On CNN's "State of the Union," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) expressed his problems with the current Democratic Party.
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00:00Let me turn to your party, the Democratic Party, and where you are right now in the quest to try to overtake Republicans, certainly in the short term, in the midterms.
00:11Republicans have been facing a lot of heated town halls, but also Democrats have been as well.
00:17And there's a lot of frustration towards members of your party, not just from voters, but we're even hearing it from members of your own caucus.
00:25I want you to listen to your colleague, Colorado Senator Michael Bennett, what he said this week.
00:32I am furious with the Democratic Party because, in my view, our inability to offer a compelling vision and articulate it to the American people has resulted in Donald Trump being elected not just once, but twice.
00:47We need to come to grips with that, and we need to ask ourselves why that is.
00:53What do you think?
00:55Well, look, no, we're doing very well.
00:58We are totally united in focusing on Trump on a single message when it, for instance, on tariffs, how chaotic they are and how they have to be focused, on rule of law, how he's not obeying it.
01:11We're showing that to the American people.
01:13But also on this upcoming reconciliation bill where we Democrats have a single message that Trump is trying to make the middle class pay for tax cuts for billionaires.
01:23Our whole party, every member of our caucus is united on that issue.
01:27Americans hate it.
01:29And we are going after them day after day.
01:31I was, as I mentioned, I went to six Republican districts during our just our recent Easter Passover break and talking to the voters, Republican districts, about what their, what Trump is doing and how their congressmen ought not be embracing him.
01:47And then four of them signed a letter saying, well, they don't want to cut Medicaid.
01:51And so we are really united and focused and strong.
01:55The contrast that we are making between who the Democratic Party is, the party for working people, and who the Republican Party is, the party for billionaires and especially privileged people, is having a real effect.
02:07And that's why he's doing so poorly in these first hundred days.
02:10I think, I think we're on our front foot.
02:13And every day we are fighting Trump on multiple fronts.
02:16So there's the message, sir, and then there's the messenger.
02:20And when your very longtime friend, former roommate and colleague, Senator Dick Durbin, announced his retirement this week after three decades in the Senate, he said, quote, it's time to pass the torch.
02:32We've heard that from other retiring Democrats, Gary Peters, Tina Smith, Gene Shaheen.
02:37They've all said it's time to let the next generation of leaders take over.
02:42Now, you indicated this week that you're going to stay put, Senate Democratic leader, for this foreseeable future.
02:49Why don't you think it's time to pass the torch this week that you're going to stay put, Senate Democratic leader, for this foreseeable future?
02:57Why don't you think it's time to pass the torch?
02:59Look, I am focused on winning, as I have always been, and we are, and as leader of the caucus, we are united.
03:11Now, we have a lot of talent in the caucus, and my job is sort of an orchestra leader to get us play on the same theme, as you said, where you, as I've said, we're united on message, but to highlight all the talent in the caucus in different ways.
03:24And we've seen that.
03:26And you're staying put.
03:26With Cory Booker, with so many others.
03:29And so, yes, I am staying put, and I'm fighting the fight every day, as is our caucus, in a united and successful way, as you've seen by your poll and other polls.
03:41We're showing America how bad Trump is, and showing that Republicans who embrace Trump do so at their peril.
03:48I want to turn to...