Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders lost it Sunday over Democratic West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin on ABC’s “This Week.”
Sanders cut off “This Week” host Martha Raddatz when she brought up Manchin’s refusal to back a key bill for Democrats that covers climate provisions and tax hikes, as seen in a clip shared to Twitter. “Six months ago, I made it clear that you have people like Manchin, Sinema to a lesser degree, who are intentionally sabotaging the president’s agenda, what the American people want, what a majority of us in the Democratic Caucus want. Nothing new about this,” Sanders told Raddatz in the clip.
Bernie Sanders unloads on Manchin: “He didn’t abruptly do anything. He has sabotaged the president’s agenda…you have people like Manchin, Sinema to a lesser degree, who are intentionally sabotaging the president’s agenda, what the American people want…nothing new about this.” pic.twitter.com/mnpp3lOoz4
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 17, 2022
“And the problem was that we continued to talk Manchin like he was serious. He was not. This is a guy who is a major recipient of fossil fuel money, a guy who has received campaign contributions from 25 Republican billionaires,” Sanders continued in the clip.
Raddatz then played a clip of the West Virginian leader expressing his deep concerns over inflation in his state, asking Sanders for his reaction. (RELATED: After Devastating Inflation Report, Joe Manchin Takes Blowtorch To Dems’ Plans For More Spending)
“You ask the people of West Virginia whether they want to expand Medicare to cover dental, hearing and eyeglasses; you ask the people of West Virginia whether we should demand that the wealthiest people and large corporations start paying their fair share of taxes,” Sanders argued back, “Ask the people of West Virginia whether or not all people should have health care as a human right, like in every other country on Earth. That’s what they will say. In my humble opinion, you know, Manchin represents the very wealthiest people in this country, not working families in West Virginia or America.”