Chuck Schumer rejects calls to step down as Senate Democratic leader

[Wicked Blue]

Source: NBC

WASHINGTON — A defiant Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed that he won’t step aside as the chamber’s top Democrat, rejecting calls from some House colleagues and liberal advocates critical of his move to help pass a Republican funding bill.

“Look, I’m not stepping down,” Schumer said in a pretaped interview that aired Sunday on NBC News’ “Meet the Press.”

Schumer told moderator Kristen Welker he knew there “would be a lot of controversy” when he cast his vote to prevent a shutdown. But he maintains that while the GOP’s six-month bill was “certainly bad,” a shutdown “would be 15 or 20 times worse.”

“Under a shutdown, the executive branch has sole power to determine what is ‘essential.’ And they can determine without any court supervision. The courts have ruled it’s solely up to the executive what to shut down,” he said, warning that the Trump administration “would eviscerate the federal government.”

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/chuck-schumer-rejects-calls-step-down-senate-democratic-leader-rcna197374

[Dem4life1970]

1. I may be alone in this...

...but I think Schumer is right. This is not the time to play checkers, but chess...a shutdown would've allowed Elon to put his chainsaw away and get out the blowtorch, or just use the Tesla design on the entire federal govt. and do who knows what to the courts behind the scenes.

[Wicked Blue]

2. I wish he'd stood up to the Republicans

as strongly as he seems to be standing up to Democrats who opposed his vote on the budget.

[Paladin]

19. "...not the time to play checkers, but chess..."

Your optimism would be touching, if it weren't so sadly misplaced. Democratic leadership needs to get its tactical shit together, in a big fucking hurry. I'd damn sure settle for a competently-played checkers game, right now...

[orangecrush]

21. Yeah

We chessed ourselves right into a dictatorship.

[Stuckinthebush]

46. I'm with you

But the pitchforks and torches are out for him. He was right and it will probably cost him his leadership role.

[OrlandoDem2]

3. It's time to circle the wagons around the Democratic Party and move to the next battle

I will be watching Chuck but I am ready to stand shoulder to shoulder with any and all Democrats who will fight Trump,

[Think. Again.]

10. Yes, "who will fight trump."

[Bettie]

35. Is Chuck willing to

fight that battle or surrender? Because that seems to be a real question right now.

[CincyDem]

4. I don't blame Schumer for his vote, I do blame him for...

…mismanaging the media running up to the vote to ensure his caucus and the electorate knew why it was his vote.

We get caught up in the trap of believing our actions and outcomes are enough but that’s not true if we don’t explain it to folks “like they’re 5”.

If we don’t do it, republicans will (and do). And in their version, they’re always the heroes.

[Phoenix61]

12. Exactly! His "I know best and don't have to explain

my actions to you” is total bs. That he can’t see that that is how he comes across is even worse.

[Linda ladeewolf]

25. Most of the older politicians

Have this attitude. I emailed a congress critter a long time ago, the condescending email I got back said something to the affect of “There, there little lady, I know what’s best for you and the others.” Fortunately he’s gone now, but unfortunately trump has tagged him for head of the IRS.

[Walleye]

5. I'm afraid we are falling into a reality show mentality. I guess we caught it from the Republicans.

Who’s up? Who’s down? What did so-and- so say about so-and-so, this is ridiculous

[Irish_Dem]

6. It's over but he doesn't know it yet.

Reality is a hard thing to face.

[Frasier Balzov]

29. Who replaces him?

More to the point, who steps forward and says they want it?

[Irish_Dem]

30. We don't know yet.

We can assume it is being discussed as we speak.

[Frasier Balzov]

31. Same issue as was faced with Joe Biden.

Everybody either defers to the guy who says he's staying or they are deemed to be committing political suicide by their betrayal.

[Irish_Dem]

34. Yes a similar dynamic is occurring again.

[Tegie-M]

39. Gen Z

Hopefully a smart Gen Z……

[Polybius]

42. There are no Gen Z Senators yet

They can wait their turn. We've never even had a Gen X or Millennial Majority or Minority Leader. John Thune and Schumer are Boomers.

[radical noodle]

43. I don't think they're even old enough to be a senator

[LetMyPeopleVote]

44. Welcome to DU

[MichMan]

7. I understand his reasoning on the shutdown, but why did he say just a day or so before that he was going to block it?

[xocetaceans]

9. I agree. If his argument is correct, why did he act as if he planned on opposing cloture? Why not make that argument...

...and simply stand on principle at that point? If he had done that, his vote would not have come across as a betrayal and as a lack of a willingness to fight. He has been a politician for a long time, so he would have understood the appearance of his statements in light of his vote.

He is not an incompetent politician, so it is difficult to take him at his word at this point. Ultimately, his argument seems to be a justification which was fabricated after the fact, because either the political reception of his vote demanded an explanation or his book tour needed to be saved.

He needs to step down from leadership or be replaced if he cannot adequately explain his feigned opposition to cloture.

[Irish_Dem]

32. What might have happened for him to make such a sharp turn?

[cadoman]

37. Did TSF get something on Schumer, or threaten him? (theory)

He made that weird comment about Schumer no longer being Jewish on the 12th (Wednesday) and later that evening articles go out about Democrats whipping up NO votes.

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/schumer-democrats-block-house-funding-bill-heightening-shutdown/story?id=119716576

Schumer is usually very effective. Maybe he just got outmaneuvered a bit as he has aged. I wouldn't rush to get rid of him unless there's more behind the scenes that we're not seeing as far as his effectiveness declining.

[Irish_Dem]

38. Yes, sometimes people are kissed or kicked into compliance.

Yes maybe there was something Trump was holding over Schemer's head, or a threat

Or as you say, age and old fashioned mindset have caught up with him.

I think his days are numbered as a leader.
We are in war time conditions, fighting for our lives, country and democracy.
We need a Zelensky. Not a Chamberlain.

[dutch777]

8. Am I correct in thinking the Dem Senate caucus, if there is a majority, could do a recall and elect a new leader?

I get why some folks say Schumer did the right thing if a full shutdown yielded Trump/Musk even more power. But, if it could have been played to delay and distract the Repugs even for a short time, and send a message to our base that we are trying, I wonder if we couldn't have been ahead? I would take the argument that it would have handed the Admin too much power more to heart if there was something Schumer and company have been in some way checking that power already but I seem to me missing that. In which case I ask, why not shut it down and make hay with the bedlam like Trump does? I guess we keep playing by rules that seem no longer to apply to the game Trump has called and is playing.

[TheCowsCameHome]

11. Goodbye. Pack your truck, Chuck.

You caved when the (R)s were vulnerable.
Time for new leadership.
End end of story.

[AmericaUnderSiege]

13. Defeat is actually victory, you see.

Surrender is triumph.

"It could be much worse." Thanks so much for that motto. The spirits of Kennedy and King must beam with pride when Senators speak these days.

[JohnSJ]

14. So if the Democrats in the Senate decide not to replace Schumer as the leader, are we now going to call for their

resignations also?



In two years the voters can choose to replace Schumer.

[elocs]

15. "a shutdown "would be 15 or 20 times worse." Worse.

Last edited Sun Mar 23, 2025, 06:12 PM - Edit history (1)

What could go wrong with letting Trump make decisions during a shutdown?
https://www.wakeuptopolitics.com/p/how-a-shutdown-could-empower-trump
"Shutdowns leave a lot of room for “creative lawyering,” Georgetown Law professor Eloise Pasachoff, an appropriations expert, told me. And if you’re wondering whether Trump might try to push the boundaries, there isn’t any need to speculate: he already did so in his first term, repeatedly."

And what would we hear from the "shut down the government" posters here if that happened and turned out terribly wrong? Crickets.

[et tu]

16. let's have a forensic

audit in some swing states-
get to the heart of the matter
and know more what we are
dealing with~ gov. shapiro - you
ready for this???

[Scrivener7]

26. Read this.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220169531

It's pretty terrifying.

And we need someone who can deal with it. Now.

[et tu]

27. sleepless in the usa

and thank you for the link- bookmarked

[StarryNite]

17. Chuck Schumer told President Biden to step aside.

Schumer privately urged Biden to step aside in 2024 election: Sources
A spokesman told ABC News,"Leader Schumer conveyed the views of his caucus."

ByJonathan Karl
July 17, 2024, 6:29 PM

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/schumer-privately-urged-biden-step-aside-2024-election/story?id=112046011

[MichMan]

33. Was Schumer right ?

[StarryNite]

36. Some say yes, some say no.

Maybe he should heed his own advice?

[SpankMe]

18. This is why we're gonna lose in '26

Stubborn older guys who are staying, but who haven't articulated a strategy for fighting Repubs and who are using old strategies, old energy, old perspectives and are seeing the same, failing results.

If we're going to challenge the authoritarian, we need the (much) older "steadier" generation to make way for next generation of fighters. We need new strategies, a new mission, new techniques, new energy, new communication concepts and new perspectives that will appeal to the hoard of people (mostly younger) who didn't vote in the last election. I've heard from 20-somethings (friends of my early 20's sons) that they want to see revolutionary actions from Dems, not soft-spoken, fact-based counterpoints on the Sunday morning news shows.

There's a lot to like about Schumer. But, he's not bringing new energy to the party or new voters into the tent.

The days of slow and steady are over. The days of relying on institutional norms are over. The Republicans have abandoned them, and so must we.

[thought crime]

20. No more "business as usual".

Radical change is not just an option. If you are sitting on a train track and hear the whistle blow, it’s time to move. It’s hard to hand the reins over to the next generation - we all have a little Schumer in us - but there isn’t really a choice.

[HereForTheParty]

22. Biden said he wasn't stepping down

Hopefully, with time it will happen.

[Tom Rinaldo]

23. So Chuck thinks the Courts will hold Trump in check, eh? For how long?

Trump is virtually in contempt of Court already. He's only been in power for two months, and he gets worse weekly. When Courts order Trump/Musk to rehire fired Federal workers, sometimes he does, then he puts them all on paid leave. He could care less. His immediate goal isn't to actually save money, it's to make government agencies dysfunctional. A Court perhaps might preserve a paid position, but it can't force Trump to let workers do their jobs.

Trump keeps offering retirement buy out offers to federal workers and makes the lives of those who don't accept miserable. He is methodically hollowing out U.S. agencies to the point of collapse. Court orders don't fix that.

Our nation is already in severe crisis and deteriorating daily, does Schumer expect Trump to play by normal rules and allow government to function normally now that Democrats helped Trump pass a budget to "keep it open?" The most powerful event that could have focused public attention on the magnitude of the danger we all face was a government shut down. Without a powerful public mobilization, Republicans in Congress are free to (for example) rubber stamp Trump's tax breaks for the rich, and medicaid cuts for the rest of us, with simple filibuster proof. majorities.

Which was more likely to break through the fog of theoretical business as usual, and mobilize the people for political warfare: a government shut down, or meekly signing on to the Republican game plan. The people will need to stand in Trump's way, the courts by themselves can't hold out for long, if Trump won't respect their authority.

[msongs]

24. hanging onto personal power at all costs... nt

[PufPuf23]

40. Schumer was either wrong in his vote or a poor minority leader, take you choice.

Schumer voted against most other Democratic Senators.

If Schumer was a good leader, he would have (most of) the Democratic Party concur in the vote.

The Trump administration is in fact eviscerating the federal government regardless of this specific vote.

[HereForTheParty]

45. Ego before country

nm