Majority Whip James Clyburn, the third highest ranking Democrat in the House, got a swelled head after he propelled Biden to victory in South Carolina. That made Biden into the presumptive nominee and infused Clyburn with delusions of grandeur. 

Now the delusions are shutting down coronavirus relief.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) worked to scupper the phase-three coronavirus relief package on Sunday after Majority Whip James Clyburn (D., S.C.) told caucus members last week that the bill was “a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision.”

Clyburn’s comments came on a Thursday call featuring more than 200 House Democrats, during which caucus members laid out a list of provisions they wanted to be included in the Senate’s trillion-dollar package.

Republicans have said that Democrats have reportedly demanded increased bargaining powers for unions, as well as environmental regulations for airlines and more wind and solar tax credits.

Which has nothing to do with coronavirus relief.

More Clyburnishly, there are passages on corporate board diversity, same day voter registration, minority credit unions, and collective bargaining for federal employees.

Pelosi flew into Washington, D.C. over the weekend to add demands to negotiations, a move that Senate Republicans have cited as the reason why the procedural vote to fast-track the legislation fell by a party-line vote on Sunday night.

And so we don’t have a package, because House Democrats, led by Pelosi and Clyburn, want to grab as much pork as they can while exploiting this emergency to get it.

As Biden begins his shadow coronavirus routine, he ought to be asked about his close ally who blew up relief efforts.