Manchin Voices Support for a Slimmer Social Safety Net Bill

“I’m willing to sit down and work through that $1.5 [trillion] to get our priorities and they can come back and do later, and they can run on the rest of it later. I think there’s many ways to get to where they want to, just on everything at one time. No, no, my top line has not been — my top line has been $1.5 because I believe in my heart that what we can do and what the needs we have right now, and what we can afford to do without basically changing our whole society to an entitlement mentality. We’ll do in good faith. I’m trying to be as honest and upfront —” Reporter: “You said you talked to Joe Biden — about the $1.5 trillion number.” “We talked about that.” “What did he say about that?” “And he once — he’s really sincere. He would like to have a lot more than that. And I said, ‘Mr. President, I understand that it’s just — you know, hopefully you can respect.’ He’s always been so respectful. He said, ‘Hey, Joe, I’ll never ask you to go against your convictions.’”