Manchin responds to Ocasio-Cortez tweet: 'Continue to divide, divide, divide' | TheHill
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) on Sunday responded to criticism from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who claimed in a tweet that Manchin has huddled "weekly" with personnel from Exxon, contending that such attacks “continue to divide, divide, divide.”
During an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union," Manchin denied having any such meetings with Exxon or other fossil fuel lobbyists.
"Absolutely not. Absolutely not," Manchin told host Dana BashDana BashThe Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - Questions on Biden agenda; unemployment benefits to end Supreme Court ruling on Texas abortion law rattles lawmakersKlobuchar points to Texas abortion law in discussing potential Breyer retirementMORE. "I keep my door open for everybody. It's totally false."
He also said "superlatives" such as the one used by Ocasio-Cortez are "just awful" and "continue to divide, divide, divide."
"I don't know that young lady that well. I really don't. I have met her one time, I think, between sets here. But that's it. So we have not had any conversations. She just speculating and saying things because she wants to," he added.
Ocasio-Cortez earlier this month tweeted in response to an op-ed in which Manchin said he would not support a $3.5 trillion spending bill, saying the senator "has weekly huddles w/ Exxon & is one of many senators who gives lobbyists their pen to write so-called 'bipartisan' fossil fuel bills."
"It's killing people. Our people. At least 12 last night. Sick of this 'bipartisan' corruption that masquerades as clear-eyed moderation," the progressive lawmaker added.
Manchin has weekly huddles w/ Exxon & is one of many senators who gives lobbyists their pen to write so-called "bipartisan" fossil fuel bills.
It's killing people. Our people. At least 12 last night. Sick of this "bipartisan" corruption that masquerades as clear-eyed moderation. https://t.co/KW8w7HUhvT
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 2, 2021
The criticism from Ocasio-Cortez was sparked by Manchin's opposition to a $3.5 trillion price tag for Democrats' reconciliation spending bill, which needs full support from the caucus to pass in the evenly divided Senate.
Democrats are looking to advance the package — which includes a number of President Biden ’s legislative priorities for education, health care and child care — through reconciliation, which will allow the party to buck a Republican filibuster by requiring only a simple majority vote.
With that strategy, however, all Senate Democrats must remain banded together.
When pressed on Sunday by Bash on criticism from a number of Democrats that Manchin is opposing the bill because he is "bought and paid for by corporate donors," the senator said he is against the legislation "because it makes no sense at all."
"You're entitled to your own facts — I mean, your own opinions. You're just not entitled to create your own facts to support it. And that's exactly what they're doing," Manchin said.
Manchin previously called for a "pause" in deliberations on the reconciliation bill, which many of his colleagues in the upper chamber are against.
The Hill has reached out to Ocasio-Cortez's office for comment on Manchin's latest remarks.
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Manchin wants the compromise bill sitting in the House taken up and passed. AOC has threatened to deep-six the whole thing if she doesn't get the massive second bill as is.
Who will blink?
I read today that Bernie Sanders also asked if it is appropriate for one person to kill two pieces of legislation. Meaning Manchin could kill the first infrastructure bill by not voting to pass the $3.5 trillion package. Looks like they are already lining up to push the blame for both failing on Manchin, perhaps to try to get a progressive elected in his place? Of course that would be a long wait as his seat doesn't come up for re-election until 2024.
On CNN's "State of the Union," Manchin told host Dana Bash that he didn't support the timeline of voting on the measure this week so that the House could pass it by Sept. 27.
"There's no way we can get this done by the 27th if we do our job," he said.
Manchin added that Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) "will not have my vote, and Chuck knows that."
The Manchin family is in full throttle denial about a lot of things.
Oh, let's smear Manchin's family!/s
His daughter is doing a fine job of that. I won't get in her way.
It’s what she does.
Joe Manchin is a DINO, a Trump ally running as a Dem as he knows he can't win in his area as a Republican. He is also living it up with his new found power to cripple Congress as he pleases and makes no intelligent alternative for the things he plots against.
Manchin has long been the Republican's go to when they don't want the mud to be on their faces. He really does not care about the good of the American people, just what star he can hang over his own head as being a foul to be Democrats, and the Republican love him.
He has no right to knock AOC or anyone else, as he is certainly earning his knocks by her and others.
JMOO
he's the head of a family of grifters, just like trump.
Indeed that seems to be who he is playing to.
Is Manchin actually a Republican masquerading as a Democrat? I wonder what will happen when HIS re-election time comes up.
That depends on how well he seves his constituents in the very red state of West Virginia.
He may as well be kicked out of the Democrat Party (if that's possible). He won't be more harm to the Party if he were an Independant.
I beg to differ.
Let them kick him out and that makes Mitch McConnell Senate Leader again.
He's the Senate Leader now, as long as Manchin is a Senator.
Hardly.
The Dems won't kick him out, as they need his seat on their side. Even through he is a DINO, he does give the Dems one more count on their side.
It is funny to see him smiling and strutting around the Capitol, and it reminds me of 'The Kings New Clothes.' He will poke the wrong person the wrong way once too often and the results could wipe that smile off his smug face.
I don't think he will hold his seat very much longer. He will show his true colors soon, and the people of WV are not dumb, deaf or blind to the real world, and will make him the loser he truly is.
JMOO
This may be the only time I ever support AOC. She needs to stick to her guns; and Manchin needs to stick to his (he never should have voted for the bill to send it to reconciliation to begin with).
She can kill both of these inflation dumpster fire "infrastructure" bills at the same time; and save the US from Democrat stupidity. It will be unintentional; but she deserves the credit for being a complete and utter moron just the same.