MSNBC’s “The Weekend” unloaded on Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Saturday over his support for the bill that keeps the government open and avoids a shutdown — calling the move a stain and a “black mark” on his leadership.
MSNBC host Michael Steele asked his panel, “What are Republicans thinking right now about their ability to absolutely punk Schumer into making this move the way he did, when he knew that that’s not where his party was?”
Schumer supported the bill on Friday despite his numerous disagreements with the House-passed stopgap spending bill, arguing that a government shutdown would be a “gift” to President Donald Trump.
“The reality here is there was no message, no strategy, and, at the end of the day, no leadership. And this is really a black mark, I think, on Chuck Schumer,” former Democratic lawmaker Donna Edwards, who is now an MSNBC analyst, said. “You cannot signal on Wednesday that you want to fight, and then on Thursday, you cave. And so now Republicans know that all they have to do is play Democrats, and it will work.”
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“I’m pissed,” MSNBC host Symone Sanders Townsend said, referring to the contents of the spending bill. “There’s actually little that the Senate Minority Leader can say, and the 10 Democrats that voted with the Republicans can say, to appease somebody like me. I’m going to change my registration to Independent.”
A government shutdown was averted on Friday just before the deadline. Senators voted 54-46 to pass the stopgap spending bill, which only needed 51 votes to be approved. Nearly all Republicans backed the measure. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., voted against the bill along with nearly all the Democrats, except Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine.
Townsend went on to read an excerpt from journalist Rebecca Traister’s Substack, which argued that the same Democratic politicians who were sounding the alarm on Trump being a threat to democracy were “questioning whether or not to stand up to him and his party.”
“There’s not another option for Senate Democrats or House Democrats to effectively push back. This was it. They blew it. The Democratic Tea Party was born the same day that Chuck Schumer took to that podium to read that very well-crafted statement that told us he folded like a paper napkin,” Townsend continued.
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MSNBC’s Alicia Menendez said that members of the Democratic caucus were privately encouraging Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., to primary Schumer.
“Anyone can primary him,” Townsend added, reacting to Menendez’s statement. “Anyone.”
Schumer was also criticized by some of his fellow Democratic colleagues, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, who said Schumer’s argument that a shutdown would have presented worse consequences was “absolutely wrong.”
Crockett appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday. When asked if Senate Democrats should replace Schumer, Crockett responded, “I think Senate Democrats have to sit down and take a look and decide whether or not Chuck Schumer is the one to lead in this moment.”
Schumer called Republican lawmakers “b—–ds” during an MSNBC interview on Friday, explaining his support.
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“It’s much, much better not to be in the middle of a shutdown, which [would] divert people from the number one issue we have against these b—–ds,” Schumer said. “Sorry, these people.”
Fox News’ Julia Johnson contributed to this report.
