Manchin says $1.5 trillion is his limit on Biden economic agenda amid battle with progressives

Moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia made clear Thursday that $1.5 trillion was the price tag he was willing to settle on for his party's plan to expand the social safety net, putting him $2 trillion away from the lowest number progressive Democrats have said they would accept.

Manchin said he informed President Joe Biden that was his number, and Biden said he needed more than that.

"I've never been a liberal in any way, shape or form," Manchin said. "I'm willing to come from zero to 1.5 (trillion)."