MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough lashed out at Democrats during Tuesday’s broadcast of “Morning Joe,” warning that they could tank the bipartisan infrastructure deal.
Scarborough argued that continued attempts to tie the bipartisan deal to a reconciliation bill — which would give Democrats everything they couldn’t get in the deal — might cause Republicans to think twice about voting for the bipartisan package. (RELATED: Gillian Turner Flames Scarborough For Mocking IG Report: ‘Maybe I Will Just Stop Reporting On Things I Disagree With’)
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Cohost Willie Geist began by saying that President Joe Biden had “dug the hole” himself when he suggested that the two plans were going to be tied together.
Scarborough argued that the larger infrastructure plan touted by independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders — which carries a likely price tag of $6 trillion — was unrealistic and that the best way to move forward with any infrastructure package was to find middle ground and get at least a few Republicans on board. (RELATED: ‘Biden Snatched Defeat From The Jaws Of Victory’: ‘This Week’ Guest Says Biden Infrastructure Ultimatum May Backfire)
“I understand the progressive wing of the Democratic party has been long-suffering over the past four or five months listening about Joe Manchin and sometimes Kyrsten Sinema,” Scarborough continued. “At the same time, if you want to have the bipartisan bill pass, you can’t say, ‘Yes, we’re going to use you to get to the 60 vote threshold this time, but only if we also can roll you with this 50 vote threshold at the same time.’ It’s just not going to work.”
Scarborough went on to say that the mixed signals coming from Democratic leadership — President Biden’s apparent veto threat and then his clarification that it was not a veto threat along with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s declaration that there would be no bipartisan deal without a reconciliation package — were not likely to win Democrats the Republican support they needed.
“Stop talking past each other! Pass the bipartisan piece of legislation, and then, instead of holding press conferences saying they need to be linked — because they can’t be linked — because if they’re linked, there’s no deal. So stop saying it! Stop saying it in front of the microphones and go to the bowels of the Capitol, get your Democratic caucuses together, and talk through it there,” Scarborough concluded. “Stop giving Republicans high ground, which is exactly what you’re doing right now!”
