Joe Manchin grew up in the coal fields of West Virginia, the grandson of a miner and the son of a small-town grocer. His worldview was shaped by a place where energy isn’t an abstract policy debate; it’s the identity of the community and vital for economic survival. Manchin was portrayed as a bit of a villain in liberal circles for his role in blocking or slowing down Biden-era policy goals, including climate policy. Yet he was also the architect of the biggest climate legislation the country has ever enacted: the Inflation Reduction Act.

Now, in the midst of the Trump administration dismantling climate policy and basic political norms, Manchin is calling for a return to compromise and “common sense.”

Episode Guests:

Joe Manchin, Former US Senator, West Virginia

Thomas Ramey, Commercial and Nonprofit Solar Evaluator, Solar Holler

For show notes and related links, visit ⁠ClimateOne.org⁠

Highlights:

00:00 - Intro

05:27 - Joe Manchin on his first senate run

10:42 - Joe Manchin on Build Back Better

19:26 - Joe Manchin on how the Inflation Reduction Act was written

22:51 - Joe Manchin on the dismantling of the IRA

27:21 - Joe Manchin on the effects of climate

31:02 - Joe Manchin on West Virginia’s transition to clean energy

37:10 - Joe Manchin on the state of the country

38:10 - Joe Manchin on how to make the country better

42:56 - Joe Manchin on working together

44:20 - Thomas Ramey on growing up in West Virginia

50:08 - Thomas Ramey on how he talks about solar energy

*******

Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on ⁠Patreon⁠, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. ⁠Sign up today⁠.

Ad sales by ⁠Multitude⁠. Contact them for ad inquiries at ⁠multitude.productions/ads⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ike Barinholtz | Trump Flails on Inflation & Calls Affordability a “Hoax" as Poll Numbers Hit New Lows: A Closer Look

Late Night with Seth Meyers Podcast

Affordability Called a Hoax

The AI-powered Podcast Player