I'm Brian Lehrer. This is my daily politics podcast from WNYC Studios. It's Monday, December 20th.

Crime is up nationally. Inflation is up nationally. Omicron is up nationally. President Biden plans a COVID speech to the

nation tomorrow. Voting rights are down. Abortion rights are down. The supply chain, including rapid tests,

is down. And as of yesterday, President Biden's human infrastructure or build-back better bill for paid family leave

and much more went down with no Republican alternative for America's need for child care or elder care, pre-K, or paid family leave,

more college affordability or ways to protect the climate.

There was no Republican version that claimed a better way. So the effort

died in its present form when Joe Manchin officially became the only Democratic senator to announce

he would vote no if it comes to the floor with the 50 Republicans. If I can't go home and explain it

to the people of West Virginia, I can't vote for it.

And I cannot vote to continue with this piece of legislation.

I just can't.

I've tried everything humanly possible.

I can't get there.

You're done.

This is a no.

This is a no.

This is a no.

Senator Manchin on Fox News Sunday with the host, Brett Baer.

We know Manchin's issues include protecting the coal industry, which is big in his home state.

The issues he prefers to talk about are more economic, like more promised benefits in the bill

than actual funding,

...