Governor Joe Manchin (D-WV) is struggling. Voters are noticing his flip-flops on ObamaCare, cap-and-trade, and other far-left legislation that he supported until it threatened his campaign. Meanwhile, a federal grand jury is ordering more subpoenas in its investigation of his administration. With just one week to go, Rubber Stamp Manchin is desperate.

So what is a potential rubber stamp for the Obama-Pelosi agenda to do? Why, label his businessman opponent “crazy”! Because when you can’t run on the issues, you just start name-calling.

A new 30-second Manchin campaign spot targets Republican businessman John Raese by stringing together several comments Democrats have used to hit Raese throughout the race.

In one, the Republican says, “I don’t agree with minimum wage.” The shot then cuts to Raese at a campaign event where he tells supporters, “I’m in the business of making money.”

In another, Raese says, “We don’t need the Department of Education.” That’s followed by a clip of Raese’s pitch for a network of lasers capable of shooting down incoming missiles.

The ad’s narrator concludes: “John Raese’s ideas are crazy.”

Worse than the name-calling, Manchin’s ad doesn’t even make sense. Raese thinks potential employees should be able to negotiate their own compensation with potential employers. He also thinks our education system is failing and therefore needs to be turned over to the control of more local authorities to revamp. Meanwhile, he also likes making money and thinks we should invest in missile defense.

Which part is crazy?

Here’s what I think is crazy: Joe Manchin can’t decide where he stands on the issues. In 2009, Manchin backed government-run health care. Now he says he opposes it. In 2008, he backed job-killing cap-and-trade legislation. Well, that’s unpopular now, so Manchin suddenly opposes it.

Put another way:

“Crazy? No Joe, supporting Obamacare is crazy,” Raese spokesman Kevin McLaughlin said. “Wasting trillions in stimulus spending is crazy. $13 trillion in debt is crazy. Cap and trade is crazy. West Virginians who oppose all those things aren’t crazy, but politicians who support them sure are.”

Apparently Manchin believes standing for limited government and a strong national defense is “crazy”. West Virginians don’t need someone who thinks that way representing them in Washington.