Schumer: I'm staying put! WTF will it take for him to move on?

[RiverStone]

CNN video:

https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/27/politics/video/senator-chuck-schumer-democrats-leader-trump-100-days-in-office-digvid

With all due respect to Senator Schumer's many positive years in Senate leadership, even great athletes know when it's time to retire.

Is it arrogance alone that insulates him from making the same move that Dick Durbin just did?

Aside from many of us being upset his support for the GOP CR, we are keenly aware of the enthusiasm gap nationally for Democrats.

Yay! To Cory Booker for serving as an inspirational point leader (add on Capital steps today) and as a role model for a kick ass and contemporary progressive approach!!

What do you think it will take for Senator Schumer to actually get the message:

Much thanks for all you've done, though now it's time to pass the torch to the next generation of leaders?

[flor-de-jasmim]

1. He doesn't have to leave the Senate, but it's time to pass the torch - as Nancy Pelosi did.

[CrispyQ]

2. Maybe if we all sent him a "very strong letter." ???

https://democraticunderground.com/100220273074



Good grief, Schumer. This is why the Democratic Party is polling poorly even when polls show Trump is the least popular president in modern history.

[bdamomma]

48. A

"very strong letter" that's good CrispyQ.

[CrispyQ]

56. He's taken a page out of Garland's strategy book. - nt

[tritsofme]

3. He was elected unanimously by the Democratic caucus and has no challengers. I wouldn't hold your breath.

[Nixie]

4. Bernie Sanders is 83.

He’s hung on longer than Schumer who is a little younger.

[RiverStone]

6. Bernie rocks! But he's not in senate leadership

I loved RPG, and wished she would have retired earlier too!

I'm 67, so my call for his retirement is not as much about ageism, as it is strategical in the hopes of Dems winning again !!

[Nixie]

35. If there is a war on older politicians to make way for the

younger generation, then Bernie would be the second to be targeted after Nancy Pelosi. She is 85 and Bernie is 83. That is if the message about making way for the younger generation is consistent, but we see that it isn’t.

[LudwigPastorius]

5. A first step would be for all of the Democrats in the Senate to not elect him their Minority Leader.

Retirement might cross his mind if he was no longer being put in a position of leadership.

[RiverStone]

8. The discontent is growing...see link

https://www.axios.com/2025/03/16/schumers-senate-leadership-funding-bill

[MineralMan]

7. Well, the Senate Democrats don't seem to think he should go, do they?

But, no doubt you know better. Right? Explain why you know better for me, please.

[RiverStone]

9. Well, IMO the writing is on the wall...

I did not say I know better, tho my sense is there is a growing unrest among Dems in both the House and Senate, which will become more and more verbal as we move into 2026

Example see Cory Booker's non-response:

https://decider.com/2025/04/07/cory-booker-dodges-sunny-hostin-question-replacing-chuck-schumer-the-view/

[MineralMan]

23. Different Democrats are taking different directions.

It's a difficult time, and Democrats do not have majorities in Congress. So, what they can actually do is pretty limited.

Many people who are not in Congress, however, seem to think that they should do something to get rid of republican control. When asked what current Democrats in Congress should actually do, though, those people don't really have anything useful to suggest.

So, I'll suggest something: Don't help Democrats fight among themselves. Don't encourage disputes among Democrats. Don't encourage people to throw Democrats under the bus.

Instead, people who are not elected officials can do many things to make life difficult for Republicans in office. Instead of going after elected Democrats, why no go after elected Republicans instead. Make THEM quit, not Democrats. Make life uncomfortable for Republicans, not Democrats.

That's what you and I and millions of other Democrats out there can actually. Things that are not destructive to Democrats. Destroy Republicans, instead.

How does that sound?

[EdmondDantes_]

26. Except all those things aren't defined meaningfully

Some people very sincerely believe that Schumer's vote to keep the government open was in the party's best interest. Other people very sincerely believe it wasn't. Those two groups can't both be right. If someone fundamentally believes Schumer's leadership is a net negative, then supporting him remaining as our Senate leader isn't in the best interest of the party.

[lapucelle]

32. Keeping the government open was in the people's best interest.

That's what leaders do.

[RiverStone]

29. Perhaps we can both be right?

Yes these are difficult times!

In an ideal world, I agree, it's best to go after republicans.

On the flip side, us Dems have always taken pride in the fact that we do NOT walk in lock step like republicans.

We agree that having a vigorous primary debate among DEMS is best to come up with the best person to beat out those who support the fascist regime.

Most importantly, thanks for being involved and passionate about fighting for what's right in this world!

[bluestarone]

36. Agree 100%

[Cha]

50. Maybe Just Maybe the Senate Dems know More

what's going on in the Senate Than those who are Not.

[MineralMan]

57. Ya think?

[BlueKota]

10. I am hoping he faces a primary in NY

and gets defeated but that's a long way off. Too bad though they can't convince him to at least hand over minority leadership in the Senate. He doesn't seem aware of the fact that the other side can no longer be reasoned with or trusted to play by the rules any more.

We need someone willing to get in their face when they're aiding tsf in trashing the Constitution. Schumer has yet to show he has that ability or the will to do that. He needs to let someone like Booker take the reins.

[lapucelle]

12. If Schumer faces a primary in NY, he will not be defeated.

When Schumer does retire, my money is on Dan Goldman to be our next Democratic senator from NY.

[BlueKota]

21. I am not so sure he won't be defeated.

Especially if he keeps waving the white flag, in terms of dealing with the lawlessness of the tsf. It's a long way off though so we will see.

That is if we ever are allowed by dictator tsf to have another fair election.

[lapucelle]

30. When did Chuck Schumer wave a white flag?

Shutting down the government was exactly what Trump wanted. Chuck Schumer didn't take the bait.

There are a lot of folks playing checkers out there. I'm glad Leader Schumer isn't one of them.

[BlueKota]

38. I have heard that argument

about the shut down, but tsf does what he wants anyway. If he wants to do it, he will do it even if he promised not to in exchange for voting for with him.

It's like the whole thing with tsf blackmailing law firms. "Oh if you do this amount of free legal work for me I will not go after you." Guess what? According to Marc Elias he's already going back and demanding more from them.

Once you back down in the face of their threats, blackmailers, will just come back with more demands and even worse threats. A line has to be drawn somewhere about how far our side is willing to go in surrendering our values to pacify a dictator who willl likely just carry out his threats anyway. At some point someone has to say enough is enough, and we are done believing you will honor your side of the bargain anyway. We won't give you the satisfaction of saying, "look even their side agrees with me, which tsf wasted no time in doing.

Just my opinion though.

[lapucelle]

40. What are you talking about at this point? The federal courts are open,

and the federal workers who remain are still being paid. The Social Security Administration may have been downsized, but it's still processing new claims and cutting checks. And the national parks remain open.

If the government had been shut down, all the folks who were shouting "Resist!" a month ago would be be bellowing "Do something!" right about now.

And there would be nothing that Democrats could have done to reopen the government.

[BlueKota]

43. It's clear we are not going to come to

an agreement on this. You're going to believe what you believe and I am going to believe what I believe. You have a nice rest of your evening.

[Nixie]

46. "nothing the Democrats could have done to reopen

the government.” This is exactly right and why Trump wanted that whole scenario in his wheelhouse alone. Thank goodness Schumer thought that through and denied that disastrous situation to the wannabe dictator.

It’s so great to see your informed posts about reality, lapucelle. TY!

[DinahMoeHum]

42. Have a nice wait, then. . .

. . .because he will not be up for re-election until 2028.

Between now and then, a lot of things will happen.

And he may decide to call it a career then and throw it open to all comers.

[BlueKota]

47. That's why I said in my posts it's a long way off.

I know he's not running again until 2028. I never said otherwise.

The wait and see was meant in reference to the assumption that if he runs again that he'd beat any Democrat in a primary. I don't see his victory as a given in that potential scenario. As you point out a lot can happen between now and then, including that he may not even run.

[lapucelle]

11. Dick Durbin is 80. Chuck Schumer is 74.

Do you think that it's arrogance that's keeping Bernie Sanders (83), Elizabeth Warren (75), Ed Markey (78), Ron Wyden (75), Jack Reed (75), Angus King (81), Peter Welch (77), and Richard Blumenthal (79) from retirement?

Two of them are older than Dick Durbin. Hell, the average age of the delegation from VT is as old as Dick Durbin.

They're all Democrats (or caucus with Democrats), and they're all older than Chuck Schumer. Are you calling for them to retire as well?

[CincyDem]

13. Respectfully, I think retire as Leader and retire from the Senate are different.

I like to see him mentor a new leader a la pelosi / Jefferies. She’s stepped back but is still close enough to counsel when asked and I think Jefferies is smart enough to ask when he need it.

Have Schumer close as a mentor would make for a good move. IMHO.

[lapucelle]

15. The OP calls for Chuck Schumer to retire.

With all due respect to Senator Schumer's manypositive years in Senate leadership, even great athletes know when it's time to retire.

[RiverStone]

16. Good point CincyDem

When I wrote the OP, I was thinking of him leaving as Minority Leader, tho not necessarily the senate.

I could have made that more clear.

Thanks

[lapucelle]

39. You made yourself perfectly clear.

You didn't write "step down". You said "retire".

And then you asked whether it was "arrogance" that is keeping him from doing what Dick Durbin just did. Dick Durbin just retired.

In addition, I'm not sure why you think Chuck Schumer is motivated by arrogance. I've never heard him described that way.

[RiverStone]

14. Not age! Pls see my response (post #6) to Bernie being 83

I did not say Schumer is too old! To repeat, this is not about ageism!!

I did say he needs to move on as a (minority) leader in the Senate. IMO, he is no longer the best choice as minority leader. Granted, we have yet to see a robust challenge to his leadership, but I truly believe this will be in the cards sooner than later.

I'm not calling for any of those people you mentioned to retire either, i'm simply referring to Chuck Schumer as minority leader

[lapucelle]

17. Actually, you did call on Schumer to retire in your OP.

With all due respect to Senator Schumer's many positive years in Senate leadership, even great athletes know when it's time to retire.

Is it arrogance alone that insulates him from making the same move that Dick Durbin just did?

[RiverStone]

20. Yes, agree (see response to Cincy Dem) + a ? for you

Again, i could have made the distinction in the OP between retiring from the Senate and retiring as Minority Leader.

With that being said, I stand by, I believe he should retire as Minority Leader.

So Lapucelle, do you think senator schumer should retire (only) as Minority Leader, while still staying in the senate?

[lapucelle]

19. You do know that Chuck Schumer voted against the Republican CR, right?

Where is this misinformation coming from?[/b]

Every Senate Democrat (with the exception of Senator Jeanne Shaheen of NH) and every member of the House Democratic Caucus (with the exception of Thomas Massie of KY) voted AGAINST the Republican spending bill.

https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00133.htm#position
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1968/related-bills

[RiverStone]

24. What about this? (please see link) Schumer votes w/GOP

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/we-had-an-awful-choice-schumer-defends-voting-with-gop-saying-shutdown-would-be-worse

[lapucelle]

25. That was a procedural vote that kept the government open.

That link is to the cloture vote that allowed the CR to come to the floor for a vote.

Schumer took a lot of heat for his cloture vote, but it was the right call. That's what leaders do.

Had the government shut down, the Executive branch would have decided what would stay open and what would close. Trump would have decided how many federal workers would be furloughed and what departments they would come from. Federal workers who were kept on would be working without pay.

The Social Security Administration would probably have continued to cut checks, but it would not have had the manpower to process new claims.

Once the federal courts ran out of money, only mission critical (criminal) cases would have been heard. All the civil cases against the Executive branch would be held in abeyance.

The government would have stayed closed until Trump gave Johnson permission to bring a new CR to the House floor, and Democrats would be shouldering the blame.

Democrats did not take the bait, and that's due to Chuck Schumer.

[RiverStone]

31. Unfortunately, it seems tRump + DOGE are deciding anyway

The many thousands of federal workers who have been furloughed, fired, or had their entire department's eliminated has already been unprecedented and catastrophic for people and the environment alike.

Case in point, the Social Security Administration is still an entity, but due to layoffs and reorganization, it's become so inefficient people might as well be losing their checks (and not being able to complain to anybody) already.

Ultimately, it is what it is.

We can agree we despise the fascist regime, hopefully, we will come up with a unified and effective strategy to win in 2026.

Back to Schumer, if a representative majority Democrats truly feel he is no longer an effective leader, that a change will happen.That represents the best opportunity for us to kick republican ass in 2026!

[lapucelle]

33. The federal courts remain open.

People have already been disappeared. How many more would have been disappeared if Trump could do it entirely in the dark?

[BlueKota]

18. Not on Warren and Sanders.

They are speaking out loud and clear on how corrupt the other side is. It isn't his age that upsets me, it's his inability to face the reality that he can't cut deals with his Republican buddies in the gym or at lunch anymore. They aren't interested for one thing, and even if they tell you they will cut a deal, one call from tsf's team and Chuck's deal" is gone with the wind.

Gillibrand is younger but just as bad. Her commercials and letters keep bragging about how bipartisan she can be. I hate to break it to her but "bipartisanship," requires both sides be willing to negotiate fairly and honestly, and that cannot happen when your dealing with modern day Nazis.

[Attilatheblond]

22. Been watching Senator Cory Booker and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries live from the Capitol Steps for hours

Whole lot of others showed up to speak, some serving members of Congress, some labor leaders, some clerics, parents, and some 'young lobbyists', all with important stories to tell. It is AMAZING and empowering.

It's gone on for hours and is on Cory Booker's You-Tube channel. One assumes it will be available on is channel if you didn't tune in live.

]


Trust me, come in on any moment of this improvisational casual event and be energized, enlightened, and you WILL feel better about our nation's future. You will be reminded of our history, history made by people not unlike you & me, people who would NOT give up or cave to those who insisted we were powerless but who knew better.

Schumer may think he's the Senate Minority Leader, but it's an empty title without engaging in a real fight against Project 2025. New voices are speaking and they damned well mean to take a real fight to those who would walk on us and the Constitution.

Tomorrow matters. Call your senators. Let your House Reps hear you. Attend local peaceful demonstrations. Write LTTE for your local paper. Welcome neighbors. Tomorrow matters.

[Fiendish Thingy]

27. His term isn't up until 2028, right?

I think he’ll retire then

[Blue Full Moon]

28. Once someone says that usually not long after, goodbye.

[JCMach1]

34. What concerns me more is his approach to dealing with DJT

Is 'showing' the American people.

Chuck, get real we already know FFS. Now, DO SOMETHING. Anything

[Iamscrewed]

37. Who

Who's next that can get close to carrying that torch?

[thought crime]

41. Where's George Cloony? We need to hear from you.

[Rebl2]

45. Why?

[thought crime]

55. Remember Clooney's OP Ed last summer?

Last July, Clooney's Op Ed about Joe Biden started public demands for him to step down.

[Rebl2]

58. He should have

kept his mouth shut.

[Rebl2]

44. Someone

will have to seriously run against him before he gets the message.

[Skittles]

49. of course not

THAT IS THE FUCKING PROBLEM......in any other job if you had the kind of results Dems had in the last election there would be a HUGE change in leadership.

[Orrex]

51. We finally found what Chuck Schumer is willing to fight for:

Chuck Schumer.

[LuvLoogie]

52. He's got plenty of SOTU Democratic Rebuttal Speech giver selections left in him, yet.

Gumption, I tell ya. Gumption.

[moonshinegnomie]

53. honestly its time for all the old guard to retire so the younger generation can step in.

one big problem the dems have is attracting young voters...
they are not impresssed by 70+. year old leaders who for the most part continue to act like the old ways of doing things still work.

schumer sent a strong letter. as opposed to booker who stood up on the floor of the senate and spoke for 24+ hours...

people want to see action not just words..

[yellow dahlia]

54. Here is my assessment of the clip on CNN. Chuck Schumer thinks

an orchestra leader is what is called for in these times. We need a war time consigliere. We need someone who doesn't bring a pen (stern letter) to a missile attack.

It is not a debate about the CR or not the CR. Chuck does not have the right message. He does not deliver opposition well.

I think he is not the leader for these times. At the beginning of Grifter in Chief 2.0, Schumer was willing to watch as the grifter imploded and take advantage of the destruction and mistakes. Schumer was looking toward the next election - not the urgency of the moment.

Chris Murphy has a message about the urgency of saving Democracy and he is delivering it well. Cory Booker shook things up and created a path for a paradigm shift. Chris van Hollen is showing determination and courage. Sheldon Whitehouse wanted a "war room" years ago, but no one listened.

Schumer is not recognizing the talent in the Caucus. I think he is holding some of them back. Schumer still thinks he is the talent in the Caucus.