Democrats, Media, Hollywood, and Never Trump Freak Out After Joe Manchin Says 'No' to 'Build Back Better'

Joel B. PollakDecember 19, 2021

Democrats, media pundits, and Hollywood stars threw tantrums on social media on Sunday after Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) told Fox News Sunday that he would not vote for President Joe Biden’s multi-trillion-dollar “Build Back Better” bill.

Rolling Stone, for instance, published an article titled: “Joe Manchin Just Tore Out the Heart of Biden’s Agenda.” It went on to explain: “Build Back Better was the centerpiece of Biden’s domestic plans.” Now it is unlikely to pass the Senate.

The disgruntled included Never Trump pundits such as Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post and David Brooks of the New York Times. Rubin lamented that Manchin is likely to be opposed to Democrats’ efforts to overhaul election by passing so-called “voting rights” legislation that will institute California-style practices like “ballot harvesting” nationwide:

If Manchin is no on both BBB and voting, Biden is done. Democracy is hanging by a thread. Hard to think of anyone more destructive

— Jennifer ‘pro-voting’ Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) December 19, 2021

Did Joe Manchin really just cripple the Biden presidency and make a second Trump term much more likely? Really???

— David Brooks (@nytdavidbrooks) December 19, 2021

Others included celebrities, pundits, and elected Democrats, who poured scorn on Manchin — and on Biden:

I’m so sick of destructive Republicans like Joe manchin

— ✌🏼rosanna arquette (@RoArquette) December 19, 2021

I sure as hell didn’t vote for Manchin.

— Scott Dworkin (@funder) December 19, 2021

You aren’t a true patriot. Can’t wait to flip some senate seats so you can’t hold progress hostage to line your own pockets, and protect your epi pen daughter.

Your state is *POOR,* and BBB would have helped your constituents immensely. You, sir, are the worst.

— Bärí A. Williams, Esq. (@BariAWilliams) December 19, 2021

Democrats have failed us.@Sen_JoeManchin is stopping millions from getting resources that can strengthen their communities.

All while, @POTUS, @SpeakerPelosi & @SenSchumer refused to use their power to stop it.

Biden, you will be remembered by all the actions you didn’t take. https://t.co/nG6sFhAMKe

— Sunrise Movement 🌅 (@sunrisemvmt) December 19, 2021

Not only is @Sen_JoeManchin shortsightedly hurting the country—he’s also a coward. A real leader would have had the guts to call the White House and tell @POTUS himself that he was going to tank BBB. pic.twitter.com/ZrQ2H7ZE4M

— Devin Driscoll (@short_pants) December 19, 2021

It’s a ‘Who Sucks More?’

Omicron or Manchin. https://t.co/fjMTzvptCP

— Dennis Herring (@dcherring) December 19, 2021

Our constituents deserve so much more. We were elected to deliver economic relief, we promised to put people’s needs before corporate greed. Hold the vote and make Manchin follow through on the betrayal of his constituents instead of enjoying the attention on TV.

— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) December 19, 2021

It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Manchin goes on Fox to kill BBB – he’s been promising to do it for months, and some folks didn’t want to believe him. We gave up our leverage the moment BIF passed and he got the fossil fuel subsidies he wanted. https://t.co/yCejuSbSRh

— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) December 19, 2021

Joe Manchin is actively working against the Democratic Party. This is insane

— Charles Snowden III (@csnoww3) December 19, 2021

Omicron is on the rise

Manchin killed BBB

Now this

Truly can’t enjoy the holidays y’all

— Juan Escalante (@JuanSaaa) December 19, 2021

Manchin is horrible but he is doing exactly what he promised to do and what he was elected to do.

It’s Biden who is NOT doing what he promised to do, and has a much higher standard to meet.

— Heidi N. Moore (@moorehn) December 19, 2021

Let’s be clear: Manchin’s excuse is bullshit. The people of West Virginia would directly benefit from childcare, pre-Medicare expansion, and long term care, just like Minnesotans.

This is exactly what we warned would happen if we separated Build Back Better from infrastructure. https://t.co/dhzcSk0qUV

— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) December 19, 2021

As Don always knew… Joe Manchin is a dirtbag/opportunist/obstructionist attention whore who just kicked his constituents in the gut for Christmas. A total dick. https://t.co/NSrNtVEFCi

— George Hahn (@georgehahn) December 19, 2021

Has any senator ever sold out his state as thoroughly as Manchin has?

He and the Sacklers have decided to finish the job the coal companies started. Thinking of West Virginia today.

— Virginia Heffernan (@page88) December 19, 2021

I’m not in the mood to get mad and Manchin being a pain in the ass isn’t news, but damn is this statement garbage.https://t.co/gXg1SLKX1W

— Gary Legum (@GaryLegum) December 19, 2021

In addition to balking at the bill’s nearly $2 trillion price tag — with the true cost estimated much higher, given that Congress is unlikely to cancel new social welfare programs — Manchin added that his party had tried to use their thin majorities in Congress to enact a sweeping transformation without a mandate to do so: “My Democratic colleagues in Washington are determined to dramatically reshape our society in a way that leaves our country even more vulnerable to the threats we face.”

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of the recent e-book, Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. His recent book, RED NOVEMBER, tells the story of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary from a conservative perspective. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.