‘I’ve never been a liberal’: Joe Manchin announces he will support less than half of Biden’s agenda
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, Democrat from West Virginia, under fire from many elected Democrats and Democratic voters, pushed back on Thursday, proudly declaring he's no liberal – and announcing his top-dollar limit on President Joe Biden's social spending bill, the Build Back Better Act.
"I've never been a liberal," Manchin told reporters when pressed on his positions on President Biden's $3.5 trillion social programs legislation.
Manchin says his top-dollar limit is a mere $1.5 trillion.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV): "I've never been a liberal in any way, shape, or form," so if progressives want a bigger reconciliation bill, "elect more liberals."pic.twitter.com/Xkf7NLRMtp— The Recount (@The Recount) 1633020467
Joe Manchin is saying we should take his $1.5T bottom line and take the rest to the ballot box in the midterms.\n\nHe doesn\u2019t recognize that we\u2019re in the majority and White House because we already did that.pic.twitter.com/hj8frbNDbG— Sawyer Hackett (@Sawyer Hackett) 1633019238
Instead, Manchin announced he's willing to support less than half of the Biden agenda:
*MANCHIN: MY OFFER REMAINS $1.5T FOR SPENDING PLAN— Steven Dennis (@Steven Dennis) 1633019013
Former Clinton White House press secretary weighs in:
It\u2019s amazing how closely Manchin\u2019s comments track with Republican talking points. Inflation, he compromised going from zero to 1.5 trillion. It\u2019s really quite remarkable— Joe Lockhart (@Joe Lockhart) 1633019165
National Journal's Zach C. Cohen posted this very telling image of the scrum of reporters surrounding the West Virginia Senator.
On a pivotal day for the Democratic agenda, Sen. Joe Manchin gaggles with the press outside the Capitol.pic.twitter.com/7xIuMryXES— Zach C. Cohen (@Zach C. Cohen) 1633018765
Protesters chanting \u201chey Joe, we had a deal\u201d as Manchin\u2019s presser begins:pic.twitter.com/Xg6aBXw4XX— Andrew Solender (@Andrew Solender) 1633018681
