Manchin on Obama

The Rothenberg Political Report quotes Gov. Joe Manchin in a lengthy piece drawn from last week's meeting between the nation's governors and President-Elect Barack Obama.

"Although the bulk of the conversation took place behind closed doors, subsequent interviews with Democratic governors revealed a high level of excitement about the next administration," the article said. "According to governors in the meeting, the conversation with Obama included talks about an upcoming stimulus package, infrastructure, energy and Medicaid, as well as an overall discussion about how the federal government can partner with the states."

The piece says Manchin, outgoing chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, spoke for several of his peers when he said “We don’t want a provider, we want a partner.”

"Other governors expressed similar sentiments, saying they weren’t looking for a block grant or a blank check, but instead the ability to shape the infrastructure into specific projects that work in their states," the article said.