they don't trust moderates or joe manchin or kyrsten sinema.they did, they would be going along with it, they would have voted on infrastructure a long time ago. i don't see what's changed in the last 24 hours. they've said they need to see legislative language before they can vote on anything and they still don't have it. how is that an unreasonable position if they've had it all along when they say they want to see legislative language before they volt? >> you'd have to ask them that question themselves. what i can tell you from the house democratic caucus perspective is the speaker stood in front of us, she told us that we were going to have this vote. the president came. so what's changed, your question was what's changed in the last 24 hours, that's what's changed. we have an agenda to put this on the floor. the speaker asked me to consider this item. she right now is having conversations with members still, and the president came before our caucus and asked us to support this vote. he's going to get on a plane, land in europe, and we don'

and all the while, the president dismisses and this is fine for kyrsten sinema.is is a member of his own party. i will leaveuc it here, by 17-point margin, fox news poll, 50% of americans believe the country is less united under joe biden. only 37% believe it is more united. it is now broken, he is not the unifier. he is anything but, quite frankly. >> sean: do you think this helps her in arizona? >> here's the thing, in arizona, kyrsten sinema, it wouldn't exactly be wise to jump on the president's nonexistent coattails because he is at 38% approval in arizona -- >> sean: and she is way more popular than mark kelly who is probably going to be going up against the attorney general, a guy i like, and based on -- he's just basically, whatever schumer and pelosi and biden tell him to do, he does. he has no identity at all whatsoever except to be a reliable "yes" every time for the radical socialist left. >> that seems to be the case at this point based on his voting record. that is actual data but the whole situation with sinema, "the new yorkas times" perfectly enc

i wanted to call in to let you guys know i am disappointed with kyrsten sinema. i voted for her and i was excited for her to help arizona be democratic and get the kind of government we need. i want to know why the democrats are not going harder on her. why is she not being called out for disrespecting the party? it is majority rule than most of the party wants this agenda done with president biden. guest: nicole raises an important point. there is a lot of pressure on the president, chuck schumer -- the president and chuck schumer to turn up the heat on people like senator kyrsten sinema. the problem is that the tools at their disposal don't really allow them to do that. there is not much more pressure that can be brought to bear on an individual. when lyndon johnson was majority leader and then-president, he would be able to threaten senators with think that would really scare them, like being taken off key committees or having campaign funds cut or being iced out of power in certain ways. that really does not happen in the modern senate. every senator is a kin

senator kyrsten sinema has released a statement.sterday several individuals disrupted my class at euros on a state university. after deceptively entering a locked secure building these individuals filmed and publicly posted videos of my students without their permission, including footage taken of both my students and myself using the restroom." yesterday's behavior was not legitimate in terms of a protest. it is not acceptable for activist organizations to instruct their members to jeopardize themselves by engaging in unlawful activitiese first amendment. we know it's vital to our democracy. the activist group that engaged in yesterdays behavior is one that both of my team and i have met with several times since i was elected to the senate." i'm kind of going through things is rather lengthy. rachel. >> richard brought up the point that this happens on both sides. on and off richard is going for these activists to be treated the way those from the whitmer kidnapping in january 6th, those people are sitting in solitary confinement t

kyrsten sinema looks rocksolid to me.nkly i'm working for other blue dog democrats in the house and senate especially those running for reelection in trump districts and states to come out of the woodwork and supporting joe manchin kyrsten sinema, there the new reality. as a reminder to mrs. sanders who said two senators are holding up his bill, it's actually two plus 50 which is 52 because i know today's washington is aromatic lead challenge. last night senator marsha blackburn said there could be others. a vote today on the reconciliation bill could be 54 - 46. this afternoon president biden has apparently gone up to capitol hill it will try to persuade house democratic conference to vote for trillion dollar infrastructure bill and maybe save some face for his domestic program. that program along with the catastrophe of the southern border in the catastrophe in afghanistan is already dooming his presidency. nancy pelosi is 022 for the infrastructure bills and tennis that would be a double fault but were working towards

when you see kyrsten sinema do what she's doing, what do you think about it? t's one thing to go against your party, but you need to let people know why. >> transparency has not been a constant theme. sinema says she's motivated by being an independent voice and supports a bipartisan approach. sinema was elected by a thin margin of just over two percentage points. emily kirkland was part of an army of progressive activists who worked to get sinema elected. sinema said she knocked on doors it turn out voters for the future senator. >> where are you now with the senator? >> incredibly frustrated. just so angry and disappointed. in part because it feels like she's just doing what corporate donors want and she's not listening to voters. >> reporter: kirkland points to what happened in march, when sinema walked into the senate chamber, and with an emphatically expressive thumbs down voted against a bill to create a $15 an hour minimum wage. sinema said she supported past minimum wage increases, but it should not have been tied to a covid relief bill. still, they bla

package by increasing taxes on the wealthy and big corporations, but one key holdout, senator kyrsten sinemaat. >> one of the big challenges for democrats in this final stretch has been that they don't really know where senator sinema stands because she hasn't made her views public. >> she is the sphinx of all this. no one can figure out what is making her tick. >> trevor: that's right, kyrsten sinema is the sphinx of the senate partly because nobody knows what she's thinking and partly she won't give anybody the bathroom key before answering her riddles. nice try, i'll just pee in my pants. it's weird the senate by withholding information can give you power. what other job can get away with that? a waiter doesn't become more influential by refusing to tell you what the specials are. excuse me, sir, what are the specials of the day? oooh, wouldn't you like to know? okay, are you guys ready to order? maybe to figure out what sinema wants, you first have to urns who she is. so let's do that. let's get to know senator sinema in another installment of please allow me to introduce yourself. ♪♪ ♪♪

you know, i served with kyrsten sinema. she spent most of her time in the house talking with republicans. the only time she ever talked with us was to ask for money. i never really understood what she wanted. i know she has a sincere interest in helping deal with climate change, but that's the only agenda item i have heard. >> so do you have similar sentiments on sinema? what is motivating her to dig in during these negotiations? >> you know, i love john yarmuth, and i understand his frustration. i don't think anything was gained by taking pot shots at fellow democrats, especially two democrats in the senate that we need. we need to pass this. i also know kyrsten sinema. she was my colleague in the house. she comes from a really, really hard scrabble background. she experienced homelessness. she experienced poverty. and so she's not unsympathetic to the underlying values. she may have her own views about cost of programs. i don't know. i haven't talked to her directly about this bill, but i wouldn't write kyrsten sinema off

kyrsten sinema, what is this all about? well, my angle will lay it out and you won't believe what's happening. don't go away. prescribed topical pain relief ingredient. it's clinically proven, reduces inflammation and comes in original prescription strength. salonpas. it's good medicine. ♪ ♪ >> laura: the mob never sleeps. that's the focus of tonight's angle. now, what do comedian dave chappelle and senator kyrsten sinema have in common? well, for starters, both have been hailed by the left as taboo-shattering talented trailblazers. >> kyrsten sinema is one of my dear friends and i'm so excited that she's just won. >> she actually came across as very moderate, very normal, and very likable. >> the first openly bisexual person going into the senate. >> and epic performance on "saturday night live." chapelle was obviously hilarious. >> date has always had incredible political insight as an observer. >> i can't do a lot of things as well as dave chappelle. >> laura: but that was before chapelle and sinema deviated from the par

>> kyrsten sinema is playing hard ball with this statement and democratic leadership knows it.'s putting it all out there she's calling the delay to that bipartisan infrastructure bill onra the house floor an ineffective stunt. she goes on to say, accuse leadership of moving the goal post on the infrastructure bills. here is what richey torres, a new york democrat had to say on msnbc yesterday. watch., >> it is an inexplicable statement. we're committed to passing both bills by the end of october. the obstruction is not coming from progressives. it is coming from two senators. >> reporter: yes, so torres there, he's aso progressive memr of the house and his state of new york has very big needs for that physical infrastructure bill that bipartisan infrastructure bill thatrt by t way senator sinema led in the senate to passage. but he also says like most of his democratic colleagues that themo american people also need that p human infrastructure bil that cradle to grave proposal that democrats are putting together now that they'rets tryg to get senator sinema and manchin, you he

lisa: wedding crashers target democratic senator kyrsten sinema. no, no one.a: will show you what happened with the mother of the bride steps in. tyrus: there is no truth in 1500 american airline flights canceled the halloween horror across the country. jackie: first revealing more tricks then treats with the supply chain crisis. people are expected to spend more than $10 billion on halloween this year, there are costume shortages across the country. the wall street journal seen the scariest part of halloween this year is the supply chain. the chairman of one of the halloween trade organizations blaming the shortage on issues of shipping ports saying were seen out shock in the u.s. retailers like target, more than we've seen in a very long time, several of our members are sitting on both because of the backlog of vessels. today the biden administration doubling down on their claim that the solution of supply k chain crisis. >> the best thing we can do for issues around pricing and the supply chain is better infrastructure so they can move smoothly and policies

kyrsten sinema was at the white house earlier talking negotiations.eam and senator joe manchin before she attended a bipartisan lunch. sinema along with manchin the two major holdouts for this discussion around the spending packages. they are racing to get a proposal together that satisfies what she and joe manchin want to get the 50 votes they need across the finish line. holding out against party pressure and what do her constituents think about this. good thing we have cal perry on the ground in phoenix with this. you have been talking to folks and doing a bunch of reporting on this. nationally there are democrats that look at kyrsten sinema and say, wait a minute, how could she not back some of this stuff? in arizona it is a bit of a different story. >> it is. look, this is a state where we see close, contested. liberals want to move to the left and conservative its to the right and sinema puts herself in the middle. in talking to her constituents the one thing we have been hearing over and over again is the way she is going about it and the way p

kyrsten sinema used it lead protests. now the tables have turned. summer, she has been the target of anger by activists in the democratic party from the civil rights leader jesse jackson to workers rights leader dolores huerta who last week melted an ice sculpture of senator cinema in effigy. >> is beautiful statue we have here. your sport is going to note away. >> an educational and political consultant in phoenix says she has volunteered for senator cinema for more than a decade. >> i would cling to her every word. she would talk about having the proper education and knowing how to interact with opposing views. but it was always standing on your values. it was not selling out. i remember she -- our member when she was approachable. >> david wells, a political science professor at arizona state university attended rallies with her protesting the wars in iraq and afghanistan. >> she ran for legislature the first time as an independent. she did not want to be outside the two parties. she worked really hard but she lost. then she ran as a democratic a

and look, i served with kyrsten sinema for four years. has a strong preference for bipartisan e legislation, numbe one because she thinks it's more durable. when bills pass with support of membersup of both parties those policies tend to last. they don't get attacked in future congresses or altered. we have other lessons like the aca in 2010 and the republican tax cut bill in 2017. those are bills that have been under assault since the time they were passed and that cost democrats their t majorities in 2010 elections and republicans their housect majority in 2018. so i think kyrsten sinema is actually doing her party a favor here by moderating some of these policies and actually giving them a chance to keep their razor thin majorities in the 2022 elections. >> okay, so she does not represent where the party is. the partyt overwhelmingly supports these policies. even inie west virginia they wa this, and arizona went to the polls for the build back better plan. her job is to represent the constituents of arizona and the voters who put them

in march he wrote an in-depth profile on senator kyrsten sinema for jacobin headlined "how kyrsten sinemaom lefty activist to proud neoliberal democrat." he's also the author of "yesterday's man: the case against joe biden." you certainly cover a lot. let's start with kyrsten sinema. she was a campaign manager for ralph nader in arizona. talk about what is happening now. you have all of the advisors quitting saying that she is putting the profits of donor over people. talk about what she stands for. branko: i mean, sinema has really sho to stand for the interests of the corporate sector, the wealthy. this is not a new development. in the house she was one of the lawmakers who tried and did repeal fancial reform laws. she went after obamacare. trng to repeal taxes on medical technology makers. she tried to get rid of individual mandates anvarious other de-regulatory actions. it is all because she is trying to, i think, trying to appeal to these interests because they fund her campaign and she has been lavishly rewarded. she is one of the few democrats who gets the chamber of commerce endor

and all eyes are watching the two holdout democratic senators, joe manchin of west virginia and kyrsten sinemasinema expressed harsh words for house democrats calling their decision to delay a vote on a bipartisan infrastructure bill, quote, an excusable and deeply disappointing. that delay came this week after progressives vowed to kill the bill without action on their larger infrastructure plan. a plan that senator sinema and manchin continue to oppose. tonight cnn has a closer look at her journey into the spotlight and how the former green party activist now holds the key to the biden agenda. >> arizona freshman senator kyrsten sinema emerging as the key player holding the fate of president's agenda in her hands. meeting with the president and his team multiple times over the last week. >> they had a constructive meeting, agreed that we are sat a pivotal moment and need to continue to work to finalize the path forward. >> with time running short, the pressure is mounting for her to reveal exactly what she's willing to accept. >> literally one senator, one senator, kyrsten sinema, is holding

. >> the real villan of this whole unfolding drama is kyrsten sinema, who won't make progressives an offer. kyrsten sinema won't even say anything about what she wants, what she's willing to accept, what sort of concessions she would accept. >> senate democrats joe manchin and kyrsten sinema continue to hold the party's agenda hostage. ( siren ) >> senator sinema, come on out. here i am! we want to get those hostages out safely. what is it you want? >> what do i want? yeah, just say something you want so we can start negotiating. >> i don't know what i want. you want an plane? i don't like big planes. okay, do you want a private jet? >> i don't like small planes. how about a boat? i get seasick. s it money you want? no, not really. are you hungry? you want food? >> what kind of food? mexican. too spicey. salad. too healthy! chinese? i just ate. come on, what do you want? nothing, i just kind of like the attention. >> announcer: it's "the late show" with stephen colbert! tonight, sinema. tonight, we welcome john lithgow and musical guest theo croker and wyclef jean, featuring jon bati

they're constituents of kyrsten sinema. they are people who supported kyrsten sinema. people who knocked on doors for kyrsten sinema who feel betrayed and who are telling their senator their story, and why this bill is important to them. you know, i -- i watched -- >> but isn't there a difference between that and recording it all and then having someone record you record it? so then it's not about convincing her. it's about making a video for them so that they can put a video out and show themselves as activists which is what they are. and they have -- they have every right to, you know, believe very strongly what they believe. but isn't this more about theater and video? >> i think it's about -- i think it's about -- um -- making it known, their displeasure with their senator. and let's remember that this senator was -- kyrsten sinema was once a protestor, herself. >> true. >> she is on video attacking joe liebermann, attacking bill nelson for being centrists. and for -- for not giving their vote to the democratic agenda. so that's very ironic. she was elected as a pr

right now, in a very scaled down, slimmed measure because senator kyrsten sinema opposed it, they only allocate $145 billion in the prescription drug pricing component. so that is much smaller than most democrats really wanted on that issue. and so, you know, like we've been talking about, there's a lot of questions. we just got confirmation from an aide to senator bernie sanders who said he absolutely backs the progressive position in the house of representatives that they should not vote for this bipartisan infrastructure. remember this other trillion dollar bill that speaker pelosi wants to vote on today. that progressives should not vote on it until there is legislative text of this $1.75 trillion mega bill and so getting back to president biden he has to figure out how to get his members on board. because even though they're not voting on this $1.75 trillion bill today, they did want to vote on the other roads, bridges, highway, legislation. and i still at this point in the morning, it's still early, i don't see how they get that vote, steph. >> we're not going to have that legisl

. >> another democrat, new york congressman told cnn we live under the tyranny of kyrsten sinema. chin have held the biden spending bill hostage until recently, no one knew what sinema was holding out for. she kept that closely held as she made several trips to the white house in recent weeks. >> first of all, she's smart as the devil, number one. >> reporter: then last night at cnn's town hall, the president revealed what sinema was after. >> she says she will not raise the single penny in taxes on the corporate side and/or on wealthy people. period. >> reporter: which is a hallmark of the democratic agenda. sinema's also bucked her party by voteling against raising the minimum wage, a maverick streak that sinema seemed proud to inherit from her fellow arizonan, the late republican senator john mccain. >> my personal hero john mccain. >> reporter: one reason sin ema has been so tough to figure out is that she rarely gives interviews. >> look, as a wine-drinking bisexual tri-athlete, i know what the average american wants. >> reporter: sinema is a tri-athlete and a marathoner, and

how they solve this issue with kyrsten sinema is an interesting one. because, of course, this is something she's been opposed to, raising the corporate tax rate, raising the tax rates -- tax increases on high earners. but now they need to figure out what they're going to do about it. are they going to have time to figure out a tax structure to pay for it. by the time they want the framework, friday and next week when he leaves to go on his next foreign trip, they see this as a little winner, raising taxes on corporations. that's something the president talked about almost every time he's out on the trail, out speaking to voters like he was yesterday in pennsylvania. if they scrap that, how do you message that, that is something that has polled really well and the white house knows that. >> i think the question that john asked about is this something that has been there and just coming to light, is probably the right one. we know what happens with these negotiations, as the differences narrow, and as they come to agreement, the things that they are not

and kyrsten sinema, we have not -- we're not done with negotiations. we're still in this.ed values are is making sure that families can get back to work. that they see themselves, i felt seen last night in the town hall when the president talked about moving his dad back into his house to make ends meet and be able to provide that care. when i first came to congress, i was caring for two very sick parents and three young children with my husband. these are the struggles that americans are seeing. so let's make sure that everyone pays their full share, their full share in taxes, and let's make sure that we continue to put these policies together. whether it is driving down the cost of healthcare, driving down the cost of home care and child care. making sure that we are reducing the tax burden on families, like we did with the child tax credit. these are important policies to meet this moment of economic, racial and climate justice for the country. >> you're working on a bill that i think will resonate with a lot of women, called the pump act. and this is something that say

i just don't understand why joe manchin and kyrsten sinema can't say it is a deal. at the moment there is no agreement. the president keeps saying they have an agreement. he does not have an agreement with joe manchin and kyrsten sinema anybody can discern. >> listen to what cori bush the congresswoman from missouri said about why a framework, why the text is not good enough for her and her caucus. >> our trust has to be in two senators that have not in my opinion been good faith actors up until this point. >> the white house disagrees. the white house will defend sinema and manchin and they say they've been very clear and honest in their dealings with them. but this is a remarkable amount of distrust within one party's caucus. >> it goes back to just a month ago when there was again the failed attempt to bring infrastructure bill to the floor which sowed distrust from moderates to progressives. you're right. the white house is trusting that manchin and sinema will come along on this framework and they can get them to yes. biden said to the caucus that he believed t

so what is president kyrsten sinema's agenda?eck next. >>> and the breaking news of the deadly shooting on an alec baldwin film set. what is said to be an accidental discharge from a gun he was using in a scene. new details ahead. with voltaren arthritis pain gel my husband's got his moves back. an alternative to pain pills voltaren is the first full prescription strength gel for powerful arthritis pain rerelief... voltaren the joy of movement ♪ ♪ there are beautiful ideas that remain in the dark. but with our new multi-cloud experience, you have the flexibility you need to unveil them to the world. ♪ for people living with h-i-v, keep being you. and ask your doctor about biktarvy. biktarvy is a complete, one-pill, once-a-day treatment used for h-i-v in certain adults. it's not a cure, but with one small pill, biktarvy fights h-i-v to help you get to and stay undetectable. that's when the amount of virus is so low it cannot be measured by a lab test. research shows people who take h-i-v treatment every day and get to and stay und

sadly he spent more time in the bathroom and jerks harassing kyrsten sinema.was a story you are looking forward to, what do you think? >> really? i don't even know what restless anal syndrome is. >> greg: you aren't even going to do the show until you heard about it. >> i have to tell you, i will ask dr. fauci about it because doesn't dr. fauci have the answer to every single covid problem we have? let's ask him if he has restless anal syndrome, because i think he does. >> greg: doctor, after a certain age doesn't everyone have restless anal syndrome? >> and 68, so i don't want to answer that. but dr. fauci you mentioned, if you have had covid and science says its superior immunity to vaccination but you still should be vaccinated to so you're supposed to have a double indemnity. i don't understand, i've been vaccinated but i didn't get covid so now i'm supposed to go get covid so i have both? >> andy you have restless anal syndrome. >> greg: way to bring it back to the top. talk freely about restless anal syndrome. >> i am so thankful i don't not know what th

he is up there with kyrsten sinema.ted this out while president biden was doing his speech, as if to say don't trust this lady, right. they've already talked about the fact that republicans, that they love what manchin and sinema are doing because they think it will help them get the other senate seat in arizona. listened look at tweets from republicans. alex mooney tweeting about spending, as if they ever cared about that. other people tweeting they don't care about fiscal sanity. they were letting trump spend whatever he wanted. talk about the republican side. because the democrats are messy, but the republicans are absent. >> the republicans are absent. and worse, republicans are only focused on spreading trump's lies and peddling everything that he wants them to peddle because he's got them in a vice grip. but also, that picture of them playing in our faces like come on, sinema. why allow yourself to be used like a prop like that by this guy, a dude with an elevator in his car garage. this is the image you want? thi

it was a bipartisan negotiation in the senate between rob portman and kyrsten sinema.he republican leaders including kevin mccarthy and steve scalise were aggressively working this week to whip votes against that infrastructure package. they don't want to give democrats any sort of legislative victory. they don't want to give joe biden the legislative victory heading into 2022. obviously there are a handful of republicans that would effect from the leadership that think infrastructure is too important for their districts. we are not hearing much from republicans because they are just happy watching democrats fight amongst themselves. when the other team is fighting among themselves, you stay out of it. that has been a good political strategy in the past. that looks like what kevin mccarthy is pursuing at the moment. host: we would like to thank scott one, senior staff writer for the hill, for coming on this morning and walking us through the next steps of the negotiation. thanks so much. guest: thank you for having me. host: we want to know what you think about the neg

the president couldn't be clearer kyrsten sinema is a roadblock to how they envision paying for this.s did you listen not just joe biden but every democrat running last cycle the president and vice president every day of their administration this year talking about rolling back those trump tax cuts and getting corporations and the wealthy to pay their fair share. and kyrsten sinema says on tax rates for both of those corporations and wealthy americans, it's a no-go. so now they're trying to find other ways. the president promises this will not add a penny to the debt -- >> david, let me play it for you and then you'll help explain it. here it is. >> first of all, she's smart as a devil, number one. number two, she's very supportive of the environmental agenda in my legislation. very supportive. she supports almost all the things i mentioned relating to everything from family care to all those issues. where she's not supportive is she says she will not raise a single penny in taxes on the corporate side and/or on wealthy people, period. and so that's where it sort of breaks down. and t

kyrsten sinema or joe manchin? >> i don't think it was ever going to be 3.5 trillion.id that when they started this. and keep in mind, when the budget reconciliation passed, that was a ceiling to start negotiations. that wasn't democrats coming together and saying this is what the number will be. what senator manchin said let's figure out what we need to spend to support our country and what programs are needed and then figure out how to pay for it. i think both of them have proven they're deal makers, both at the heart of the last package, in the covid bill that passed the previous year. i think both of them want to get something done. it's who they are. it's why they're in the smat. >> all right, susan, republicans helped craft the infrastructure bill, they helped pass it, and released a statement expressing their disappointment over the vote delay. what's their next move, would you say? >> well, it's interesting, in your lead-in kendis, you said a standoff is going on and we will talk about the republicans being involved. no that was just the standoff among the demo

in the midst of this pressure on senator kyrsten sinema and senator joe manchin, those two primary targetsm by -- filming on their phones and berating her that kind of thing. tonight we saw on a plane and that reagan national airport. here is peter doocy today earlier asking the president about this. >> do you think that those tactics are crossing a line? >> i don't think they are appropriate tactics but happens to everybody. the only people it doesn't to our people who have secret service standing around. >> shannon: that is apparently not the senator. >> contrary to popular belief, it doesn't happen to every representative or senator out there. i think this was a harassment plain and simple a very senator who chooses to stand by her principles rather than her parties left agenda. truth be told, i think the polling isn't on the side of the democrats at all. the majority which sits in the middle, the scent -- the majority of independence not only that you have a number of independence, the majority disapprove of joe biden's handling, especially on the economy. some of this particular time,

the house, relies heavily on two moderate democratic senator, joe manchin of west virginia and kyrsten sinemae democrats may be fortunate to have a member of their party representing west virginia, let's be honest, we know they're not getting everything they hoped for from senator sinema. our data reporter joining us now for a closer look. so much focus especially i would say in the last few days on senator sinema. >> reporter: yeah, there's been a lot of focus. and you got it exactly right. the electoral backgrounds that the senators face are completely, completely different. you just have to look at the 2020 presidential election. what we saw in the state of west virginia was that joe biden lost the state by nearly 40 points. in arizona, joe biden actually won it. and this is an indication of what we've generally seen at large. you know, kyrsten sinema is not the only democrat who can win in the state of arizona versus joe manchin being the only democrat so far who has won in west virginia the last few years. if we look at the offices that democrats have won in west virginia. superintendent

but do you have a top line from kyrsten sinema? we just heard our reporter julie tsirkin say the public is frustrated, they do not know where she stands. but inside, do you? >> i have not heard from her, what her top line is. we know from senator manchin where he stands, you know, the understanding that he has into senator schumer to help move the ball a bit. but i have not heard, it is not that she does not have, one i have not heard a top line from her. >> congressman, when you guys went to washington and got sworn in earlier this year, and you had a democratic house and senate, did you expect it would be this difficult to get things passed? >> i knew it would be tough. we all talked about what it is like, to have really thin margins. to have a three vote margin in the house, a zero vote margin in the senate. we talked about it in the abstract, this is what it is like you have to govern with such thin margins. but, you know, one of the things that happened in washington is we focus so much on the process, that we forget that the

on thehe scope of the social spending bill closer to the one. 5 trillion senator manchin and kyrsten sinemae advocated. understanding the politics of congress there are limitations. and those to the same point that if you spend one. $9 trillion and they have one and then to push further and further $6 trillion as the opening bid in the social spending package and now on top of everything else there was a larger ideological war and then to keep demanding more and more so the compromise has to beth in the direction of the moderate because of the makeup of congress simply because senator manchin and senator sinema one —- senator sinema have that degree of additional spending. are watching live cove on c-span.

. >> the real villan of this whole unfolding drama is kyrsten sinema, who won't make progressives an won't even say anything about what she wants, what she's willing to accept, what sort of concessions she would accept. >> senate democrats joe manchin and kyrsten sinema continue to hold the party's agenda hostage. ( siren ) >> senator sinema, come on out. here i am! we want to get those hostages out safely. what is it you want? >> what do i want? yeah, just say something you want so we can start negotiating. >> i don't know what i want. you want aan

kyrsten sinema you see the same thing.re is a direct line from corporate funding and lobbying of congress and these measures being left out of bills. >> well, could i say that this is why we have to get campaign finance reform done in our country. this is why we have to pass the freedom to vote act. you know, we often as we talk about the freedom to vote act focused on the provisions to set basic national standards for voting but a big part of that bill is also to root out the corrupt, secret money that get poured into our elections without any transparency or anybody even knowing where it is coming from. i think we have to change that if we want to change the way washington works and get the kind of results we really have to get. >> yes we do. let's talk about voting rights. last week the freedom to vote right failed in the senate disastrously for democracy. i interviewed you in september when senator manchin was still trying to get bipartisan support for that bill. let's listen to what you said last month on the show. he

conservatives the and joe manchin and kyrsten sinema are using against the bill stuck in congress. they say if the government puts that much into economy, stuff will cost more. interest rate may also need the increase. this is a lot. it's important to understand. it's the basis of the debate on capitol hill right now and it affects you, joining me now is the former economist for the sec, the securities and exchange commission. she now serves as co-president of alliance partners. that was a lot. tell me what i got wrong or missed. >> well, i think you got everything right. if we can go back one moment. i love the way you described speaking about the debt ceiling. it's so easy to make this ab tract. at the end of the day i find fascinating, at least in the back of my head, there is not this mysterious concept the government is congress. congress controls how much we spendp they have the authority. they control how much we earn as you said taxation.

haven't been able to get anybody in the biden administration to say, point blank, joe manchin and kyrsten sinema will vote for the bill back better act. will they? >> who are's what i can tell you. i haven't talked to senator sinema but i talked a lot to senator manchin and the white house obviously has talked a lot to both of them. the stuff in the framework are things that have been discussed over and over and i know the white house would not have put it out there without feeling very confident that these issued have been gone through, shaped, pared down and put into an acceptable frame. i can't say for sure because i am not them but i know the white house feels very confident. >> sources tell cnn president biden told democrats this morning the house and senate majorities with the rest of his presidency will be determined by what happens over the next week. that doesn't sound like an argument or negotiation from a position of strength. i am not saying it is wrong but it sounds a little desperate in some ways. >> i disagree. he has been in office ten months and he has gotten these amazing thing

>> if you start off, joe manchin one of the most important senators along with kyrsten sinema, to get he's at 1.5 trillion for the social safety net package and you have bernie sanders and others who are now around 3.5 trillion. my guess is it winds up closer to the manchin number frankly because they need him more. it doesn't go anywhere without 50 democratic votes in the senate, it doesn't get passed, so yeah, probably close to that, but i do think that it's worth taking kyrsten sinema's statement, pam, because i think that is important. look, nancy pelosi promised on the record publicly house democratic moderates r, who by e way are usually the most in danger on re-elections there would be a vote. then they changed it. well, the legislative day was going and it's friday. they pushed it again. they have to pass something here or those moderates in these districts where donald trump won or narrowly lost, you got to have something to show voters. a lot of the liberals, alexandria ocasio-cortez, she's not losing her seat. they're no no danger. the house is just a three-seat margin, and

are you optimistic that senators manchin and kyrsten sinema, who are programs the most high profile senators with concerns about this measure, do you think they can be brought to yes and have you had discussions with them that lay out the case that you just offered to make? >> look, i do believe we're going to get to yes at the end of the day, and that end of the day is going to be in the weeks ahead, not the months ahead. because of the urgency that was laid out. i mean the flooding that i spoke to, maybe didn't impact west virginia, but there will be other priority elements in the infrastructure package that my friend senator manchin will want and prioritize and senator kyrsten sinema, representing arizona, is also familiar with the wildfires and the increasing heat, and for all of us, i mean to look at the most recent report issued by the leading scientists on climate change, that it's not just 25 years from now, and the potential impact of a 1.5 degree increase in average temperature, but again, the impact that we're seeing now, we need to act with urgency, we need to act boldly. that's

came just as new details emerge of exactly where two key moderate democratic senators stand, kyrsten sinema and joe manchin sinema declared point blank that she would not support a bill that cost $3.5 trillion, and she said she's conveyed those red lines directly to president biden and that she is negotiating in good faith. meanwhile, manchin had a whole laundry list of demands including that $1.5 trillion price tag, a 25% corporate tax rate, and keeping fossil fuel tax credits, something that's sure to be a non-starter among progressives now, even amid all of this drama in washington, d.c. congress did manage to accomplish one thing, and that is to prevent a government shutdown at midnight tonight. the house and the senate both passed a bill that would extend government funding through december the 3rd the president is sure to sign this as well and importantly, shep, republicans and democrats came together to support this back over to you >> ylan, thanks. the white house says president biden's working in lock-step with speaker pelosi to get it done team coverage continues. senior white hou

and they're not holding back on their criticism of manchin or kyrsten sinema.r the washington -- "the wall street journal" editorial board coming to manchin's defense a bit with this headline. joe manchin's intervention. it reads in part, quote, democrats may be angry, but as the days go by, they may recognize mr. manchin is doing them a favor. with biden advocating for the left, the virginian is providing a reality check on progressive excess. passing the reconciliation bill could cost democrats congress next year. what do you think? >> well, look, i think that democrats are trying to pass a bill that the voters did not deliver them a mandate to pass. and you look at the majorities that voters gave the democratic party, they have a five-seat majority in the house which is why speaker pelosi who is really a masterful legislative technician is having a devil of a time bringing her caucus together. the centrists and the liberals can brick everything to a halt. that's how slim her majority is. and in the u.s. senate, democrats don't really have a majority. they ha

but nobody know what kyrsten sinema is standing for, what she wants.he's been very close to the vest to say the least, about what she wants in this process. the fact remains, though, whether or not it's voting rights, whether or not it's build back better, whether or not it's infrastructure, they have to pass something. and i think that's one of the biggest things. from what i gathered last night, infrastructure is in a bow. that's done, ready to go. but you have this reconciliation bill where there are literally people, democrats in this country, against free community college. we are negotiating against ourselves. there was once a saying when republicans get in power, then they fall apart. they don't know how to lead. we saw that with the alternative to the affordable care act. now democrats are in power and we are tripping over ourselves. i have never seen anything like it. it is the most frustrating political process i have ever seen. the fact is we are against things that we promised. >> on taiwan, harwood, he was asked what taiwan would do. and s

you have two democrats in joe manchin and kyrsten sinema who are functionally independent. these are not partyline voters. their constituencies are to the middle and to the right. these will not be easy votes to get even with the typical horsetrading that goes on. you look at the house, and pelosi and biden can only afford to lose three house democrats, and you already have a couple on the record who are very wary about the spending levels that democrats are proposing. there are dozens more democrats who say they want to pass something but they know that they are in competitive districts where the political tide is turning against them and are very wary about inflation, government spending, and when they hear that democrats want to pass $3.5 trillion in additional spending on top of covid relief, on top of the bipartisan proposal for infrastructure that costs over $1 trillion. i don't think this will be an easy lift. i don't think there's anything better than a 50-50 chance that democrats get this through even though the incentives suggest they need to get something done to

senators joe manchin, kyrsten sinema, their red lines on issues from medicare coverage to tax hikes on the wealthy remain sticking points. >> president biden still expressing optimism in his cnn town hall last night, optimism that, in fact, the finish line is near. take a listen. >> one of the other things democrats are looking to do is expand medicare to include dental, vision, and hearing. will all three of those still be covered? >> that's a reach, and the reason why it's a reach is not -- i think it's a good idea, it's not that costly in relative terms. but here's the thing. mr. manchin is opposed to that. >> there's a lot of democrats in the house, in the senate, who are confused about where senator sinema actually stands on things. do you know where she stands? >> first of all, she's smart as the devil, number one. number two, she's very supportive of the environmental agenda in my legislation. where she's not supportive is she says she will not raise a single penny in taxes on the corporate side and/or on wealthy people, period. >> joining us now cnn chief congressional correspo

uncomfortable with the number, but okay with the taxes, and kyrsten sinema, it's going to be a while that's the big takeaway i have for today's show, this is not going to get resolved next week, and let's hope it gets resolved by christmas. >> christmas, and so we'll table that for later. here in california, governor newsom mandated the covid vaccine for school-aged children, and you are obviously in d.c., is there any murder or reaction to this? >> not beyond -- i mean, i could tell you this, the most interesting place that you sort of see it reverberate is in the governor's case. i saw a great interview with his manager, and he said the group they focused on is the unvaccinated with the vaccinated, and the groups that are for this are the vaccinated, and one candidate is for mandates, and one is pro vaccination but against the mandate. so what you are seeing with governor newsom, i think you will see a lot of democrats in statewide races following suit with similar questions. >> we hope you join chuck for this morning's "meet the press." as was mentioned, he will have senator berni