Joe Manchin just torpedoed the White House’s planned victory lap

When Joe Manchin stepped to the podium in the US Capitol on Monday afternoon, the hope among Democrats was that he was going to announce that he supported the $1.75 trillion social safety net bill — a moment that would virtually ensure passage of the bulk of President Joe Biden’s first-term domestic agenda.When Joe Manchin stepped to the podium in the US Capitol on Monday afternoon, the hope among Democrats was that he was going to announce that he supported the $1.75 trillion social safety net bill — a moment that would virtually ensure passage of the bulk of President Joe Biden’s first-term domestic agenda.