Senator Welch Discusses Shutdown During Interview On CNBC
The Democrats are finding themselves in a precarious and increasingly untenable position over what’s being widely dubbed the “Schumer Shutdown.” What once may have looked like a tactical stand has rapidly devolved into a strategic quagmire. And now, with pressure mounting from all directions—federal employee unions, retail associations, a restless public, and even formerly friendly corners of the media—their footing appears less stable by the hour.
The initial Democratic bet, perhaps, was that a shutdown would reflect poorly on Republicans. If so, that wager has backfired. Polls suggest the GOP is not just weathering the shutdown but gaining support in its wake. That reversal is notable. Public perception, traditionally hard to shift during these standoffs, is not leaning the way Democrats expected—and now they’re fumbling for an exit.
One emerging escape hatch? The idea of passing standalone bills to fund key areas—like paying federal employees or continuing SNAP benefits. But even this suggests a retreat from the rigid narrative Democrats originally championed. When a party starts carving out exceptions to its own blockade, it signals the internal pressure is real.
WOW. When even CNBC is BLASTING Democrat Senators over their government shutdown, you know it’s bad:
CNBC: “Are you ready to vote with the Republicans to reopen the government at this point, as a reasonable Democrat?”
SEN WELCH: “You know, I’m not there yet…”
CNBC:… pic.twitter.com/5ehdcUQdCW
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) October 29, 2025
More striking is the media’s tone shift. In recent days, Democrats have stumbled badly in interviews where they once thrived. CNN’s Jake Tapper—long perceived as a sympathetic interviewer—pushed back against Rep. Melanie Stansbury’s attempts to deflect.
CNBC’s Becky Quick dismantled Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ talking points with little effort. And then came the most bruising exchange yet: CNBC’s Joe Kernen firmly challenged Sen. Peter Welch, forcing him into an uncomfortable defense of the shutdown.
Kernen’s line of questioning was both blunt and effective: Is extortion now an acceptable legislative tool? Are unpaid TSA agents and disrupted services an ethical way to negotiate? Welch’s hesitant responses, capped with a refusal to side with Republicans to reopen the government, spoke volumes.
The broader implication is troubling for Democrats. When even the reliably center-left media starts asking tough questions, it means the narrative is cracking. What’s more, by holding essential services hostage, the Democrats risk eroding the very public trust they claim to uphold.
Senate Majority Whip John Thune laid it out succinctly on the Senate floor: If you fund the government, you don’t need standalone bills. The simplest solution—the most reasonable one—is to stop the political theater.