Outgoing Independent West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin didn't hold back in criticizing some of the advice President Biden received in office. He argued it created blindspots on key issues like inflation, immigration, and Afghanistan.
Speaking on CBS’s "The Takeout" podcast, Manchin recounted warning Biden about the risks of inflation. He urged the president to work across the aisle on the American Rescue Plan. But his warnings about extended unemployment benefits were dismissed, thanks to advice from 17 Nobel laureates.
"I warned of that, and I got criticized," Manchin said. "They told me they had 17 Nobel laureates." He later slammed them as "17 educated idiots" who told Biden "what you want to hear because you paid them."
Manchin, then a Democrat, was pivotal in shaping Biden's early agenda. With a slim Democratic majority in the Senate, his cooperation was critical. Vice President Kamala Harris’s tie-breaking vote meant every vote counted. Manchin held significant sway over what passed.
In May 2024, Manchin announced he wouldn’t seek re-election and was leaving the Democratic Party. He said his decision was about staying "true" to his values. "To stay true to myself and remain committed to put country before party, I have decided to register as an independent with no party affiliation," he declared.
Manchin reflected on the bipartisan approach Congress had taken during the Trump administration. Stimulus checks had been sent out quickly during the pandemic, a move he said prioritized action but ultimately fueled economic issues. Pumping too much money into the economy, he argued, "was a mistake."
When Biden tried to push the American Rescue Plan through budget reconciliation, Manchin resisted. "Remember when I stopped it for about eight or 10 hours?" he recalled. He argued unemployment benefits should not be extended, especially with a working vaccine and stimulus checks already distributed.
"You’ve got a vaccine that’s working," Manchin said. "People have money because we sent a check to everybody." He warned Biden that extended benefits would inflate the economy and discourage people from returning to work.
"You’ve got inflation coming at you hard," Manchin added. He called it "a perfect storm," with lockdowns, stimulus spending, and prolonged unemployment benefits all converging. His warnings went unheeded, but he stood firm in his convictions.