Biden insists he and Manchin will ‘get something done’ after Build Back Better setback
By Paul LeBlanc, CNN
President Joe Biden on Tuesday insisted that he and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin will “get something done” on the Build Back Better Act after Manchin defied his party by torpedoing the key piece of Biden’s domestic agenda.
“Some people think maybe I’m not Irish because I don’t hold a grudge. But I want to get things done,” said Biden, when asked whether the West Virginia Democrat broke a commitment to him. “I still think there’s a possibility of getting Build Back Better done.”
The President also told reporters he had been “told (Manchin) was speaking to the liberal caucus in the House and said, ‘Joe Biden didn’t mislead you, I misled you.'” It was unclear what meeting Biden was referring to.
CNN has reached out to Manchin’s office for comment on Biden’s remarks.
Manchin announced Sunday that he could not support Biden’s Build Back Better plan, a sweeping economic and climate bill that required his support in order for it to pass in the Senate, where Democrats have an ultra-slim majority. The move stoked widespread outrage among progressives, many of whom questioned his allegiance to the party and wondered if he might drop his affiliation after he thwarted one of Democrats’ major legislative priorities.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
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CNN’s Manu Raju contributed to this report.