CNN Host Dana Bash called out Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) for asking President Biden to forego reconciliation while GOP did not.
Dana Bash nails him
President Joe Biden came into office saying that he wants to attempt bipartisanship when elected. Unfortunately, bipartisanship requires two parties willing to compromise. Republicans seem to think that it means capitulation, negotiating on a path that leads solely to what they want.
Interestingly, that is not how Republicans negotiate when they are in power. Donald Trump has never won the majority of the population. In fact, he was blown out even further in 2020. He lost by 3 million in 2016 and by 7 million in 2020. It seems Republicans are playing a hand they do not have.
As Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) complained about President Biden considering using reconciliation to pass the COVID Relief bill, Dana Bash nailed him. Portman claimed Democrats were poisoning the well.
“You mentioned poisoning the well,” said Dana Bash. “I just have to ask you. Because you did support Republican efforts to use reconciliation on a few things like trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act, passing the Trump tax cuts. So explain why it was okay for Republicans but not Democrats.”
The Senator gave a bumbling nonsensical answer. But Bash exposed the hypocrisy to the audience.