Democrats livid at Manchin for blocking agenda, but don't want to retaliate against senator
Multiple House Democrats Tuesday expressed anger at Sen. Joe Manchin for blocking their agenda, but said they don't support stripping him of his committee chairmanship or running him out of the party.
The Los Angeles Times editorial board and Washington Post columnist Jonathan Capehart criticized Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., after he said on Thursday that he wouldn't support the climate and tax provisions of the Democratic spending bill.
Capehart described Manchin as the "pebble in President Biden's shoe," and in keeping with the analogy, said that the midterm elections will provide the Democrats with an "opportunity" to wear "a pair of thick socks" so that the pebble could be ignored.
He noted that Manchin cited inflation and economic concerns as reasons for shying away from negotiations. Manchin denied the original reports on Friday, saying they were overblown and that he was going to decide in August.
"But Manchin asking Democrats to trust him — again — is peak pebble," Capehart wrote.
JOE MANCHIN SCORNED BY LIBERAL MEDIA AS HE MULLS STALLING BIDEN CLIMATE AGENDA
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) talks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 19, 2018. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas (Reuters)
The Washington Post columnist also criticized the senator and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-AZ., for voting against changing the filibuster.
"In this setup, any Democratic senator can be that pesky pebble in the presidential shoe. Manchin is the one who seems to delight most in playing that role. This is why, in addition to holding the House majority, Democrats need a thick pair of socks, in the form of two more seats in the Senate," he wrote.
Capehart said that Manchin's ability to prevent some of the Democratic Party initiatives "is as untenable as it is unacceptable."
"'Government by Manchin' must come to an end," he added.
NEW YORK TIMES SHOCKED MANCHIN STILL OPPOSES MASSIVE SPENDING AMID SOARING INFLATION
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during an event to celebrate passage of the "Safer Communities Act," on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, U.S., July 11, 2022. (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo)
The LA Times editorial board argued that the West Virginia senator had "no intention of acting in the public interest" and said that he cares more about remaining in power than climate change.
"Manchin’s betrayal of his party and of future generations may not be surprising at this point. But it still stings. Congress’ inability to pass meaningful climate legislation marks only the latest chapter in a sad history of failure going back decades," the editorial board wrote.
The board described the situation as "maddening" and also blamed Republicans and the Supreme Court for being "out of step" with the climate crisis.
"Manchin has made it clear he cannot be trusted to deliver something as basic as a single vote to protect people from the ravages of an overheating planet," they wrote.
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., has been the target of scorn by the liberal media over reporting that he may block President Biden's climate agenda. ((AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite))
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"The View" hosts and several others have also been very critical of Manchin for ruling out the tax hikes and climate change subsidies of the Democratic spending bill.
Joy Behar said Tuesday that lawmakers like Manchin were "waiting for the Eiffel Tower to melt."