Neera Tanden, who's the former head
of a think Tech known as the Centre
for American Progress is Biden's
pick to head the office
of Management and Budget.
And she might not get confirmed
after all, because Democratic
Senator Joe Manchin who tends to be
more conservative has spoken out
against confirming her meaning that
he will not vote to confirm her.
And considering the fact that
Democrats have such a slim majority
in the Senate, they can't afford
to lose a single Democrat.
Unless there are moderate
Republicans who are willing to
confirm your Neera Tanden.
And so first let me just give you
the reasoning that Joe Manchin has
put out there arguing quote.
I believe her overtly partisan
statements will have a toxic and
detrimental impact on the..
Important working relationship
between members of Congress and
the next Director of the Office of
Management and Budget.
For this reason I cannot support
her nomination.
As I've said before, we must take
meaningful steps to end the
political division and dysfunction
that pervades our politics.
So what he's referencing there is
the fact that she had so
many combative, insulting tweets
toward members of Congress.
She by the way deleted thousands of
them after she was picked by Biden
to be the nominee for the Office of
Management and Budget.
And so basically her behavior on
social media is what Manchin is
saying is giving him all the reason
he needs to vote against her.
Now there was some concern or
at least some hope that
Neera Tanden would get confirmed
through moderate Republicans voting
for her.
But as Jeff Stein from
the Washington Post tweeted and
I totally agree with him on this.
Hard to see which
Senate Republicans would save
Tanden nomination Tanden has called
Collins, one of the so
called moderate Republicans.
The worst on Twitter Collins and
Murkowski are close Romney talks
a lot about bipartisanship and we
still don't know which way Sanders
would vote he hasn't said publicly.
Now we got word today that
Susan Collins will not be voting
to confirm Neera Tanden nor
will Senator Mitt Romney just
a quick statement from Collins.
Who says that Congress has to be
able to trust the OMB director
to make countless decisions in
an impartial manner.
Carrying out the letter of the law
and congressional intent.
Neera Tanden has neither
the experience nor the temperament
to lead this critical agency.
Her past actions have demonstrated
exactly the kind of animosity that
President Biden has pledged to
transcend.
And then later, Romney also
released a statement through
a spokesperson indicating that he
will not support the nomination of
Neera Tanden either.
And so I think this is great,
I think that Neera Tanden is
an awful pick for the Office of
Management and Budget.
And I don't agree with
the reasoning that's being cited.
But nonetheless,
I think at the end of the day,
this is overall good news.
She has no business in that
position, but
jank I know you feel differently.
>> Yeah, so we're going to ask you
guys to adjudicate this as usual
TYT.com/polls, so let me explain
why I'm saying what I'm saying.
So do I think Neera Tanden is best
paid for OMB?
Of course not, would I rather have
a progressive only 100 or 1000 or
a million times more than
Neera Tanden.
Do I think that she serve
to serve corporate interests,
that are deeply troubling at
the Center for American Progress.
Yes, in fact, some of the mean
tweets that she got in trouble for,
were about me and
other progressives but
including me.
So why on God's green earth would I
support Neera Tannden?
Well, I would support Neera Tanden
in this and
probably only this context.
So the reason is when republicans
are in charge, they run up deficits
by giving trillions of dollars in
tax cuts.
The minute democrats get in charge
they go what about the deficit?
You gotta cut, cut, cut,
you have to cut security,
you have to cut medicare,
you have to cut programs.
Now, that's a well-won tactic by
the Republicans, this is a second
tactic that is very similar.
When they are in charge, they
ripped the face off the Democrats.
They will say the most outrageous
and vile things and
I couldn't have had a better
example of that than the last four
years under Donald Trump.
Then as soon as the democrats get
in charge, no civility,
anyone who's ever criticized
the republican eliminated, no way
we're not going to confirm you.
And then they'll get idiot
corporate democrats and liars like
Joe Manchin to do their bidding for
them so that they have all
bipartisan cover.
Even Joe Manchin says we shouldn't
she knew Neera Tenden was not nice
to Republicans.
Are you kidding me?
Is there a single fighter?
Is there a single fighter in
Congress?
If I was there, I would say look
Democrats we should have
an interesting caucus and
discussion about whether to support
Neera Tanden or not.
But I'm not going to listen to
a single goddamn republican tell me
that they were offended by tweets.
After four years of kissing Donald
Trump's ass and the tweets he said.
So anyone who supported Trump after
she's bleeding from wherever can go
shove their BS concerns about
civility on Twitter.
You guys are all a joke Manchin is
a further joke,
he confirmed some of Trump's worst
nominees including Bill Barr.
After confirming Bill Barr you're
having trouble the democratic
nominees give me a break.
Richard Grinnell who was vicious to
everyone on Twitter, and most
certainly democratic senators, etc.
Joe Manchin was like, Trump wants
him confirmed, confirmed, but
now all of a sudden that Democrats
want to get something passed.
He's like, my have you seen what's
happening on Twitter?
I can't believe Neera said
something nasty on Twitter,
I've never seen it before,
get the hell out of here.
No on principle,
I would vote to confirm her and
say okay, next, who do you want to
complain a dubious crying over
about all how she was mean to you?
Yes, we're on the other side,
our job is to kick your ass if you
thought she was mean to you wait
till you get a load of me.
That's what I would do.
>> So this is one of the rare cases
where I don't see this as an issue
involving democrats cowering
in fear over the demands of
Republican lawmakers.
Now, that's not what's happening
here, Jake,
you say this all the time.
I mean Washington and
their etiquette like their
obsession with decorum.
This isn't about a nominee who has
said insulting things in general on
social media.
This is about someone who has said
things that have insulted specific
individuals within the Senate,
including by the way,
Bernie Sanders.
And yes Republican lawmakers as
well and
look their feelings are hurt.
So I don't particularly care about
their feelings.
I think that's a dumb reason to
avoid confirming someone.
But at the end of the day,
if the outcome is something that
I think is positive.
Which is preventing
the confirmation of someone like
Neera Tanden in the Office of
Management and Budget,
then I'm all for it right I don't
agree with their reasoning.
I think they're pathetic to have
their feelings hurt
over her tweets.
But Neera Tanden is
the worst possible person to serve
in that role.
And yes, we have some signs about
who might replace her if
she doesn't get confirmed,
this guy named Gene Sperling.
The American prospect talks about
how he's genuinely gone
from being one of these austerity
guys in the Clinton administration
to being a true progressive.
I don't even know if I believe that
and to be quite honest with you
guys, I don't even care.
Because the truth is Neera tanden
is as bad as it gets, she has all
of the wrong incentives.
As someone who's going to be in
this incredibly important and
powerful role in the Office of
Management and Budget,
guys understand what that
position means.
Okay, the Office of Management and
Budget is what Bernie Sanders
called on recently.
In order to release analysis and
data showing that increasing
the federal minimum wage to $15
an hour would have an effect impact
on the federal budget.
That's an important piece of data
to have in order to make the case
to include the $15 an hour minimum
wage hike in the upcoming
coronavirus relief package, okay?
You have Neera Tanden who
has been in bed with
all these massive corporations and
of course no one's citing that.
Not a single senator is citing that
for their reason for why they would
vote against her right.
I mean, that's the reason that I
would cite because that's
the actual substantive reason to be
against her.
Other than like your poor little
hurt feelings, please Crimea river
don't care about that.
But you look at the details of who
funded the Center for
American Progress who her clients
were?
And the specific action she took as
the head of CAP to bring in the
business community lure them in.
I'm going to read you a few
excerpts from Ken Silverstein's
piece from the nation this was
written in 2013 but the information
is incredibly relevant.
After growing rapidly in the first
few years tax records show CAP's
total assets fell in 2006 for
the first time from
$23.6 million to 20.4 million.
Assets started growing
again in 2007 when CAP founded
under Neera Tandene leadership,
the Business Alliance.
A membership rewards program for
corporate contributors and
then exploded when Obama was
elected in 2008.
A confidential CAP donor pitch
describes the Business Alliance as
a channel for engagement with
the corporate community that
provides the opportunity
to collaborate on common interests.
It offers three membership levels
with, the Perks to top donors
$100,000 and up, including private
meetings with CAP experts and
executives.
Round-table discussions with this
important, Hill and
national leaders and
briefings on CAP reports relevant
to your unique interests.
And by the way, let me
finally get to the grand finale.
Who were the clients?
Who has she been in bed with who
has the Center for
American Progress been in bed with?
CAP's donors included Comcast,
Walmart, General Motors,
Pacific Gas and Electric,
General Electric, Boeing and
Lockheed.
Though it doesn't appear on the
list, the University of Phoenix for
profit college was also a donor.
And then of course, we can't forget
about the foreign donors.
The Business Alliance,
whose membership list includes
the Taipei economic and
cultural representative office.
Which functions as Taiwan's embassy
in Washington and
retains many lobbyists, and
the Confederation of Businessmen
and Industrialists of Turkey.
And by the way, that's
just the name two of the foreign
donors and clients that work with
the Center for American Progress.
She has no business in that role,
she is a walking,
talking, conflict of interest.
And if we have to rely on
Joe Manchin of all people to
kill the opportunity of her
serving as the head of that agency,
then so be it.
I don't agree with his reasoning.
I get that you don't agree with his
reasoning either Jake, but
she's awful and hell no, no one
should ever fight on her behalf so
she gets that position of
power, no way.
>> Yeah, okay, so, first of all,
let me stipulate to all the facts
that Anna just read you.
Those are all right,
those are why Neera Tanden and
I fought for
years and years and years.
That's why she had the mean tweets
about me because I would point
those things out.
And she would say,
not in those particular tweets, but
overall, the Gulf states donating
the CAP doesn't affect us at all.
Nonsense, Of course it
affects you and
all these think tanks are a joke.
Why are we taking money from
the industrialists of Turkey to
write about the $15 minimum wage
here in America?
It's absurd and the press plays
along with this fiction by all this
illustrious think tank says this.
No, that illustrious think tank is
a front group for
foreign corporations and
foreign governments and
yes also domestic corporations.
But they are not actually thinking
there, they've been bribed to come
up with a certain opinion.
So that they can then give it to
politicians and
how that circle goes around around.
So that's why guys don't get me
wrong it is deeply ironic for
me to defend near Neera Tanden.
And Anna there was actually
one person and
speaking of ironic who actually did
point out her interest.
It was representative Jason Smith,
Republican of Missouri who's on
the House Budget Committee in fact,
he's the ranking republican there.
He said, I'm very glad to see that
Senator Manchin has decided to put
people before politics.
And make sure that someone beholden
to corporate interests and
foreign governments doesn't become
the next OMB director.
Well, now if somebody with
credibility said that I would love
it and I'd go yes,
that's the correct reason to oppose
Neera Tanden.
Now, of course, Jason Smith
doesn't mean a word of that.
He takes the same corporate money
and loves, loves it.
So this is what's not just
bothering me Anna but it's
important for precedent reasons.
So as the Manchin and
Jason Smiths of the world pretend
that they're outraged by the lack
of civility after backing Trump and
Bill Barr and all those guys.
And they pretend they're worried
about corporate interest when they
are stacked up to here
with corporate donations.
First they're total and
utter liars but
most importantly if you backed down
from this, Neera Tanden is already
of course backpedaling like crazy.
Not only did she delete tweets,
she said,
I feel badly about that my approach
will be radically different.
In other words, don't worry guys, I
promise I will kiss republican ass.
No, no,
no, it's a terrible precedent,
so let me be constructive.
If my only choice was Neera Tanden
or given the republicans and
Joe Manchin, I vote Neera Tanden.
I'm curious what you guys vote
that's what the poll was about
go to TYT.com/polls.
But if I was Joe Biden,
I would have another choice.
What I would say is, hey,
Republicans Manchin you do anything
you like with Neera Tanden.
I mean, my gut of Bernie Sanders
was president and he asked me,
should I nominate Neera Tanden?
And I would have tackled him and
said, are you nuts?
Of course, we're not going to
nominate Neera Tanden, right.
But if Biden is president, and
he puts Neera Tanden and up and
they say no we got no problem,
no problem.
Next up is Katey Porter and
once I nominate her,
you guys can confirm or
not confirm.
But Trump had dozens of acting
directors, she will be the director
of the OMB whether you like it or
you don't.
I'll keep her as acting director
for three and three quarters years,
and every Republican who
cries about it.
I'll point out the 18 acting
directors that you didn't
mind under Trump era at all.
And then you can go cry into your
skirts, or your pants or your
pantaloons or whatever you like.
So, that's the correct strong way
to deal with it and
then you know what they'll do.
They'll panic like Katey Porter
should actually be progressive and
really hold people accountable.
No, no, no, no, no,
we have to find non Neera Tanden.
Now of course the right way to go
is just a point someone like
Katey Porter from the get go.
But once Biden backs down and
that's why he liked it this now
they eventually will is my guess,
right?
They're not going to have a choice.
They have this choice
that I outlined but
they're too soft for it right?
But once Biden backs down,
that's it, it's open season,
that means just push Biden,
he'll give him everything.
And then 15 on minimum wage
ban she's going to kill it.
Pay sick leave,
Manchin he's going to kill it,
Manchin becomes president and
we're all screwed.
That's keep it a real >> Yeah,
I mean, look, I again,
I think it really depends on what
the issues are.
And remember Biden isn't some
hardcore progressive who just
happens to be weak.
Biden's record of governing
indicates that he's not in any way
progressive has certainly worked
closely with Republicans of people
we disagree with.
And the only hope we have is,
people organizing in places like
West Virginia.
This is a story we did
on the day you were out Jank.
To really hold Mancin's feet to the
fire because guess what, increasing
the federal minimum wage to $15
an hour is actually very popular in
places like West Virginia.
It's about the power of the people
if we're going to rely on the Biden
administration to do
the right thing,
they're not going to do that.
So again, it's really about people
organizing.
But on this particular issue,
I get what you're saying, and
I get that you're concerned that
this is going to set some sort of
precedent.
That paves the way for Biden to
appease republicans more and more.
But at the end of the day,
number one, even though I don't
care about her tweets.
I have to say it is
definitely amusing and entertaining
that the woman who was chosen to be
the attack dog on social media on
behalf of corporate democrats that
ended up doing her end.
That ended up destroying her
opportunity of serving as the head
of the Office of Management and
Budget had she not served that role
as the attack dog on
behalf of corporate Democrats.
Who cares?
I mean, you think that Washington
cares about her corruption?
Neera Tanden is like what
the eighth Biden nominee who has
massive conflicts of interest.
It's just that she has that one
element to her,
where she happened to hurt a bunch
of lawmakers feelings and
they're holding it against her.
So, if anything should upset you
guys, it should be the fact that
the corruption isn't what did
her in.
It's the fact that our lawmakers,
our senators get their feelings
hurt so easily.
They'll use that as the reason for
denying someone a confirmation.
>> Look Anna last thing if she's
denied, I guarantee you
Washington celebrates her.
She'll become like a martyr and
a victim and everybody, none of
them care about the corporate
corruption in the first place.
She'll give really high paid
speeches and
they'll all be this brave woman.
And she'll become some sort of
resistance, hilarious,
fake resistance movement,
the resistance of like Boeing and
Lockheed Martin and
Bank of America.
And so, that's what's coming next
and so, it would have been much
better to fight in a win.
But I'm afraid we're not going to
get either a fight or a win here.
And then, if history is any judge,
in order to appease Manchin in
the Republicans.
They'll appoint someone even more
conservative and even more corrupt
than Neera Tanden and
then it'll be a loose loose.
>> I don't know, that's your
prediction but I'm sticking to
where I am at right now and I don't
think she should be confirmed.
But we do want to
know what you guys think, so
we have a poll on this.
And here's the question,
let's take a look.
Should Neera Tanden be confirmed?
Very simple question based on
the arguments that you just heard.
You can either choose Yes or No and
that poll is at TYT.com / polls/
Tanden that's TYT.com/polls/Tanden