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The White House’s extraordinary, furious statement about Joe Manchin

Analysis by
Staff writer
December 19, 2021 at 4:31 p.m. EST
Lawmakers respond to Sen. Joe Manchin III (D- W.Va.) saying he ‘cannot vote’ for Democrats’ social and climate spending bill on Dec. 19. (Video: The Washington Post)

If Sen. Joe Manchin III can’t support President Biden’s spending agenda, it’s news to the White House, apparently.

After Manchin announced Sunday that he won’t be the 50th vote for Senate Democrats to pass their Build Back Better agenda early next year, the White House released a ferocious statement accusing the West Virginia Democrat of misleading the administration about whether he would support a deal at all.