Nick Saban calls on Manchin to support voting bill

Alabama’s great football coach Nick Saban, a native of West Virginia, has signed a public letter urging Joe Manchin to support the Senate bill that would force the views of liberal Democrats regarding voting on the states. Saban and Manchin are said to be friends. The letter was also signed by West Virginia-connected sports figures Jerry West, Paul Tagliabue, Oliver Luck, and Darryl Talley.

Saban added an important footnote to the letter. According to CNN, he told Manchin that he is not in favor of getting rid of the filibuster because he believes this would destroy the checks and balances we must have in a democracy. The other sports personalities who signed the letter said they “take no position on this aspect of Senate policies,” again according to CNN.

Even if Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema were to back the voting legislation, it wouldn’t be enacted as long as the filibuster remained in place. Trying to smuggle the voting bill into “reconciliation” legislation wouldn’t work because the Senate parliamentarian stands in the way.

Has Saban read and carefully considered the voting legislation he endorsed? I don’t know, but assume he has.

Is there anything wrong with Saban expressing his opinion on the subject to Manchin? No.

Is his opinion and that of a few other personalities who once had a connection to West Virginia entitled to anything like the weight of West Virginias, not to mention Manchin’s own considered view? Of course not.

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