Manchin miffed over VP Harris' spot on West Virginia TV, says 'We need to work together'

West Virginia  Sen. Joe Manchin says he "couldn't believe" his eyes when he recently saw fellow Democrat Vice President Kamala on local TV touting the Biden administration's $1.9 trillion COVID relief package. 

Harris appeared on local station WSAZ on Thursday to push the $1.9 trillion plan the Biden administration wants for COVID-19 relief. 

"In West Virginia, one in seven families is describing their household as being hungry, one in six can’t pay their rent, and one in four small businesses are closing permanently or have already closed, so it’s a big issue in West Virginia and across the country," Harris said. "And that’s why the president and I are offering the American Rescue Plan."

Manchin suggested Harris, as part of the new administration, should have perhaps at least gave him a heads up about her direct appeal to his voters and his question's President Biden's pledge for unity.

"I couldn’t believe it," he said. "No one called me. We’re going to try to find a bipartisan pathway forward, I think we need to ... work together. That’s not a way of working together."

With the Senate evenly split 50-50, Harris will likely break some ties as the two sides disagree over key issues. 

Manchin could well be a swing vote. But he's not happy with Harris's TV effort to perhaps sway West Virginia voters, which could be interpreted as a tactic to force a yes vote from the senator. He expressed is displeasure privately to senior White House officials about Harris's TV appearance, according to Politico.

Politico wrote that senior congressional Democrats were privately a little worried about Manchin's vote, even before Harris’ interview, considering he has the power to stop Democratic leaders from jamming through the Covid package without Republicans.

Manchin, a Democrat in a red state, can either refuse to back the legislation this week until there are more talks with Republicans, or insist that Biden and Democrats lower the price tag.

Manchin told WSAZ in response to Harris’ interview claims that “We met with [Biden’s] economic team and they put out what they wanted."

“We want to help everyone that needs help. But if a person’s making $250K or $300K, I don’t think they’re in much needs as a person making $40K or 50K. That’s all I said. We’re going to target," Manchin said.

Republicans have offered a $600 billion relief package that targets relief to lower-income Americans.