As Democrats’ Infighting Continues, Jake Tapper Bluntly Presses Ro Khanna: Independents Might See This and Conclude You ‘Cannot Govern’
CNN anchor Jake Tapper pressed Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), a progressive, on the infighting among House Democrats in trying to pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill and the larger social spending reconciliation bill.
The House of Representatives was scheduled to pass both on Friday, sending the bipartisan bill to President Joe Biden to sign into law and the reconciliation bill to the Senate. Moderates have said they would not vote for the larger bill until it is scored by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
Tapper mentioned that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) “just announced she had adopted a proposal from the Congressional Black Caucus and the proposal looks like this: There will be a vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill and a vote on the rule to allow a vote later on the Build Back Better Act than in the intervening time, seven to 10 days perhaps, the Congressional Budget Office would finish analyzing the Build Back Better Act.”
“That could take 7 to 10 days, as I said,” continued Tapper. “Then there would be a vote on the Build Back Better Act with the expectation the moderates will vote for it, if the CBO analysis matches what the White House analysis is. Why is that not good enough for you and the progressive caucus?”
Khanna responded that “what we want is to have the vote on both bills. That’s what the president wanted. He wanted the vote on both bills today. And those votes, I believe, would pass.”
After appearing to express openness to the compromise, Tapper asked Khanna, “Do you understand how this might all look to an Independent voter who maybe swings back and forth during election seasons and voted for the Democratic Congress right now but maybe voted Republican in the last election? They might look at this and say, ‘Democrats cannot govern.’”
“I’m from the governing philosophy and I’d say to them what we’re trying to do is help the middle class. We’re trying to get universal preschool. We’re trying to get tax cuts for the working class,” said Khanna. “We’re trying to get childcare to be affordable and we will come together. We’re very, very close. There’s six folks who still have some concerns. I think it will be overcome.”
“What people will remember is when we deliver,” added Khanna.
Watch above, via CNN.
