"This is not a center-left country," Manchin says to @JohnBerman on @NewDay

[genxlib]

10. I think what you are getting at is all true

But I wouldn't characterize the police initiative as "left-leaning". I don't know much about it but it sounded pretty left wing. So it doesn't surprise me that it failed because the entire "defund the police" movement was not nearly as mainstream as the right wing made it sound. At least as it relates to complete defunding as opposed to reform.

Which speaks to your point about how people would support someone against that initiative even if they were against something like paid family leave. It is simply a bridge too far for most people.