MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough scolded Democratic leadership for putting out “conflicting signals” over the bipartisan infrastructure bill and threatening its passage by attempting to attach a larger reconciliation bill for “human infrastructure” with it.
“I’m sorry to have to be this blunt this morning, but I’m getting tired of saying things and three months later people figuring out it’s not going to pass,” an exasperated Scarborough said. “I respect Bernie and other progressives pushing for $6 trillion because if you don’t push for that, you don’t meet people in the middle. I understand why they’re doing that. But God, these conflicting signals between a president, a speaker and a majority leader? It’s got to stop.
President Biden is traveling to Wisconsin Tuesday to promote the infrastructure package agreed upon by a bipartisan group of Democratic and Republican senators. Over the weekend, Biden walked back his suggestion that the bill would be linked to a separate plan to increase funding to social programs via a budget reconciliation bill.
However, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said she would not consider the infrastructure bill unless the Senate approves the $6 trillion reconciliation bill (that is being championed by Sen. Bernie Sanders and other progressive Democrats).
“Do you want a bipartisan piece of legislation that will help the president, that will help the Democratic Party and will help the country … or not?” Scarborough continued.
“So what should they do?” his co-host Mika Brzezinksi asked.
“Stop talking past each other! Pass the bipartisan piece of legislation, and then, instead of holding press conferences saying they need to be linked — because they can’t be linked — because if they’re linked, there’s no deal,” Scarborough went off. “So stop saying it! Stop saying it in front of the microphones and go to the bowels of the Capitol, get your Democratic caucuses together, and talk through it there. Stop giving Republicans high ground, which is exactly what you’re doing right now!”
Watch Joe Scarborough go off in the clip, above.