Chuck Schumer Totally Blanks on Name of Democratic Senator Working on Filibuster Reform
Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) appeared on Monday’s edition of The ReidOut and discussed votings rights and potential changes to the filibuster. At one point the Senate majority leader pulled a Rick Perry by blanking on the name of the third thing he was trying to remember – in this case, a member of his own caucus.
Currently, 60 votes are required to begin and end debate on most bills in the Senate. With senators divided 50-50 in the Democratic-controlled chamber, 10 Republicans would need to join all Democrats to break a filibuster and pass legislation such as the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act.
Democrats can change the Senate rules with a simple majority (all 50 Democratic senators plus a tie-breaking vote from the vice president). However, Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) have strongly indicated they are opposed the eliminating the filibuster.
Joy Reid asked Schumer, “Can you tell us any evidence that Manchin or Sinema has given – publicly or to you – that they care more about voting rights and the democracy continuing than about the filibuster?”
Schumer replied, “They have made even public statements that particularly Manchin that he wants to get voting rights done and wants to figure out a way to do it.”
Reid interrupted, “But why should we believe that?”
“Let me just finish,” protested the senator. “We gotta keep pressing them and pressing them and pressing them until they do. There is too much at risk here.”
Schumer added that three senators are lobbying Manchin and Sinema on filibuster reform.
“We have a group of three senators who [are] constantly talking to them,” he said. “Joe–Angus King, um, uh, Jon Tester, and um, uh, the senator, uh, from Virginia as well, saying to them we were not for changing the rules but we’ve changed our mind. Too much is at stake.”
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) appears to have been the name the majority leader was grasping for.
Schumer concluded that voting rights are “too important to give up on.”
Watch above via MSNBC.
