CNN’s Jake Tapper Praises Dem Shutdown Messaging On Election Night: ‘Sharper Than I’ve Seen’

CNN anchor Jake Tapper praised Democrats on Election Night over their messaging on the government shutdown, saying it was “sharper than I’ve seen” from Democrats “in a long time.”

On Tuesday night’s edition of CNN’s Election Night in America, Tapper went over some Virginia exit polling with Dana Bash and Kasie Hunt, and expressed how impressed he was with the way Democrats have convinced voters that President Donald Trump and the Republicans are to blame for the shutdown:

DANA BASH: But the last one, 61% of federal workers say they are voting for Spanberger. As John was saying, it’s what, like 150,000 federal workers in Virginia, but we’re in the middle of a shutdown.

And people have not gotten paychecks in a month, and they’re going to vote. What do you expect them to be doing?

I talked earlier to a Republican who has done a ton of work for decades. In Virginia who said, you cannot express in a more profound way how much shutdowns hurt Republicans, no matter what happens, hurt Republicans when Virginians go to vote during a shutdown. It’s just the historical trend.

KASIE HUNT: I think it’s also worth pointing out, Jake, that Abigail Spanberger did not draw the strongest Republican candidate that we have ever seen run for governor in Virginia, and strength of candidate really matters here.

I mean, this was to the point that President Trump didn’t even endorse here in this race, even though it’s right in his backyard, right? So I think Spanburger benefited from being a strong candidate herself, but also in facing someone who doesn’t have the typical strength that you see here.

JAKE TAPPER: Well, I have a lot of thoughts on everything that you’ve said. Well, let’s go back to the issue about the government shutdown.

Historically, Republicans have been the ones that have caused the shutdowns, right? I mean, they’re the ones, and I’m only specifically talking about whether or not they vote to fund the government when it goes to the House, when it go to the Senate.

Democrats are the ones that are not voting to fund the government.

Now, I understand why they’re doing so. They’re doing it because of health care and they want to fight and they want Republicans to negotiate, etc., etc.

The messaging by Democrats around this shutdown has been sharper than I’ve seen Democrats on any issue in a long time. They have convinced voters, Democratic voters and independent voters, that it’s the Republicans’ fault. And just on the numbers that might not be actually accurate.

DANA BASH: Well…

JAKE TAPPER: In terms of who’s voting to open the government and who isn’t.

DANA BASH: You’re right. No, you’re absolutely right about that.

JAKE TAPPER: I know why they’re doing it. They’re doing because of health care policy and some really big issues that voters have. But it’s just interesting to me.

Watch above via CNN’s Election Night in America,