Manchin Enrages Democrats With Latest Rebuke Of 'Build Back Better' Bill

Reprinted with permission from Alternet

As President Joe Biden is overseas working with foreign leaders to mend fences ripped apart by his predecessor while trying to position the United States as the leader in the climate change fight for the future of the planet, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) decided to inject himself into the news cycle, not by issuing a tweet or a statement or even a remark to a reporter, but by holding a press conference.

Here's how Reuters summed it up:

In blow to Biden, Joe Manchin will not commit to backing $1.75 trillion spending bill https://t.co/6gZKmIv0C0 https://t.co/zH2bGDRzZL— Reuters (@Reuters) 1635792619.0

To be clear, as NBC News' Senior Capitol Hill Correspondent Garrett Haake notes, Manchin has already had more control over this than anyone:

Many on the left are furious.

Here's Talking Points Memo founder, editor, and publisher Josh Marshall unleashing his fury:

Some noted political leaders are supposed to conduct themselves with decorum and not draw attention to challenges the President of the United States faces when he or she is out of the country doing the people's business. The mirror side of "politics stops at the water's edge." Manchin, who has held various elected offices for nearly 40 years – since 1982 – knows this.

So does historian and Politico magazine contributor Joshua Zeitz, replying to Marshall:

SiriusXM Progress host of the Signorile Show, Michelangelo Signorile says Manchin is "embarrassing" and "undermining" Biden:

In response, some noted Manchin "waited til Biden was at Climate Summit to sabotage Biden's agenda and Climate commitments," and "is "moving the goalposts at every turn."

CNN White House Correspondent John Harwood observes that "Manchin used his press conference to vent about House failure to pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill that the House was on track to pass before he held his press conference."

Popular Information founder Judd Legum also implies Manchin is undermining both bills on purpose:

Punchbowl News co-founder Jake Sherman states the obvious:

Harwood sums up his thoughts:

And CNN's Keith Boykin sums it all up: