Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) not only sent his Democrat colleagues into a meltdown over his stance on President Joe Biden’s multi-trillion dollar spending plan, he became the target of the White House’s fury as well.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki lashed out at the West Virginia Democrat for announcing that he won’t vote for Biden’s Build Back Better bill, calling Manchin out for his “inexplicable reversal” in a scathing statement on Sunday.
“I had my reservations from the beginning when I heard about it five-and-half months ago,” Manchin told Fox News on Sunday. “I’ve always said this, if I can’t go home and explain it to the people of West Virginia, I can’t vote for it. And I cannot vote to continue with this piece of legislation. I just can’t…I can’t get there.”
Manchin says he ‘cannot vote’ for Build Back Better, potentially killing Biden’s massive spending bill https://t.co/VVskP7pSsG
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) December 19, 2021
His remarks ignited far-left congressional Democrats, with Rep. Ilhan Omar outright calling him out for “bullsh-t.”
In a statement issued Sunday, Psaki went after Manchin for making comments that were allegedly “at odds” with his previous stance.
“Senator Manchin’s comments this morning on FOX are at odds with his discussions this week with the President, with White House staff, and with his own public utterances. Weeks ago, Senator Manchin committed to the President, at his home in Wilmington, to support the Build Back Better framework that the President then subsequently announced. Senator Manchin pledged repeatedly to negotiate on finalizing that framework ‘in good faith,” Psaki said.
She noted that the senator had delivered to Biden “in person, directly” a “written outline for a Build Back Better bill that was the same size and scope as the President’s framework, and covered many of the same priorities.”
“While that framework was missing key priorities, we believed it could lead to a compromise acceptable to all. Senator Manchin promised to continue conversations in the days ahead, and to work with us to reach that common ground,” she recounted.
“If his comments on FOX and written statement indicate an end to that effort, they represent a sudden and inexplicable reversal in his position, and a breach of his commitments to the President and the Senator’s colleagues in the House and Senate,” Psaki added.
She went on to punch holes in his objections, dismissing Manchin’s concerns about inflation and spending while defending the bill.
“But the plan is fully paid for, is the most fiscally responsible major bill that Congress has considered in years, and reduces the deficit in the long run,” she claimed.
Psaki is really hoping nobody has actually paid attention to Manchin’s “public utterances” all year about wanting to pause, inflation, bad climate spending, etc.
This falls SQUARELY on the White House ignoring reality and lying to their base about what was possible. https://t.co/IFWG97eA1t
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) December 19, 2021
Psaki vowed Manchin would continue to be pressed to change his mind.
“Just as Senator Manchin reversed his position on Build Back Better this morning, we will continue to press him to see if he will reverse his position yet again, to honor his prior commitments and be true to his word,” she said.
“The fight for Build Back Better is too important to give up. We will find a way to move forward next year,” Psaki concluded.
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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