Singer and songwriter Bette Midler trashed West Virginians as “poor illiterate” rubes Monday after the state’s Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin pledged to vote in the best interests of the country and his constituents.
Manchin announced on “Fox News Sunday” he would oppose President Joe Biden’s record-breaking $5 trillion “Build Back Better” bill jam-packed with items on the far left’s wish list, from the elimination of fossil fuels to the radical expansion of the federal welfare state. West Virginia is the top fifth energy-producing state in the nation with coal and natural gas, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).
“What [Joe Manchin], who represents a population smaller than Brooklyn, has done to the rest of America, who wants to move forward, not backward, like his state, is horrible,” Midler wrote on Twitter. “He sold us out. He wants us all to be just like his state, West Virginia. Poor, illiterate and stung out.”
The 76-year-old celebrity followed up with an apology less than hour later.
“I apologize to the good people of [West Virginia] for my last outburst,” she wrote. “I’m just seeing red; [Joe Manchin] and his whole family are a criminal enterprise. Is he really the best [West Virginia] has to offer its own citizens? Surely there’s someone there who has the state’s interests at heart, not his own!”
The apology was followed by an another outburst within a half hour. Responding to Massachusetts Democrat Rep. Jim McGovern, Midler wrote Manchin’s “indifference is immense.”
“Like the rest of his family, he hasn’t a shred of conscience,” she posted.
According to Politico reporting on Monday, Manchin’s firm opposition to the bill came as a consequence of turbulent negotiations gone south after White House aides named the senator in a statement.
Manchin responded to the White House statement last week by effectively killing the colossal package with a pledged “no” vote announced Sunday, blindsiding the administration.
“I’ve tried everything humanly possible; I can’t get there,” Manchin told Fox News’ Bret Baier after months of negotiations.
Without his support, President Biden’s signature legislation can’t move forward in the split 50-50 chamber where partisan divisions have cemented over the sweeping spending bill.
Manchin later told West Virginia MetroNews Monday he’s open to supporting a rewritten bill in the new year.
“I’m from West Virginia. I’m not from where they’re from, [where] they can just beat the living crap out of people and think they’ll be submissive,” Manchin said.
Tristan Justice is the western correspondent for The Federalist. He has also written for The Washington Examiner and The Daily Signal. His work has also been featured in Real Clear Politics and Fox News. Tristan graduated from George Washington University where he majored in political science and minored in journalism. Follow him on Twitter at @JusticeTristan or contact him at [email protected].
