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'I hope it's a wake-up call for us all': Joe Manchin says Virginia result shows 'we have a divided country': Hits back at fellow Democrat Cori Bush for calling his opposition to Biden's agenda 'anti-black'

  West   Virginia   Sen. Joe Manchin called the Virginia governor's election results a 'wake-up call' during a media appearance ...

 West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin called the Virginia governor's election results a 'wake-up call' during a media appearance in front of the Capitol on Wednesday, while also reacting to Squad member Cori Bush's attacks on him over his opposition to President Joe Biden's $1.75 trillion Build Back Better agenda.

Republican Glenn Youngkin defeated former incumbent Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe in a tightly-contested election, which was largely considered a more national referendum on President Joe Biden's policies.

'I just saw it to confirm that we have a divided country … I hope it's a wake-up call for all of us,' the West Virginia Democrat told Fox News' Special Report's Bret Baier about the election results on Wednesday.

'I'm concerned. I've been talking about our debt, I've been talking about inflation, [and] I've been talking about the [economic] fallout we may have [from the spending bills],' he said.

Manchin had recently come under fire for his opposition to the plan, with Rep. Bush, a Missouri Democrat who is black and a single mother, not holding back her anger in response to Manchin's deliberate stalling of the bill, which has not yet been voted on in the House but has already passed in the Senate.  

Senator Joe Manchin, pictured, called the Virginia governor's election results a 'wake up call' during a media appearance in front of the US Capitol on Wednesday

Senator Joe Manchin, pictured, called the Virginia governor's election results a 'wake up call' during a media appearance in front of the US Capitol on Wednesday

Republican Glenn Youngkin defeated former incumbent Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe in a tightly-contested election

Republican Glenn Youngkin defeated former incumbent Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe in a tightly-contested election

Bush tweeted criticism of Manchin on Monday, saying his opposition is 'anti-black, anti-child, anti-woman and anti-immigrant'

Bush tweeted criticism of Manchin on Monday, saying his opposition is 'anti-black, anti-child, anti-woman and anti-immigrant'

'Joe Manchin does not get to dictate the future of our country,' Bush tweeted Monday alongside a longer statement with her thoughts on Manchin's opposition to large portions of the Build Back Better Act. 

'Joe Manchin's opposition to the Build Back Better Act is anti-Black, anti-child, anti-woman and anti-immigrant. Senator Manchin must support the Build Back Better Act,' Bush said.

Manchin told Baier on Wednesday that all the congresswoman has to do is visit his home state of West Virginia - where he has served as a senior United States senator since 2010 - to see why he opposes the president's agenda.

'I would just say the congresswoman doesn't know me,' Manchin replied. 

'She doesn't know me, and I'm happy to talk to her. I think maybe she'll have a different opinion. Go home to West Virginia and ask people. I think you'll get a different opinion.' 

After Baier read Manchin Congresswoman Bush's highly-critical tweet, the senator then lamented the state of political discourse in the country, calling it 'toxic' and harsh.' 

'This is a shame when we start this war of words. I'm not gonna speak ill about any of my congressional friends and colleagues on the House side or the Senate side. We can have a difference of opinion, but the rhetoric around here has gotten so harsh and so toxic that you can’t agree to disagree anymore,' Manchin added.

For Congresswoman Bush, pictured, a Missouri Democrat who is both black and a single mother, she did not hold back her anger in Manchin's deliberate stalling of the bill

For Congresswoman Bush, pictured, a Missouri Democrat who is both black and a single mother, she did not hold back her anger in Manchin's deliberate stalling of the bill

'I would just say the congresswoman doesn't know me,' Senator Manchin, pictured, replied

'I would just say the congresswoman doesn't know me,' Senator Manchin, pictured, replied

'You can't sit down and say, "Ok, I disagree with you, Bret." You’re gonna say, "Ok, Joe, do we agree on the same problem?" I say, “Yeah, let's start working." Tell me what you think you would fix it.' 

'That's not happening. Let me tell you what I don't hear that scares the bejesus out of me. I don't hear people say, "This is good for our country." More or less, on both sides it's, "This is better for my party. This is better for the 2022 election."' 

Manchin, a Democrat representing West Virginia, whose centrist vote wields much power in the 50-50 Senate, put the breaks on the larger spending package, saying in a press conference he would not vote for it until he had 'greater clarity' on what its impact would be for inflation and the national debt. 

Bush, who is part of the 'squad' of the group of six Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives, said that she felt minority communities who would be most affected by the bill 'are overwhelmingly excluded from the bipartisan infrastructure bill.'  


But on Monday, Manchin held firm saying: 'Simply put, I will not support a bill that is this consequential without thoroughly understanding the impact that it will have on our national debt, our economy.'

Even after Democrats paired down their initial spending package from $3.5 trillion to $1.75 trillion, Manchin said his vote should not be taken for granted. 

'I'm open to supporting a final bill that helps move our country forward,' Manchin said. 'But I am equally open to voting against a bill that hurts our country.'

The senator said he will not support a bill 'that expands social programs and irresponsibly adds to our $29 trillion debt that no one seems to really care about or really talk about. Nor will I support a package that risks hurting American families suffering from historic inflation.'

An NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist National poll released Monday showed 44 percent of left-leaning voters want to replace the president at the top of the ticket in 2024, 36 percent want to keep him there as his landmark legislative agenda hangs on by a thread. 

In a tweet, Bush was even more direct. 'Joe Manchin does not get to dictate the future of our country.'

In a tweet, Bush was even more direct. 'Joe Manchin does not get to dictate the future of our country.'

Bush claimed that minority communities are 'overwhelmingly excluded from the bipartisan infrastructure deal,' a separate bill, urging her colleagues not to 'leave anyone behind'

Bush claimed that minority communities are 'overwhelmingly excluded from the bipartisan infrastructure deal,' a separate bill, urging her colleagues not to 'leave anyone behind'

Manchin, a Democrat representing West Virginia, whose centrist vote wields much power in the 50-50 Senate , put the breaks on the larger spending package

Manchin, a Democrat representing West Virginia, whose centrist vote wields much power in the 50-50 Senate , put the breaks on the larger spending package

Manchin shatters Biden's hopes of passing his spending packages
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Manchin said that 'shell games' and 'budget gimmicks' could make the real cost of the $1.75T bill almost twice that amount.

'This is a recipe for economic crisis,' he added.

A lot of the spending cuts were made by trimming down on the length of time programs would be funded, but Manchin noted funding was likely to be extended to the original length of time in future Congresses. After Manchin's press conference, the White House almost immediately released a statement saying they 'remained confident' the final bill would win Manchin's support.

'Senator Manchin says he is prepared to support a Build Back Better plan that combats inflation, is fiscally responsible, and will create jobs. The plan the House is finalizing meets those tests—it is fully paid for, will reduce the deficit, and brings down costs for health care, child care, elder care, and housing,' White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement. 

'Experts agree: Seventeen Nobel Prize-winning economists have said it will reduce inflation. As a result, we remain confident that the plan will gain Senator Manchin's support.'

In the poll, 36% of Democratic voters say the party have a better shot of winning the White House if Biden goes for a second term in 2024

In the poll, 36% of Democratic voters say the party have a better shot of winning the White House if Biden goes for a second term in 2024

After the press conference House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also pushed back on Manchin's concerns about inflation. 

'Build Back Better will grow the economy without increasing inflation, because it is fully paid for. As seventeen Nobel Prize-winning economists recently wrote in support of this legislation, 'Because this agenda invests in long-term capacity and will enhance the ability of more Americans to participate productively in the economy, it will ease long-term inflationary pressures,' she said.

'And as Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said just days ago, Build Back Better 'will boost the economy's potential to grow, the economy's supply potential, which tends to push inflation down, not up ... what this bill will do is lower some of the most important costs.

He called out progressives in the House and insisted the lower chamber hold a vote on the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill.

'Holding that bill hostage is not going to work to get my support for what you want,' Manchin said. Progressives in the House have insisted they would not vote for the smaller infrastructure bill until the reconciliation bill was up for a vote in the Senate.

'Compromise is not good enough,' Manchin said, criticizing his liberal House colleagues for holding up the vote. 'For a lot of my colleagues in Congress, it's all or nothing. Their position doesn't seem to change.'

Manchin walked out, taking no questions as he said he would not negotiate in public.

Before Manchin's remarks, progressives had seemed increasingly optimistic that both bills would come up for a vote this week, and had agreed to back the smaller, $1.75T spending package.

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