Bret Baier Confronts Manchin and Asks, ‘Isn’t It Disingenuous to Call This the Inflation Reduction Act?’

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) offered a tepid defense of the Inflation Reduction Act during an interview on Fox News on Tuesday evening.

Hours after August’s Consumer Price Index report showed inflation rose year-over-year by 8.3%, the Inflation Reduction Act came under the microscope. Manchin was instrumental in passing the bill.

The West Virginia Democrat killed the Build Back Better Act late last year by announcing on Fox he would not support it. His decision to work with his party on the inflation bill revived a stalled Democratic agenda.

The White House celebrated the bill as a victory not just for Democrats, but for all Americans Tuesday afternoon.

After the celebration, which took place as the stock market devolved into a selloff, Manchin joined Special Report for a wide-ranging interview with host Bret Baier.

Baier noted the Inflation Reduction Act has yet to lower prices for Americans struggling to pay for essential commodities.

“For people at home, we are talking about the inside politics about how to get these deals done,” Baier said. “They look at what they are seeing at the table. Inflation is not slowing. This CPI report was bad today.”

Manchin responded he has been concerned about inflation for some time.

“Bret, I said a year-and-a-half ago, and no one paid attention to me, I said inflation is real,” the senator said. “Inflation will cripple you, it’ll bring you to your knees. Areas of the country that have people who are struggling every day to make ends meet, you throw another six, eight percent on top of everything else, it’s almost impossible.”

Baier asked, “Isn’t it disingenuous to call this the Inflation Reduction Act if we are looking at a CPI that actually goes up?”

Manchin responded, “It’s the only thing we have ever done that has a chance to really fight inflation.”

Watch above, via Fox News.