I’ve lost count of the number of days/weeks this has been going on but the Democrats are still in disarray at this hour and we know that because of what’s been reported to have taken place during the meeting President Joe Biden had with the House Democratic caucus earlier today to try to resolve the ongoing infighting over the infrastructure and reconciliation bills, as well as what he said afterward.
POTUS arrived in a blaze of glory with his handlers and key members of the House Democratic caucus including Speaker Nancy Pelosi alongside him. As per the norm, no questions were taken from the press — which would end up being a sign of things to come at the closed-door meeting and after.
First and foremost on the agenda for discussion was the infrastructure bill. According to Politico Congressional reporter Sarah Ferris, during the meeting, Biden gave apparently gave his .02 on what was going on, although what wasn’t clear was whether or not his remarks were scripted, as is often the case when he speaks before an audience.
What she did say that was quite illuminating, however, was that once he concluded his remarks, Biden offered to take questions from the Democratic House members who were assembled — but his handlers “jumped in” and shut him down.
“INSIDE the caucus: At the end of his remarks, BIDEN offered to take questions from members but his staff jumped in. He didn’t take any questions,” Ferris tweeted.
Perhaps the reason why Biden got shut down by his own staff was because they don’t want him to blow up whatever inroads he might have made with Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema over the last few days regarding the highly-debated “topline numbers”:
Biden discussed a topline RANGE between $1.9 trillion – $2.3 trillion, sources tell @sarahnferris and meDems had been hoping to get Manchin/Sinema to agree to something around $2.1 trillion, we’ve previously reportedManchin has been firm at $1.5t— Heather Caygle (@heatherscope) October 1, 2021
Per Ferris, “Biden explained that this range comes from his conversations with Manchin and Sinema. They’re not discussing these specific toplines per se, but WH has been assembling all the different programs they *do* support and this is roughly how much they’d cost.”
In other words, Manchin and Sinema are still in the driver’s seat.
When the meeting was over, Biden sent strong signals that the meeting was a failure by indicating a timeline for “getting this done” no longer matters, which will be interesting news for moderate House Democrats who had already suggested that failure to move by the end of September would be “catastrophic.”
Watch the video below as Biden nukes talk of a timeline for getting the infrastructure bill passed and snaps at a reporter who asks why he can’t unify the party:
Leaving the House Dem Caucus meeting today @POTUS says, “we’re gonna get this done… it doesn’t matter if it takes six minutes, six days or six weeks…”
— Caroline McKee (@CarolineMcKee12) October 1, 2021
When asked about dissension among Democrats, Biden said with a raised fist, “Come on man. Unite the party 50/50.” pic.twitter.com/jlrOYMco3h
Well, it is now October 1st, and it’s safe to say that House and Senate Dems and all the various warring factions within are in “catastrophic” mode and with no end in sight.
I think it’s safe to declare at this point that the Democrat Civil War is officially underway, and considering it’s ramping up as we head into the 2022 midterms, we are so here for it.
