The networks and CNN on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning renewed their obsession with Joe Manchin, fretting over how “weird” it was that the moderate Democratic Senator sat with Republicans at the State of the Union. Barely hiding her annoyance, CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King on Wednesday recounted, “He [Biden] was talking about that unity agenda. We saw Senator Manchin sitting with Republicans.”
Talking to journalist Margaret Brennan, she complained, “Did that strike you as odd that he was sitting with Republicans?” Brennan lamented, “When you have unified Democratic leadership, it has not looked very unified when it came to Democratic senators, specifically Joe Manchin.”
Over on Good Morning America, reporter Cecilia Vega noted Joe Biden’s stalled agenda: “He's [Biden] pushing for lowering the cost of prescription drugs and childcare, once in his build back better plan now stalled blocked by some in his own party. One of them, Senator Joe Manchin, seen sitting with Republicans, his office calling it a show of bipartisanship.”
In the early morning hours of Wednesday, CNN analyst Ron Brownstein continued the media complaining: “Joe Manchin, as we said, has singlehandedly derailed that agenda in the Senate and showing no signs of relenting.” During reaction coverage on ABC News Live, Tuesday, two journalists found the whole seating issue worthy of discussion:
LINSEY DAVIS: Mary, tell us about where Senator Manchin was sitting that caught your attention?
MARY BRUCE: This was really interesting, Linsey. The senator, Joe Manchin, the Democratic of West Virginia who has become somewhat of a thorn in the President's side, he has scuttled much of the President's agenda so far.
Late Night liberal hack Seth Meyers is obsessed with Manchin. Despite Democrats controlling everything, he repeatedly focuses his "comedy" on the moderate Manchin. On Tuesday night, he wasn’t specifically attacking the Democrat for sitting with Republicans, but for voting against abortion up to birth.
The Senate, last night, failed to pass the Women's Health Protection Act, and West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin voted with Republicans. Okay, how many times does someone have to vote with Republicans before you consider him a Republican it's kind of like saying Keith Richards played with the Rolling Stones again yeah, 'cause he's a Rolling Stone.
Media outlets have repeatedly downplayed hateful, unhinged attacks against Manchin for being a moderate. Clearly, this issue animated them a lot more in the last 12 hours than did Biden’s State of the Union speech.
The fretting over Biden on CBS was sponsored by Progressive insurance. On ABC, it was CVS. Click on the links to let them know what you think.
Partial transcripts are below. Click “expand” to read more:
Good Morning America
3/2/2022CECILIA VEGA: He's [Biden] pushing for lowering the cost of prescription drugs and childcare, once in his build back better plan now stalled blocked by some in his own party. One of them, Senator Joe Manchin seen sitting with Republicans, his office calling it a show of bipartisanship.
CBS Mornings
3/2/2022GAYLE KING: He [Biden] was talking about that unity agenda. We saw Senator Manchin sitting with Republicans. We asked the Vice President about it, she said, “Well, there's no assigned seating. Anyone can sit anywhere.” Did that strike you as odd that he was sitting with Republicans?
MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator Manchin argued that it was to demonstrate the need for bipartisanship. But you're hitting on something that John gestured to there which is differences within the President's own party. When you have unified Democratic leadership, it has not looked very unified when it came to Democratic senators, specifically Joe Manchin.
CNN Newsroom Live
3/2/2022
3:24 AM ETRON BROWNSTEIN: Democrats do need Biden to improve to give them a fighting chance. Look, he laid out a lot of ideas that were popular tonight. Particularly on the question of helping families meet their rising costs and cope with inflation. Ideas like lowering prescription drug prices and utility prices and greater subsidies for child care. And health premiums. Health care. The problem is he doesn't have a clear path way towards passing that. Joe Manchin, as we said, has singlehandedly derailed that agenda in the Senate and showing no signs of relenting. It maybe that Biden's best political strategy is move this goal from “What have you done for me lately” to an aspirational contrast with Republicans. If they can't find a way to let Manchin go through the senate and into law.
State of the Union Analysis
3/2/2022YASMIN VOSSOUGHIAN: Some color, by the way, from inside the chamber. You mentioned Joe Manchin was actually sitting with Mitt Romney. Because they wanted to show a force of bipartisanship. There was some questions about why Joe Manchin was sitting on the Republican side.
Late Night With Seth Meyers
3/1/202212:39 AM ET
SETH MEYERS: The Senate, last night, failed to pass the Women's Health Protection Act, and West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin voted with Republicans. Okay, how many times does someone have to vote with Republicans before you consider him a Republican it's kind of like saying Keith Richards played with the Rolling Stones again yeah, 'cause he's a Rolling Stone.
ABC News Live
3/1/2022LINSEY DAVIS: Mary, tell us about where Senator Manchin was sitting that caught your attention?
MARY BRUCE: This was really interesting, Linsey. The senator, Joe Manchin, the Democratic of West Virginia who has become somewhat of a thorn in the President's side, he has scuttled much of the President's agenda so far, was sitting next to Senator Mitt Romney. His office said he decided to sit there to send a message that bipartisanship is alive and well in the U.S. Senate, even if we have not seen much of that so far as the president has tried to pass much of his agenda, and you know, it was notable Joe Manchin actually stood and applauded with the Democratic Party, even as the president ticked are some of the agenda items, his wish list that he is still hoping to get done come even as Joe Manchin was the one who has blocked so much of the President's agenda.
