The hosts of ABC’s The View engaged in a heated debate about the infighting within the Democratic Party while revisiting their interview with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
Schumer appeared on The View on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the show’s co-hosts reflected on their conversation and further discussed his handling of the recent government funding bill, which has caused significant division within his party.
Co-host Sunny Hostin criticized Schumer, accusing him of “caving” to the GOP on the spending bill.
The co-hosts referenced how former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) also weighed in on the matter Tuesday, arguing that Schumer made a poor deal by allowing a vote on the Republican-backed government funding bill.
“I myself don’t give away anything for nothing,” Pelosi told reporters in San Francisco. “I think that’s what happened the other day. We could have, in my view, perhaps gotten them to agree to a third way, which was a bipartisan CR for four weeks, in which we could have had bipartisan legislation go forward. They may not have agreed to it, but at least the public would have seen they’re not agreeing to it.”
In response, co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin laughed off Pelosi’s remarks, claiming that the leading Democrat “backed that bus over him.”
“I’m kinda stunned by how much Dems are infighting,” she continued. “It was striking to me when Hakeem Jeffries declined to say whether Chuck Schumer should be the leader, and now, Nancy Pelosi, who worked hand in glove with Schumer when she was speaker, is now openly criticizing him.”
Farah Griffin also expressed concerns about Schumer’s leadership. While she agreed with his decision to avoid a government shutdown, she felt his messaging was “disastrous” and called for him to step aside. She pointed to Schumer’s recent statements about helping Democrats win elections, despite the party’s losses in several recent races. She also criticized Schumer’s comments on The View, which were widely slammed for dismissing people’s concerns about taxes.
“Most Americans feel like they’re paying too much in taxes and want to keep more of their hard-earned money,” Farah Griffin said. “That’s evidenced by the fact a lot are fleeing blue states to live in red states. If I didn’t work in New York, I’d be in Florida because I’d keep more of my money.”
Co-host Joy Behar called for Democrats to “stop fighting with each other” and said she hoped they would focus more on challenging government funding cuts rather than internal squabbles.
“Why don’t the Democrats go out there and march? Stop fighting with each other. I’m sick of it,” Behar added.
Hostin, however, disagreed with Behar’s assertion, arguing that the infighting was necessary for the sake of holding leaders accountable.
“I don’t know, Joy, that they’re fighting with each other,” Hostin said.
“They are! They are!” Behar shot back.
“They are not fighting a unified fight. That is the problem,” Hostin said.
Behar snapped back, criticizing Pelosi’s recent critique of Schumer: “Stop it already.”
Hostin continued, suggesting that Pelosi’s criticisms were justified. “You know why she’s criticizing him? Because he should have been fighting for that veteran. He should have been fighting for the people of America who are feeling the way they are feeling.”
“That’s what I’m saying,” Behar responded.
Hostin went further, pointing out Schumer’s failure to secure a better deal. “Well, he had the opportunity to fight for them. Chuck Schumer caved to the GOP and got nothing.”
Behar, visibly exasperated, retorted, “Don’t beat the dead body.”
“The body is dead!” Behar exclaimed.
The discussion centered on Schumer’s choice, which, according to Hostin, was not between a no-vote on the partisan spending bill and a potential government shutdown but between a no-vote and forcing Republicans to explain their rejection of a bipartisan deal.
DEMOCRATS SHOULD GOVERN MORE AND FIGHT LESS
Farah Griffin countered, saying Schumer didn’t have the votes in the House, and co-host Sara Haines agreed that conceding was the lesser evil.
Schumer faces increasing calls to step aside from frustrated House Democrats for supporting a Republican measure to avert a government shutdown. While Senate Democrats largely supported the bill, all but one House Democrat voted against it.
