After engaging in private discussions for several weeks, Biden appeared before the media at the White House driveway on Thursday, accompanied by an equal number of Democratic and Republican lawmakers, to proudly announce a bipartisan infrastructure agreement worth $1.2 trillion over eight years. This deal could solidify his reputation as a negotiator who can work across party lines. Biden and his team had reached a preliminary agreement with centrist senators to focus on rebuilding roads and bridges, while also indicating to progressives that he plans to support another measure, likely with only Democratic backing, to allocate trillions of dollars towards climate initiatives, education, child care, and other economic priorities. This was a moment of vindication for a president who is confident in his ability to handle legislative negotiations. However, during a later press conference, Biden unexpectedly stated that he would not sign the compromise bill without the partisan one. "If this is the only thing that comes to me, I'm not signing it," he declared in response to a question about the timing of his legislative agenda. "I'm not just going to sign the bipartisan bill and move on," Biden's statement disrupted his moment of bipartisan pride. While satisfying liberals in his party, it alarmed centrist senators and Republicans by suggesting he would only sign their plan if a larger bill was also approved. This unexpected linkage caused confusion among negotiators like Sen Susan Collins, who believed the infrastructure package's success shouldn't be tied to another bill. The White House spent over 24 hours trying to repair the situation, reaching out to senators from both parties. On Friday, the president's spokesperson attempted to distance the administration from his remarks in a gentle manner, but it was not sufficient. The following day, as lawmakers and aides continued to be upset and the chances of a legislative victory appeared to diminish, Biden acknowledged that he had misspoken. While the controversy did not seem to have derailed the agreement, Biden confessed that his statements on Thursday gave the impression that he was threatening to veto the plan he had just approved, which was not his intention. The deal that Biden had celebrated on Thursday initially appeared to be a major success for a president who had promised voters legislation that was both progressive and bipartisan. It took weeks to put together a group of bipartisan senators led by Rob Portman and Kyrsten Sinema in late May. The goal was to create a framework that could lead to the passage of a new coronavirus relief bill, similar to the one passed in December. Sinema acknowledged that the easy decisions were quickly made, but the real work was in tackling the difficult issues. The discussions were complicated by the possibility of liberal Democrats using reconciliation to bypass the filibuster threshold. The senators brought in top advisers to President Biden to help navigate the tense meetings. For several days, the senators, including Sinema who had broken her foot while running a marathon, worked tirelessly in the Capitol to negotiate in private rooms, often having pizza, salads, and wine delivered. Portman's office became so crowded with extra staff that a staffer for Sen. Mitt Romney had to navigate Senate bureaucracy to get a fan for the room. During a late-night session, Ricchetti went around the table pouring wine for each senator, causing tensions to rise as they debated how to fund the framework without raising taxes or implementing user fees for drivers. Many of the centrist senators joined President Biden at a funeral before returning to the Capitol for one final round of meetings, reflecting on the legacy of bipartisan agreements. Senator Mark Warner, who is not related to John Warner but considered him a friend, wondered what John Warner would do in that situation. He believed that John Warner would have persevered. After some reflection, around 7 pm, the 10 senators emerged with a unified message: they had a framework and planned to go to the White House the following day. The plan was to work together in tandem. This moment seemed to validate President Biden's confidence in his ability to navigate tough legislative negotiations. The bipartisan agreement was seen as a way to secure the support of centrist Democratic senators for a larger bill addressing various liberal priorities, funded by tax increases on corporations and the wealthy. Some Republicans, encouraged by business leaders, tried to prevent the passage of the comprehensive bill by convincing moderate Democrats that the more limited infrastructure bill was sufficient. Lawmakers and Biden saw this as an important opportunity to demonstrate that the government can still operate effectively. Failure, according to Sen. Jon Tester, would highlight the dysfunction in government. Sen. Warner emphasized the importance of the message this would send to both Americans and the rest of the world, especially after the events of January 6. Progressive lawmakers were concerned that the smaller bill would prevent the passage of a larger one. Despite these concerns, Sen. Chuck Schumer reassured them on the Senate floor that the plan he, Speaker Pelosi, and the president had worked on was solid. Schumer emphasized that both efforts are interconnected and must be done together, as Pelosi also agrees. It is understood that passing one without the other will not garner enough votes. Biden, in his remarks on Thursday, reiterated this strategy and stated that he will collaborate with Pelosi and Schumer to ensure both initiatives move through the legislative process simultaneously. Biden clarified during a news conference that he wants both the bipartisan infrastructure measure and the bigger Democratic bill to be worked on simultaneously by Congress. He stated that if only one bill comes to him, he will not sign it. "It's happening at the same time." Senators left Washington on Thursday afternoon for a two-week recess for Fourth of July, and it wasn't until later that evening that some negotiators saw Biden's comments, which Republicans saw as a possible veto threat. Senators and their staff members started communicating with each other and the White House. Liberal Democrats dismissed Republican frustration and accused them of searching for a reason to oppose the deal, even though the Democrats' pursuit of reconciliation had been public for a while. On Saturday, Biden admitted his mistake as lawmakers and aides indicated they would continue with writing text and gaining support. "The bottom line is this," he said. "I promised to support the infrastructure plan and that is exactly what I plan to do. I am committed to pushing for the passage of the plan that both Democrats and Republicans agreed on last Thursday with enthusiasm. This plan would benefit the economy, our country, and our citizens. I unequivocally support it without any doubt or hesitation."