Former West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin has only been Senator since November 2nd. However, he’s causing a stir among some of his staunchest supporters. When union bosses can’t keep their anger contained behind closed doors, you know that they are more than a little peeved that Joe Manchin skipped out on the DADT and DREAM Act votes over the weekend. Now, they’ve come out and openly rebuked him:

West Virginia AFL-CIO President Kenny Perdue (left) is calling out Sen. Joe Manchin for missing key votes this weekend to attend a family event in Pittsburgh.

In a statement issued yesterday, Perdue said Manchin hasn’t lived up to what Perdue calls the late Sen. Robert C. Byrd’s “courage and leadership in the face of adversity.”

“Unfortunately Senator Joe Manchin isn’t demonstrating characteristics of a great Senator during his first month in office,” said Perdue, whose union supported Manchin in the Senate race. “Avoiding key votes on the DREAM Immigration Act and the repeal of the military ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ policy, issues central not only to the citizens of West Virginia, but to our nation, isn’t just a bad political maneuver, it is ineffective representation and leadership.” [Emphasis added.]

On a positive note, though, unlike Byrd, at least Manchin isn’t donning a sheet and burning crosses naming roads and bridges after himself yet (that we know of).

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“I bring reason to your ears, and, in language as plain as ABC, hold up truth to your eyes.” Thomas Paine, December 23, 1776

X-posted.