>> SO AFTER SENATOR JOE MANCHIN
SAID HE COULDN’T SUPPORT THE
BILL, IT LOOKS LIKE BUILD BACK
BETTER IS TAKING A BACK SEAT ON
CAPITOL HILL.
SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR
DEMOCRATS HEADING INTO THE
CRUCIAL MIDTERM YEAR?
WE’RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING WE
NEVER DO ON CHRISTMAS, TALK
POLITICS AROUND THE CHRISTMAS
EVE DINNER.
SO I HAVE A HIGHLIGHT HERE FIRST
BEFORE WE GET INTO THIS.
THE LATEST FOX BUSINESS POLL
SAID 55% OF REGISTERED VOTERS
SAY 221 WAS A BAD YEAR FOR THEIR
FAMILY AND 31% SAY IT’S A GOOD
YEAR FOR THEIR FAMILY.
7-10 REGISTERED VOTERS SAY 2021
WAS A BAD YEAR FOR THE COUNTRY.
THERE ARE VERY PERSONAL FEELINGS
IN THOSE POLLS WHICH COULD
REFLECT IN A VOTE AGAINST AN
INCUMBENT IN SOME AREAS, RIGHT?
>> I THINK IT WILL BE A TOUGH
YEAR FOR THE DEMOCRATS.
YOU ALREADY HAVE 23 HOUSE
DEMOCRATS INCLUDING TWO
CHAIRMANS OF COMMITTEES
ANNOUNCING THEY ARE GOING TO
RETIRE AND YOU HAVE A SIMILAR
RESHUFFLING GOING ON IN THE
SENATE APARTMENT LOT OF
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS ARE
ANNOUNCING THEIR RETIREMENT, BUT
REPUBLICANS ARE LOOKING LIKE
THEY ARE BETTER POSITIONED THERE
AS WELL.
AS YOU KNOW, THERE IS ONLY A
50-50 DIFFERENCE IN THE SENATE
AND ONLY THREE HOUSE SEAT
DIFFERENCE IN THE HOUSE SO IT
WILL BE, YOU KNOW, REPUBLICANS
HAVE THE EDGE WITH THIS BUILD
BACK BETTER IN JANUARY.
PRESIDENT BIDEN AND CHUCK
SCHUMER HAVE SAID THEY ARE NOT
GIVING UP HOPE.
THE DEMOCRATS ARE
EXPERIENCING -- THEY ARE IN
DENIAL.
THEN THERE WAS ANGER.
AND NOW WE SEEM TO HAVE SOME
ACCEPTANCE THAT THEY ARE FINALLY
COMING TO UNDERSTAND THAT
MANCHIN, JOE MANCHIN, CONTROLS
THIS PROCESS, AND THEY NEED HIM
SO THEY CAN START THE DEBATE.
>> THEY NEED TO BE NICE TO HIM.
WE’LL GET TO THAT IN A SECOND.
IS THE PRESIDENT, I’M CURIOUS,
TOXIC FOR THE DEMOCRATS TRYING
TO WIN OR HOLD A SEAT?
POLLS SHOW AMERICA IS NOT HAPPY
ABOUT INFLATION, GAS PRICES,
IMMIGRATION, THE OPEN BORDERS
AND VIOLENCE IN THE CITIES, IS
HE TOXIC IN THIS NEXT ELECTION
COMING UP?
>> WELL, CERTAINLY YOU DON’T
WANT TO BE HAVING THE POLL
NUMBERS THAT WE DO.
IT’S ALWAYS DIFFICULT IN THE
FIRST MIDTERM ELECTION FOR AN
INCUMBENT PRESIDENT.
IT’S A DIFFICULT SITUATION FOR
ANY, BUT HE’S COMING INTO THIS
WITH VERY BAD POLL NUMBERS AND A
54% DISAPPROVAL RATING.
YES.
YOU DON’T -- YOU’RE GOING TO
HAVE TO SEE, WE’LL SEE A LOT OF
EFFORT LIKE WE SAW EARLIER THIS
WEEK WITH HIM TRYING TO REASSURE
THE PUBLIC ABOUT COVID.
THEY ARE COMING OUT WITH THIS
PLAN, 500 MILLION, HALF A
BILLION TESTS OUT THERE FOR
FREE, FOR THE PUBLIC.
WE’RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF
EFFORT ON BEHALF OF THE
PRESIDENT, TO SURE AMERICANS.
>> SUSAN, IN THE LAST 30 SECONDS
WE HAVE, WE SAW THE WHITE HOUSE
AND DEMOCRATS MAKE PERSONAL
ATTACKS AGAINST SENATOR JOE
MANCHIN.
THEN THE TONE CHANGED AFTER
CHATTER THAT THE REPUBLICANS
WOULD WELCOME HIM INTO THE
PARTY.
WHAT ARE THE ODDS THAT HE
SWITCHES PARTIES?
>> WELL, I ACTUALLY SPOKE TO JOE
MANCHIN SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND HE
SAID THERE IS REALLY NO CHANCE
HE’S GOING TO DO SO.
HE HAS A BIG PROBLEM WITH THE
REPUBLICANS ON TAXES AND OTHER
ISSUES.
I THINK THIS IS A LOT OF WISHFUL
THINKING, OF COURSE.
MITCH MCCONNELL WANTS TO MAKE
THE OVERTOUR, BUT I THINK JOE
MANCHIN IS VERY COMFORTABLE IN
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
HE COULD, IF HE DOES ANYTHING,
GO -- BECOME AN INDEPENDENT AND
CAUCUS TO THE REPUBLICANS AND
THAT WOULD REALLY HURT
DEMOCRATS.
>> HE’S IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT.