the manhattan project was a bipartisan, cross-national collaboration to put science at the forefront of the country's future, that policy makers could cite to work up feelings of national purpose in order to shatter opposition with.

the new deal was a highly contentious - if entirely necessary - set of policies that has largely been undone over time and instantly sets 40% of the country against it every time you mention it.

so, of course fake left media pundits point to the new deal instead of the manhattan project. why would you expect otherwise?