'Bulls---': How a Manchin-Bernie blowup helped unstick Dems' agenda

Joe Manchin and Bernie Sanders tangled in a private Democratic meeting this week that helped set the stage for growing progress on President Joe Biden’s agenda.

Sanders, Schumer and Manchin’s offices declined to comment on a private meeting. But the Manchin-Sanders fence-mending, the increased specificity from Sen. Kyrsten Sinema and progressives’ willingness to accept a social spending bill far short of the original $3.5 trillion target price all point toward a Democratic Party on the verge of a victory.

If Democrats can cut a deal on Biden’s priorities, including final passage of the $550 billion infrastructure bill by the end of next week, it would be a huge relief — one the party hopes will help its gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe in Virginia, boost Biden’s sagging poll numbers and end the infighting that’s consumed it for months.

The bad blood between Sanders and Manchin had risen for more than a week, eventually culminating in Sanders publishing an op-ed in a West Virginia paper and Manchin firing back that Sanders is an “out-of-stater” telling West Virginians what to do. Those cross words have dissipated, relatively, as party leaders set a new goal of crafting a deal by the end of the month. As he left the Capitol, Sanders agreed with Manchin that a deal is unlikely this week.

The debate between Manchin and Sanders over the size and scope of the package has gone on for months and continued even after Monday’s scuffle. During a Wednesday caucus meeting, Sanders and Manchin engaged in another back-and-forth over the bill. Sinema has been more elusive, declining to support Democrats’ tax and pharmaceutical reform plans while saying she’s briefed Schumer and Biden extensively — though she signed off on some tax proposals Thursday afternoon that is another sign of a big breakthrough may be in the works.

Oh please. Those 2 have been plotting behind the scenes for months

I'll believe it when I see it. Cuz right now the only true legislatures in Congress is probably the progressive arm of the democratic party and Bernie Sanders.

Bernie's 100% correct.

JonLemire Love the ending... 'Notably, Manchin supports raising corporate tax rates and income tax rates on the wealthy as well as allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices'

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