House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) had some nice words for her Democratic colleague Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia but many on social media were outraged at what she said.
Democrats are negotiating with Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), who are objecting to a massive infrastructure bill and keeping President Joe Biden from a legislative victory.
Pelosi was asked by reporters about the talks with Manchin during her media briefing on Thursday.
“Look, I think that Joe Manchin is a great member of the Senate,” said Pelosi.
“We’re friends, we’re Italian-Americans. You know, we get along. Catholic,” she added. “We have shared values. I have enormous respect for him.”
Some liberals on Twitter media were outraged that Pelosi would compliment Manchin while he stalled the infrastructure bill.
“Nancy, Manchin is a self serving ass!!!” responded one critic.
“Even though he’s let you and the party (and our country) down time and time again? Please, I don’t understand,” said another detractor.
“He’s an embarrassment. He publicly pushed policies that benefit his family, so greedy. He’s trying to stick to his ‘rebel’ brand & screws over his #Democratic ‘team’,” read one tweet.
“Sounds like she’s been tricked then and been thinking the Republican really a Democrat,” said one critic.
“This is not helpful. Pelosi should retire. Ugh. Democrats suck at governing,” read another tweet.
Others objected to Pelosi making reference to her Catholic values.
“What does it even mean ‘catholic values’?! Who cares about their religious values?!” read
one tweet.
“Please don’t bring religion into this. The most horrible vile disgusting things are done in the name of religion, it’s NOT the confidence builder you seem to think it is,”
said another critic.
“Manchin is a purchased politician, religion is no longer part of his life,”
said another detractor.
On Thursday Manchin issued another statement decrying the bill for its massive spending and calling it the “definition of fiscal insanity.”
Liberals have aired similar vitriol previously against Manchin and Sinema over their refusal to rubber stamp the spending schemes of their fellow Democrats.