Van Jones on Democrats' 'volcanic anger' with Schumer: 'We need alpha energy'

CNN political commentator Van Jones weighed in on the “volcanic anger” Democrats have with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) after he voted to advance the GOP-backed spending bill, emphasizing the party needs some “alpha energy” and has to push back harder on the changes being executed by the current administration.

“We want some alpha energy. And that's not what we're seeing. This party is tired of watching Donald Trump and Elon Musk run over this party, run over this country, run over the Constitution,” Jones said during his Friday night appearance on CNN.

“And if you only have one opportunity to take a stand, and you don't take it, it's very difficult,” the former adviser to President Obama added.

Jones reacted to a clip from radio host Charlamagne tha God, who earlier on Friday called on both Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) to step aside.

“Dems don’t just have a messaging problem. They got a leadership problem,” the radio host said. “The Chuck Schumers of the world, the Hakeem Jeffries’s, they should all step down.”

Capitol Hill Democrats, who are still in disarray following their 2024 presidential election loss, have expressed anger toward Schumer, who on Thursday announced he would vote to advance the Republican-crafted continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government through September. He was one of the 10 Democrats to vote to push ahead the GOP-backed legislation on Friday.

Later that day, the legislation passed with a 54-46 vote. Only Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Angus King (I-Maine), who caucuses with Democrats, backed the measure in the final floor vote. President Trump is expected to sign the legislation.

Schumer received heavy pushback from Democrats in the House, including fellow New York Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

“There is a deep sense of outrage and betrayal,” she said. “And this is not just about progressive Democrats, This is across the board — the entire party.”

Jones said on Friday that if a hypothetical Senate primary between Schumer and Ocasio-Cortez took place now, the Democrats’ longtime leader would lose his seat to the progressive lawmaker.

“But if we want somebody who's going to stand up to this bully, stand up this bully, do something, and if you shut the government down, and it gets a little bit crazy, in the least, some positives about the rationality, there's an emotional need to stop Donald Trump and Elon Musk running over this party,” Jones said.

"And I think Chuck Schumer has radically misread the room,” he added.

Topics

Schumer to vote for GOP spending bill amid Democratic divisions

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says that he is ready to advance Republicans’ funding bill to avert a government shutdown. It marks a major reversal from two days ago and the strategy is ...
NBC News - 1d
Schumer says he will vote to advance GOP spending bill, lowering threat of shutdown

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) announced on the Senate floor Thursday that he plans to vote to advance a House-passed six-month government funding bill, despite the strong opposition ...
The Hill - 1d
Chuck Schumer says he won't block Republican funding bill amid Democratic divisions over shutdown strategy

WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N
NBC News - 1d
10 Democrats help Republicans advance GOP funding bill to avoid shutdown

A group of 10 Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), on Friday voted to advance a Republican-crafted bill to fund the government through Sept. 30, taking a crucial step ...
The Hill - 1d
Grassroots Democratic group calls for Schumer to resign as minority leader

Pass the Torch, a grassroots Democratic group that called for former President Biden to step out of the 2024 presidential race, is now calling for Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to resign as minority ...
The Hill - 1d
Schumer says Democrats will block GOP funding bill, raising shutdown alert

Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday that Senate Democrats will not provide the votes to pass the House-approved deal to fund the government.
ABC News - 2d
Jeffries mum on confidence in Schumer

House Democratic leaders are staying mum on their assessment of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) amid the uproar over his support for advancing a controversial Republican spending ...
The Hill - 1d
Democrats react to Schumer's plan to vote for GOP funding bill

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is surprising a lot of Democrats with his move to vote for the Republican funding bill in order to avoid a looming government shutdown. Moderator of Meet the ...
NBC News - 1d
House Democrats bash Senate colleagues for backing GOP spending bill: ‘Huge slap in the face’

House Democrats are furious at their fellow Democrats in the Senate for supporting a Republican spending bill, saying Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and other aisle-hopping senators are ...
The Hill - 1d