Negotiations dragged on as long as they did because Democrats spent months trying not to conciliate the West Virginia senator. The next step came from an issue where Mitch McConnell often emerges victorious. McConnell objected to the bill due to a perceived frustration at Democrats pushing a partisan reconciliation bill. The CHIPS act was simply a point of obstruction where McConnell could win a political point. But McConnell listened to and believed reports that Manchin was about to kill reconciliation.

Source: Washington Post August 06, 2022 12:16 UTC