What if former president Trump, current president Biden, and wannabe president Manchin have a debate sometime in the fall of 2024?

It could happen.  It appears that Sen. Manchin is listening to those who want an alternative in 2024.

Here is the story:

Senator Joe Manchin teased a third-party presidential run at a No Labels event Monday, even as questions linger about whether the self-styled centrist group has the necessary funds to mount a successful challenge in 2024.

Voters in the greater New Hampshire area gathered at St. Anselm's College in Manchester for a question-and-answer session with the West Virginia Democrat and former Utah governor John Huntsman (R., Utah). Both Manchin and Huntsman flirted with the prospect of potentially running together on a "unity ticket," should they believe voters are unhappy with the Democratic and Republican Party options in 2024.

But Manchin was characteristically coy about his presidential ambitions.

"I'm not here running for president tonight. I'm not," the centrist Democrat said at the town hall's conclusion. "I'm here trying to basically save the nation. I'm more concerned now than I've ever been concerned in my lifetime."

We understand, Sen. Manchin. 

Some of us are concerned about saving the nation, too.

Who knows if Mr. Manchin will run, but it's hard to walk away from a group of people who want to nominate you for president.  Of course, the problem is that "no labels" has gained ballot access in just four states.

Whom does Mr. Manchin help or if he can compete in 50 states?  My guess is that he helps Mr. Trump, because Mr. Manchin could be an alternative to Mr. Biden among some Democrats, who want a more centrist approach to governing.

In the end, Mr. Manchin may just run to enjoy one more campaign because he is going nowhere in West Virginia.  He may do young voters a big favor by reminding them that once upon a time, the party had more in common with the center than the AOC corner.

Who knows?  It would be historic to have a challenger address his two opponents as "Mr. President."  If Mr. Manchin wins, then #47 would go down as the man who beat #46 and #45.  Talk about a trivia question!

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Image: Donkey Hotey via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.