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The Point with Chris Cillizza
The Point with Chris Cillizza ... November 1st 2021 // Joe Manchin just torpedoed the White House's planned victory lap
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Burgess COMMENTARY
Peter Burgess
November 1, 2021 | by Chris Cillizza and Lauren Dezenski
Joe Manchin just torpedoed the White House's planned victory lap
When Joe Manchin stepped to the podium in the US Capitol on Monday afternoon, the hope among Democrats was that he was going to announce that he supported the $1.75 trillion social safety net bill -- a moment that would virtually ensure passage of the bulk of President Joe Biden's first-term domestic agenda.
After all, why else would Manchin call a news conference and tell reporters that he was going to 'clear up a lot of things'?
Well, not that, as it turns out.
What the West Virginia Democrat announced was that liberals' attempts to secure his vote for the safety net bill in exchange for their backing of the $1.2 trillion 'hard' infrastructure bill aren't working -- and won't work.
'It is time to vote on the (bipartisan infrastructure) bill, up or down,' said Manchin. 'Holding this bill hostage is not going to work in getting my support for the reconciliation bill.'
Ultimately, Manchin didn’t want to get jammed into supporting something he was far from ready to endorse, CNN’s Manu Raju reported after talking to a source familiar with the senator’s thinking.
As to whether he will EVER support the social safety net bill, Manchin was decidedly noncommittal. Raju, who was at the Manchin presser, also noted:
'One thing that Manchin’s statement makes clear is it’s going to take time — potentially a lot more time — to win his support, if that’s even possible.'
It's hard to overstate how big a setback Manchin's statement represents for Biden, who is attending a climate change conference in Scotland.
At the start of the day Monday, the general consensus among Democrats was that a deal had been reached on at least a framework for the social safety net legislation.
And that reality appeared to be softening concerns among liberals that voting for the 'hard' infrastructure bill without the broader bill would cost them the only leverage they have with Manchin and Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona.
Now? Manchin's insistence that the House (read: liberals in the House) pass the infrastructure bill without any assurances on how he will ultimately vote on the safety net measure will re-stoke all of the doubts among progressives about him walking away from the broader deal once he gets what he wants.
And Manchin's lecture-y 'it’s time to pass a bill and quit playing games' is just going to piss the left off (even more than they already were).
The Manchin announcement is pure bad news for the Biden White House, as it may well put them back at square one when it comes to negotiating a way to get the President's domestic agenda through a Democratic-controlled Congress.
That it comes one day before Virginians choose their next governor -- and with the GOP candidate carrying all the momentum in that race -- makes what Manchin said even more problematic.
The Point: The Biden victory lap just crashed into a ditch on the side of the road.
-- Chris
QUOTE OF THE DAY
'I guess I shouldn't apologize, but I do apologize for the fact that the United States -- the last administration pulled out of the Paris accord.' -- President Biden apologized to other world leaders on Monday for the Trump administration's decision to exit the Paris climate agreement, saying the US' departure set the country back in its climate goals.MONDAY'S MUST-SEE TWEETS 1. A great 🧵 on amazing new Washington Post reporting on January 6
2. Glenn Youngkin grimaces
3. We ❤️ René Marsh
4. The coin flip
5. Harry Styles did 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow'
Ballot Box Divider
CHRIS' GOOD READS
Jeff Greenfield makes the exact right point about the Virginia governor's race in Politico: All politics is national.
And Harry Enten writes on CNN about why Virginia is already shaping up to be a bad election for Democrats.
The Bulwark makes the case that Trump is the front-runner in the 2024 presidential election.
Democrats have talked a big game about beating Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2022. But, according to Politico, that's looking like a long shot.
McDonald's is, well, sleeker now, reports Vox.
I love ⚾. I also totally agree with this Jason Gay piece in the Wall Street Journal that it just takes WAY too long. MUSICAL INTERLUDE
The new War on Drugs album is out this Friday! In the meantime, we have this brand-new 'Tiny Desk Concert' with the band.
MEANWHILE, IN IOWA
Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds recently signed a law that grants unemployment benefits to those who lose their jobs because they refuse to get vaccinated against Covid-19.
The measure states that 'an individual who is discharged from employment for refusing to receive a vaccination against COVID-19' shall not be 'disqualified for benefits.'
It's yet another opening for GOP leaders critical of the Biden administration's efforts to mandate vaccines. Iowa is also part of a 10-state coalition that filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration Friday over its vaccine mandate.
ONE BIG MILESTONE
80%
The percentage of American adults who have now received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, according to new data released by the CDC on Monday. Just over 78% of all Americans eligible for a vaccine, those 12 and older, have received at least one dose.