50 votes that includes Joe Manchin, Sinema, etc in the Senate is not control.

With the majority they had, they had enough seats to do away with the filibuster forever.

The last time they had an actual fillibuster proof majority they passed the ACA, which would have included a public option if they had another vote.

Nonsense. They simply would have found a different senator to vote no. Ben Nelson was every bit as instrumental as Lieberman in killing the public option.