Biden’s Pick for Budget Chief Withdraws Nomination after Senate Pushback

By Staff, Agencies

US President Joe Biden’s administration saw its first Cabinet defeat on Tuesday after Neera Tanden, his choice to lead the powerful Office of Management and Budget, withdrew her nomination amid bipartisan Senate opposition.

Biden was forced to abandon his push to make Tanden the White House budget director after centrists on both sides of the political aisle made it clear they would not support her.

The opposition centered on several of Tanden's previous tweets in which she disparaged lawmakers.

"I have accepted Neera Tanden's request to withdraw her name from nomination for Director of the Office of Management and Budget," Biden said in a statement.

The 50-year-old Tanden, who heads a progressive think tank, wrote Biden to say she was withdrawing because she did not want a debate over her nomination to be "a distraction from your other priorities."

Tanden's setback was the clearest sign yet that substantial political power now rests in the hands of moderates in the Democratic caucus, and one in particular: Senate Democrat Joe Manchin, who opposed her.

Top Republican Mitch McConnell and his Democratic opposite Chuck Schumer have long been seen as the Senate's critical powerbrokers.

But with the chamber deadlocked 50-50, and Vice President Kamala Harris wielding the tie-breaking vote, the spotlight has shifted to rank-and-file Democrats closest to the center who can suddenly make or break Biden's day.

Chief among them is 73-year-old Manchin of West Virginia, who announced last week that he would not support Tanden.