The underlying reason Biden's infrastructure veto threat shocked Republicans

President Biden's two-track infrastructure approach left Senate Republicans steaming — not because they were unaware of Democrats' game plan, but because they didn't think it would work.

But when Biden shattered that notion on Thursday, promising he wouldn't approve a bipartisan infrastructure package unless it was accompanied by a second bill full of Democratic priorities, GOP negotiators were quick to condemn the threat as a "bait-and-switch."

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Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) is reportedly now "wavering in his support" of the bipartisan deal and is asking Democratic negotiators Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Krysten Sinema (D-Ariz.) to oppose the second bill. That move, Crooked Media's Brian Beutler argues, further brings the Republican long game — one maybe not as focused on bipartisanship as it appeared — to light.

Brigid Kennedy

Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.