Inside Biden and Manchin's Joemance

[basquebromance]

The media have nothing to talk about, do they?

Inside Biden and Manchin's Joemance

Democratic senators say that only the president can convince the influential centrist to sign off on key parts of the party's agenda.

www.politico.com

 

[basquebromance]

excerpts:

In an interview, Manchin said Biden has not leaned on him to support the sweeping elections bill that the moderate Democrat publicly rejected over the weekend. Nor has Biden covertly asked Manchin to support another Democrat-only spending bill focused on jobs and the economy. Yet.

“The president respects the institution so much because he was here and knows it better than everyone else. He does not get involved,” Manchin said on Tuesday in the Capitol. “I already know where he is. I know the challenges he has, and I know basically the pressure he’s receiving all the time. We’re just trying to find a balance for it.”

Despite his jab at Manchin, Biden has largely remained quiet about the senator’s insistence that infrastructure bills be bipartisan and his opposition to both filibuster reform and the sweeping elections bill that expands voting access. Biden and his senior staff are regularly in tough with Manchin, according to a White House aide. And Biden appointed Manchin’s wife, Gayle, to the Appalachian Regional Commission.

Manchin described Biden as “just a good human being, but also an astute politician who understands the process in the Senate.” Still, they don’t see eye-to-eye on everything.

“Biden’s very perplexed by Manchin. He doesn’t know how, or what he thinks. Or what he really wants,” said a lawmaker who has spoken with Biden recently. “That makes it hard for the president to ‘get him,’ so to speak.”

Without Manchin, Biden simply cannot win — and the ever-quotable senator says he’s committed to making the president successful. What’s more, both are back-slapping throwback pols from small states where everyone knows them, and each often harkens back to when the Senate wasn’t a morass of partisanship and gridlock.

Working with Republicans like Daines, Manchin sees his job “as saving democracy.” But Manchin’s bipartisanship-at-all-costs ethos has drawn the ire of House progressives and activists, particularly for his position against Democrats’ sweeping elections bill and his defense of the filibuster.

When asked about progressive anger toward Manchin and his refusal to back the sweeping legislation to overhaul voting access, White House press secretary Jen Paski said Tuesday ”we’re going to leave the name calling to others.”

“I don’t think it’s ‘can Joe Biden reach him or not.’ And that’s the end of the conversation,” said a Senate Democrat, who estimated as many as 10 Democrats have spoken to Manchin about voting rights in the past two days. But this senator also said Biden will be a key ingredient to swaying Manchin.

And as one source familiar with the dynamics put it: “Manchin is still getting everything he wants and unless you take something from him, he's not going to move.” That source said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is the one person who can move Manchin, describing Schumer as the person Manchin has the “strongest personal relationship” with and “whom he respects.”

Former Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), who worked alongside both Biden and Manchin, said it’s in Biden’s “DNA” to “try to find agreements. And he's going to keep trying.”

“Joe Manchin’s the same,” said Baucus.

 

[wamose]

Biden just doesn't understand any politician that will put their constituents and their country before their party. Manchin isn't buying the totalitarian BS that the Dems. are pushing, much to his credit.

 

[basquebromance]

a rare Manchin fan sighting!

 

[rightwinger]

a rare Manchin fan sighting!

I understand Manchin

He can’t vote like a traditional Democrat. West Virginia is Red. Manchin is as liberal as you are going to get out of West Virginia.
Replace him and you will get a Republican

He is like Susan Collins in Maine

 

[August West]

1.7 trillion dollars is less than we squandered looking for WMDs.

The Iraq War has cost the US nearly $2 trillion

Even if the U.S. administration decided to leave — or was evicted from — Iraq immediately, the bill of war to the U.S. to date would be an estimated $1.922 trillion in current dollars.

www.militarytimes.com

 

[rightwinger]

1.7 trillion dollars is less than we squandered looking for WMDs.

The Iraq War has cost the US nearly $2 trillion

Even if the U.S. administration decided to leave — or was evicted from — Iraq immediately, the bill of war to the U.S. to date would be an estimated $1.922 trillion in current dollars.

www.militarytimes.com

Almost $2 trillion for Iraq

When it comes to war, we always find the money

When it comes to healthcare, education, modern infrastructure.......its, We can’t afford it

 

[basquebromance]

war is a good thing!

 

[August West]

war is a good thing!

How many wars have you participated in?

 

[basquebromance]