Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna Goes on a Tear Against Sinema: ‘Who Legislates Like That? She’s a First-Term Senator!’
Add Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) to the growing list of Democratic lawmakers who are publicly expressing frustration with centrist Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ).
“Manchinema,” as they have been nicknamed, have been especially vocal in their opposition to a $3.5 trillion bill containing President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better agenda. Throughout the summer, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that she would not bring a Senate-passed bipartisan infrastructure bill – which did pass in August – to the floor until the Senate also passed a larger bill through budget reconciliation, which would require a simple majority. In a 50-50 Senate with the assumption that no Republicans will vote yes, all 50 Democrats would have to vote for passage, and Vice President Kamala Harris would need to case the tie-breaking vote.
But Pelosi has has since reversed herself by scheduling a vote on Thursday, sans a larger Senate-approved bill. That has prompted a revolt by House progressives, who have pledged to hold Pelosi to her word in order to pass the president’s agenda. The Progressive Caucus has signaled it has the votes to sink the bipartisan bill.
While some Democrats have expressed sympathy for Manchin’s need to display a certain amount of centrist performance art given that he’s a Democrat in a deep red state, those same Democrats are perplexed by Sinema’s posturing.
“Do people consider her at this point to be an honest negotiator?” MSNBC’s Joy Reid asked Khanna on Wednesday.
“So I guess the question is what does she want? I mean, we have had so many people have overtures to her, and the few who have gotten a response say she doesn’t want to discuss anything until the bipartisan bill passes,” he said.
Khanna expressed frustration at Sinema’s opacity on what, if anything, it would take to get her to vote yes.
“How can we negotiate and compromise when the other person isn’t even willing to have a starting offer, not just us, but not to the president?” he asked. “And that’s what’s so frustrating to so many people.”
Khanna later said, “I think Senator Manchin will come along if Kyrsten Sinema isn’t out there obstructing. He always does at the end.”
The congressman said he believes Manchin will get on board. As for Sinema, he was less optimistic and much harsher.
“The question is, why is there this artificial deadline of Thursday?” asked Khanna. “Why did Senator Sinema create this deadline that, if we don’t do something Thursday, ‘I’m going to walk?’ Who legislates like that? She’s a first term senator! As a first term member of the Congress, or even a third term member of Congress, if I said, ‘If I’m not going to get my way, I’m going to walk,’ the Speaker would laugh at me, understandably.”
Watch above via MSNBC.
