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MSNBC host Jen Psaki questioned "what happened" to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Tuesday after eight senators in the Democratic caucus voted with Republicans on a deal that would reopen the government.
Psaki played a video during her MSNBC show, "The Briefing," showing Schumer discussing the shutdown in early October. The Democratic senator said at the time that Republicans were "hellbent on taking health care away from 60 million people," adding, "Democrats have three words for this: No f---ing way. It’s literally life or death."
"That guy was fiery. There was ominous music. He swore. I mean, there was a lot in that video. What happened to that guy? And of course, Democrats had every reason to feel like they were in a good position to keep up the fight. I mean for a range of reasons," Psaki said after the video, pointing to NBC News polling that found more voters blamed Republicans for the shutdown than Democrats.
"And that was before Democrats absolutely cleaned the clocks of Republicans all across the country last Tuesday. Signaling that voters were behind their efforts to stand up to this administration," she added.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks during a press conference following the weekly Senate Democratic caucus luncheons on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on March 20, 2024. (Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/Reuters)
Eight senators — including Sens. Angus King, I-Maine, Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., John Fetterman, D-Pa., Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., Tim Kaine, D-Va., and the number two Democrat in the Senate, Dick Durbin, D-Ill. — voted Monday on an updated continuing resolution that would reopen the government.
Psaki took issue with King's reasoning for voting with the GOP. King, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, stated that the Democratic Party’s twofold strategy of standing up to President Donald Trump and getting Republican lawmakers to negotiate with them on Obamacare subsidies "didn’t work." He also said it gave Trump "more power."
"No, that’s not the lesson. Agree to disagree there, I guess, Senator King," Psaki responded.
"This is about more than the shutdown, it’s about, and this is why so many people are mad, including in Washington, including the majority of Democrats in Washington, because it’s about Democrats not fighting with one hand tied behind their backs simply for the sake of a talking point about bipartisanship," she continued.
"It’s about recognizing that we are in a different moment right now, a different moment that is going to require a lot of different things, probably some different candidates, some different tactics, more aggressive, more alpha, please, and probably different leaders," the MSNBC host added.
Psaki said some Democrats in Washington did understand the situation the party and the country are in.
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MSNBC host Jen Psaki speaks onstage at 92 NY on May 08, 2024, in New York City. (Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
"I wouldn’t have said that necessarily in January. I would say that now. And more importantly, a growing force of people outside of Washington, because that is where change comes from, understand what this moment calls for, which is why you saw Democratic candidates for Senate across the ideological spectrum all come out and oppose this deal," she said.
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Schumer's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Hanna Panreck is an associate editor at Fox News.
