Manchin Urges Lawmakers To "Calm Down" and End "Attack Mode" Amid Calls for Cooler Rhetoric

Former Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) on Sunday urged elected officials to tone down heated political rhetoric and stop interacting with colleagues while in what he called "attack mode." He made the remarks on the "Cats Roundtable" radio program hosted by John Catsimatidis on WABC 770 AM.

Reflecting on the holiday season, Manchin said the timing calls for restraint and goodwill. "I just think, basically, we’re in the most holiest of seasons right now, the blessed holidays that we’re in, and I’m thanking everybody and bless them for this season," he said. He added that the moment should encourage lawmakers to step back from harsh exchanges and seek common ground.

"We’ve got to calm down a little bit. We’ve just got to calm it down. Everyone should want your elected leaders to do well and you don’t have to be scathing against him and saying, ‘I hate this person, hate that person.’ Just say, ‘Listen, I disagree. I wish they would consider something else.’"

Manchin warned that many lawmakers remain locked in a combative posture. "We have got to get out of attack mode. You are not the enemy. And the American people aren’t stupid, John, and they should sit down at the same roundtable and do what’s best for America, best for New York, or best for every state in the union," he said.

He urged members of both parties to resist being dominated by political extremes and to return to a "sensible majority" capable of passing workable legislation. "It’s not the Democratic Party that I have known, grew up in," Manchin said. "I’m fiscally responsible and socially compassionate. I think most Democrats and Republicans feel that way. They might have different ideas of how to solve the problem, but they all are Americans. They feel strongly about our country."

Calls for cooler rhetoric have grown louder across the political spectrum following a high-profile violent incident in September that stirred debate about political language. Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, told a CBS News town hall that aired Saturday that "everyone has a responsibility" to tone down incendiary political language.

Legislative leaders have also urged restraint. In the weeks after the incident, Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) cautioned Democrats against language that demonizes opponents, saying such rhetoric has "gone too far." "I mean, this notion that we’re going to characterize MAGA as Nazis, for example," Durbin said, adding that comparable extreme language from Republicans portraying Democrats as murderers or evil is likewise unacceptable.

Republicans have warned that President Trump’s remark labeling some Democrats as "traitors" could further complicate bipartisan cooperation ahead of the close of the legislative session. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) called the comment "reckless" and "irresponsible." Former Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) told The Hill that branding opponents who express controversial or incorrect positions as traitors risks degrading political discourse. "A lot of people have incorrect positions," Gregg said. "So you’re going to go out and call everybody with an incorrect position a traitor? It borders on the theater of the absurd at a level we haven’t seen before."

Editor’s note: The original story referenced a September incident involving conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Reporters and editors should independently verify all details about that event before republication.

Manchin’s remarks underscore a broader push from members of both parties for less inflammatory public language and more negotiation to address national and local priorities.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.