Biden agenda dead, dead, dead

What remains of President Joe Biden's agenda died quietly on Sunday, barely noticed by a media consumed with Ukraine, Joe Rogan, and why Stacey Abrams didn't wear a mask in a Twitter photo.

The precise moment of death came at 9:13 a.m. EST, when Democratic Sen. Joe Manchinappeared on CNN's State of the Union program. Host Jake Tapper asked about Build Back Better, the massive spending program often referred to as the "centerpiece" of the Biden agenda, which stalled in the Senate late last year after Manchin refused to sign on. (Fellow Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema also had reservations.)

"Build Back Better — is it dead?" asked Tapper. "Is there any opportunity for it to come back with your support?"

"Well, the Build Back Better, as it has been presented over, what, the last seven, eight, nine months — that bill no longer will exist, OK?" answered Manchin. For a moment, Manchin left the door open to considering "parts" of the bill but then delivered the fatal blow: Democrats could not rush the bill through the Senate, Manchin said, cutting corners to short-cut the committee process and keep Republicans from taking part.