Nice Knowing You! Clinton/Obama Honcho John Podesta Declares Joe Manchin Has ‘Single-Handedly Doomed Humanity’
Brandon Bell/Getty Images
Former Clinton and Obama senior adviser John Podesta declared that West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin has “single-handedly doomed humanity” by blocking climate change legislation from being included in the Democrats’ reconciliation bill.
Manchin has frequently bucked his party on major issues, so Friday figures to be another long day of the senator ignoring his critics after news broke that he won’t go along with climate and tax provisions that President Joe Biden and the Democrats have been pushing to include in a reconciliation package that can pass with a simple majority in the Senate.
The Washington Post reported that Manchin told Democrats “he would not support an economic package that contains new spending on climate change or includes new tax increases targeting wealthy Americans or corporations,” but that he would support prescription drug and health care subsidy provisions.
The news sparked a flood of frustrated quotes from Democrats venting at Manchin, perhaps none more brutal than Podesta’s, to The New York Times:
“It seems odd that Manchin would chose as his legacy to be the one man who single-handedly doomed humanity,” said John Podesta, a former senior counselor to President Barack Obama and founder of the Center for American Progress, a left-leaning think tank.
Some other quotes from around the horn:
- “Rage keeps me from tears. Resolve keeps me from despair. We will not allow a future of climate disaster. I believe in the power of the Green New Deal. The power of young people. I am with you. We will not give up.” – Sen. Ed Markey on Twitter.
- “This is our last chance to prevent the most catastrophic — and costly — effects of climate change.” Sen. Ron Wyden in a statement.
- “This is one man named Joe Manchin. When it comes to the most important existential issue of our time, this man is a wrecking ball.” – Rep. Jared Huffman to Politico.
Manchin has heard harsh criticism before, and it has not moved him to change positions.
