Manchin says he won't support 'carve-out' for filibuster to raise the debt ceiling

Ever a thorn in the side of his party's leadership, West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin said Wednesday that he remains firmly opposed to changing the chamber's legislative filibuster.

"I've been very, very clear where I stand on the filibuster. Nothing changes," Manchin told a group of Capitol reporters Wednesday morning.

Democrats are scrambling to find a way to raise the debt ceiling, and most recently have come up with the plan to create a "carve-out" from the legislative filibuster, which would allow them to raise the debt ceiling without a 60-vote threshold.

Virginia Democrat Sen. Mark Warner, like Manchin considered a moderate, said he would support placing a "pause" on the filibuster for the debt ceiling.

"There ought to be some way to suspend" the filibuster, he said. 

But Manchin remains opposed, saying the filibuster "has nothing to do with debt ceiling. Basically, we have other tools that we can use and if we have to use them we should use them."

He also said Democrat majority leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) should begin negotiating with Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell.

"I truly implore both leaders ... to engage, start working," he said. "We have a responsibility to be adults ... we should not have this artificial crisis."

Republicans are currently refusing to help Democrats pass a bill that would raise the debt ceiling, in an attempt to force Democrats into using reconciliation to do so. 

"For two and a half months, Republicans have provided a clear and consistent road map for the Democratic government to raise the debt ceiling," said McConnell, a Kentucky Republican.