HEAR ME OUT

Oprah Has Quietly Lobbied Joe Manchin on the Filibuster

Other prominent Dems, including former presidents and ex-staffers, have joined the effort.

Everyone and their mother has jumped on the train to get Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) to support nixing the Senate filibuster—including Oprah Winfrey. According to Politico, the TV icon is among a group of powerful Dems who have urged Manchin to get rid or change the filibuster, a move Manchin has long opposed. Without the filibuster, Dems would be able to pass legislation on a simple-majority basis, clearing the way for top policy priorities to pass without Republican opposition. Other top names ringing Manchin’s phone include Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, and former staffers to both Manchin and his Democratic predecessor, former Sen. Robert Byrd. Manchin’s office declined to comment to Politico on the calls, though the outlet said the most promising conversations have involved Sens. Jon Tester (D-MT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Angus King (I-ME).