Senator Bernie Sanders (VT) blamed his fellow Democrat Senator Joe Manchin (WV) of sabotaging their party’s chances in 2022.
Sen. Sanders was sitting down with ABC News This Week anchor Martha Raddatz on Sunday when the issue turned to Joe Biden’s stalled agenda. More specifically she brought up Manchin’s “abrupt” opposition to Biden’s upcoming spending bill on climate change.
“He didn’t abruptly do anything,” Sanders furiously responded. “He has sabotaged the president’s agenda.”
The avowed Socialist didn’t end his criticism there, however. He went on to blame Manchin and another Democrat Senator Krysten Sinema of “intentionally” doing everything they can to stop “what the American people want.”
Manchin and Simena have both said that they will oppose Biden’s upcoming legislation until they figure out how to get runaway inflation under control. While both Senators have expressed general support for green programs and social spending, they say new government spending would make inflation far worse.
Bernie Sanders’ ire was not limited to Senate Democrats, though. He also criticized Joe Biden’s recent trip to Saudi Arabia where he met with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, who Biden had declared a murderer and a “pariah” on the campaign trail.
When Raddatz questioned Sanders on whether or not Biden should have made the trip to beg for cheaper oil despite his rhetoric, Sanders responded, “No, I don’t think so.” He added, “I don’t think that that type of government should be rewarded with a visit by the President of the United States.”
Instead of blaming Biden and his anti-domestic energy policies for price hikes, however, Bernie suggested that oil companies were actually behind the spikes. He told the ABC anchor, “We’ve got to tell the oil companies to stop ripping off the American people and if they don’t, we should impose a windfall profits tax on them.”
Despite what seems to be a relative defense of Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders is still seen as one of the top potential contenders for a Democrat nomination in 2024. Do you think Bernie has any chance of beating Biden if they face off again?
