Democrats Send Least Effective Messengers Possible To Defend Shutdown Stand-Off

The Democratic Party may be regretting a Wednesday night town hall that saw CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins moderating as Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) — both of whom identify as Democratic socialists — fielded questions from the public about the ongoing government shutdown.

Collins pressed Sanders on his own previous statements — namely that government shutdowns were “dangerous” to the American people because they put at risk not just those who worked for the federal government and might be furloughed, but also anyone who depended on services provided by the federal government in their daily lives.

Quoting Sanders directly, Collins said he’d referred to shutting down the government as “a serious and dangerous action that we must do everything possible to prevent,” before asking, “What would you say to people who are missing their paychecks about why it’s worth it now?”

???? https://t.co/04CRYe4N5y pic.twitter.com/KIRQdiFH4Y

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 16, 2025

Sanders, who has repeatedly voted against the clean continuing resolution that would reopen the government, claimed that he and other Democrats would “do everything they can” to get the government reopened quickly.

Get 40% off new DailyWire+ annual memberships with code FALL40 at checkout!

Collins then asked Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez to explain what the end of the shutdown looked like to them — and they laughed off the idea of taking President Donald Trump and Republicans at their word that health care would be up for negotiations. Instead, Ocasio-Cortez made it clear that she wouldn’t vote to reopen the government — despite the fact that the CR in question has already passed the House in spite of her no vote — until she saw legislation guaranteeing what she wanted.

These losers — the leaders of the Democrat Party — are not serious people. They don’t have any clue what they’re talking about other than demanding free health care for illegals to vote to re-open the government.

Shame on them. pic.twitter.com/IdygxnEB8r

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 16, 2025

One question from a young woman in the audience pertained to social media messaging – and why Republicans seemed to be more effective at getting their points across. After a brief moment in which Sanders appeared to freeze like a deer in headlights, he claimed that Republicans were more effective in their messaging because their “friends” owned the big tech companies and controlled much of legacy media.

Crazy Bernie thinks Republicans are more “effective” at messaging on social media than Democrats because tech companies and the mainstream media are in the tank for us.

???????????????????? pic.twitter.com/eHDjDdKjsm

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 16, 2025

Sanders went on to claim — with encouragement from Ocasio-Cortez — that President Donald Trump was ordering Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to enforce federal immigration policy because he wanted legal citizens to live in fear that they, too, could be plucked off the streets without any notice.

Crazy Bernie says ICE raids — in which some of the most dangerous criminals on earth have been taken off American streets — are “about a movement toward authoritarianism.”

Absolutely deranged. pic.twitter.com/wUoaPsrk9v

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 16, 2025

Things only got worse for Sanders after that, when a member of the audience — student Rohan Naval — asked him to explain how the shutdown would ultimately reflect on Senator Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) leadership.

“I think it reflects more on [House Speaker] Mike Johnson’s leadership,” Sanders replied, failing to mention the fact that Johnson had gotten the clean CR passed in his chamber. “And President Trump’s leadership. This is a leadership that said it’s okay to — well, how do you feel? You tell me. Do you think it’s a good idea to give a trillion dollars in tax breaks to the richest people in the country and then make massive cuts to health care for working-class people?”

“I think Chuck Schumer has voted for continuing resolutions 13 times in the last four years, and he has the opportunity to vote for one again, but he‘s refusing to come to the table,” Naval responded.

Crazy Bernie just got wrecked on national television ???? pic.twitter.com/G5Emm2gY6v

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 16, 2025

“As I have said, there are 53 Republicans in the Senate, correct? They need 60. What does that mean? It means you have to talk to the other side. Mike Johnson is not talking. John Thune is not talking. President Trump is not talking. That is the problem,” Sanders complained — but thus far, Democrats have not proposed compromises, and have instead made a list of demands that would undo provisions of duly passed legislation (the Big Beautiful Bill in particular) that they dislike.