How the White House Lost Joe Manchin

Washington Post: “On Dec. 14, the pair seemed to make progress. Manchin had offered to support a $1.8 trillion package, a step toward the White House position, while Biden agreed to jettison a budget gimmick that Manchin believed disguised the true cost of the plan. The tenor of their conversations was ‘peachy,’ according to one person briefed on the talks, and the two sides agreed to put out a statement saying they would continue talking.”

“And then, incredibly, it all fell apart.”