Democrat on controversial Schumer speech: Timing ‘may not have been the best’

Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) on Sunday said he agreed with Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer’s (D-N.Y.) frustration with his Republican colleagues that was on display in a fiery speech last week but acknowledged that the timing of the remarks “may not have been the best.”

Schumer angered Republican lawmakers on Thursday when he lambasted them in a speech on the Senate floor right after they had helped to advance a short-term debt ceiling extension. He accused GOP lawmakers of playing a “dangerous and risky partisan game.”

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va) could be seen behind Schumer with his hands over his face in apparent dismay.

“Frankly, I agree with the reasons why Sen. Schumer was so frustrated that this standoff over the debt limit was risky, was unnecessary, was a manufactured crisis,” Coons said to “Fox News Sunday” host Chris Wallace.

“But partly why Sen. Manchin had his head in his hands was he thinks our leaders should be talking to each other directly. And all of us agree that we need more stability in our Congress and our country,” Coons added.

“So while I completely understand President Schumer’s deep frustration, the timing may not have been the best,” Coons said, mistakenly referring to Schumer as the president.

Wallace pointed out Coon’s gaffe and joked, “Maybe we should say ‘President Manchin’ at this point,” referring to the influence the moderate Democratic senator has had in stopping bills key to the Biden agenda from passing without concessions.

Schumer’s remarks angered Republicans.

“I thought it was totally out of line. I just thought it was an incredibly partisan speech after we had just helped him solve a problem. … I let him have it,” Senate Republican Whip John Thune (S.D.) said following Schumer’s speech.

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said, “There’s a time to be graceful, and there’s a time to be combative, and that was a time for grace.” 

“I didn’t think it was appropriate at this time, and we had a talk about that,” Manchin said. “I’m sure Chuck’s frustration was up, but that was not a way of taking it out.”