Tipsheet

What Manchin Just Challenged the Democratic Party to Do After 'No' Vote Blowback

Leah Barkoukis
Leah Barkoukis  |  December 20, 2021 2:00 PM

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin insisted on Sunday that he “tried everything humanly possible” to continue with President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda, but he just couldn’t. News that the West Virginia senator was a ‘no’ on the “mammoth” piece of legislation had the White House and liberal media pundits seething.

Amid the Democratic blowback from his Sunday announcement, Manchin joined Hoppy Kercheval on his West Virginia radio program to explain his decision.

Does he still belong in the party, Kercheval wondered.

“I would like to hope that Democrats feel like I do. I’m fiscally responsible and socially compassionate,” Manchin answered. “Now if there are no Democrats like that, they ought to push me where they want me.”

Noting that he’s “far apart philosophically” from Democratic leadership on the legislation, Manchin said Majority Leader Chuck Schumer knew months ago where he stood on issues like means-testing and work requirements for the child tax credit, among other issues. 

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He argued Democrats need a bigger majority if they want to pass such sweeping legislation like Build Back Better.

“This is a 50-50 Senate," Manchin noted. "You all are approaching legislation as if you had 55 or 60 senators or Democrats, and you can do whatever you want. Well, you know what, we’re all a little bit diverse. I said, ‘I’m not a Washington Democrat.'"