like West Virginia: "Poor, illiterate and strung out."

The "Hocus Pocus" actress said the "rest of America" just "wants to move forward, not backward, like his state."

What #JoeManchin, who represents a population smaller than Brooklyn, has done to the rest of America, who wants to move forward, not backward, like his state, is horrible. He sold us out. He wants us all to be just like his state, West Virginia. Poor, illiterate and strung out. — bettemidler (@BetteMidler) December 20, 2021

The 76-year-old actress's remarks drew criticism on Twitter, and Midler later tweeted an apology for generalizing about the people of West Virginia, though she continued to call out Manchin, asking "Is he really the best [West Virginia] has to offer its own citizens?"

I apologize to the good people of WVA for my last outburst. I’m just seeing red; #JoeManchin and his whole family are a criminal enterprise. Is he really the best WV has to offer its own citizens? Surely there’s someone there who has the state’s interests at heart, not his own! — bettemidler (@BetteMidler) December 20, 2021

Manchin has been criticized for his continued financial involvement in Enersystems Inc., a coal brokerage firm which he founded in the 1980s and handed control of to his son in 2000. The senator still owns millions worth of stock in the firm and earns annual dividends.

Last year, Midler criticized Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellMcConnell: Manchin's opposition to Biden plan 'great shot in the arm for the country' Ocasio-Cortez: Democrats need to to 'crack down' on 'old boys club' in Senate The day democracy almost died MORE (R-Ky.) using an image of McConnell listing Kentucky's low national rankings in things like education, employment, and economic opportunity.

airwaves_anonymous on December 22nd, 2021 at 03:11 UTC »

I think people in this comment chain also need to realize that part of why West Virginia stays stuck in an economic depression is that the young and motivated residents promptly leave the state when they can. There isn't much being offered for anyone's benefit there. Plenty of people try to stay and make something of it, but it is ludicrous to expect future generations to "build the change" when your neighbors already have the social resources you seek.

That's why it stays conservative; the only people remaining are ones that never leave.

For the record, I voted Mountain Party in every local election.

-Signed another disgruntled former West Virginian

chubba5000 on December 22nd, 2021 at 01:52 UTC »

Wtf? How insulting can you get? Imagine if someone from West Virginia was able to read this?

SpectreInfinite on December 21st, 2021 at 19:15 UTC »

Not that I agree with her but I always thinks it's funny when someone on the left says something that's even remotely non-PC and everyone comes out of the woodwork to tell them how horrible they are, how the entire democratic party is a failure because of their comment and how they're never going to win an election again.. Yet conservatives can openly spread racist, anti LGBT, and terroristic talking points and it's business as usual. Love how even the standards are.