Multiple late-night TV hosts took shots at Democratic “defectors” and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) for their handling of the shutdown vote in the Senate, which could end soon after Monday night’s vote.
The Senate voted 60-40 to pass short-term funding for the government Monday night, with seven Democrats and one independent joining 52 Republicans in favor. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives and does not include the extension of premium Obamacare subsidies that Democrats fought for throughout the shutdown.
Hours after the vote, Jimmy Kimmel and other late-night TV hosts vented their frustrations with Democratic lawmakers, saying they drew a line in the sand and after 41 days, “they ate all that sand and got nothing for it.”
Kimmel specifically criticized Schumer, though he was not among the eight senators who joined Republicans.
“It is incredible at his age that Chuck Schumer is still able to bend over so far,” Kimmel said on Jimmy Kimmel Live! “Chuck Schumer is basically every parent that tells their kid, ‘No more iPad, that’s it!’ Next thing you know, he’s playing Roblox at the dinner table. This was such a big cave by the Democrats, Bruce Wayne offered to buy it.”
Late-night TV host Jon Stewart recalled how Schumer uploaded an X video in October, saying President Donald Trump and Republicans are seeking to remove healthcare from 16 million people and Democrats were responding with “no f***ing way.” A month later, however, Stewart joked that Schumer’s three words were trumped by five other words, playing a Fox News clip of an announcement that “Democrats cave on the shutdown.”
“Excuse me, ‘cave on the shutdown?’” Stewart said on The Daily Show. “Huh? Not this forceful, young, authentic Democratic Party that hangs out down by the river and curses in what appears to be a cerulean blue blazer. ‘And I say … no f***ing way?’ No, they f***ing caved on the shutdown!”
Meanwhile, Stephen Colbert said the shutdown is “long and painful” for many people, and the Democratic Party achieved “jack squat” in their fight. Colbert said one concession Democrats achieved is Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) promising a vote on the Obamacare subsidies in December, and the late-night host joked this is when “people get down to serious work.”
“December. You work about six days, and half of that is spent doing a mandatory office door decorating contest,” Colbert said on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
THE DEMOCRATS’ SHUTDOWN FOR NOTHING
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) is among the multitude of prominent Democrats criticizing their Senate colleagues for their handling of the shutdown, saying U.S. citizens “need more from their leaders.” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) also called the voting results “very, very bad” and said the eight senators who voted with Republicans contrast with the Democratic Party’s sweeping victories earlier this month.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) came to Schumer’s defense on Monday, saying he does not support the Senate deal but still supports Schumer’s leadership. He also vowed to fight against “the Republican healthcare crisis” in the House.