Home Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) was left visibly annoyed on CNN after being confronted together with her personal phrases, confirming that Democrats are utilizing the continued Schumer Shutdown as “one of many few leverage occasions now we have.”
Throughout an interview with CNN’s Brianna Keilar, Clark was pressed about feedback she made final week to Fox’s Chad Pergram, the place she admitted that “shutdowns are horrible… and naturally, there can be households which can be going to undergo. We take that duty very critically. However it is without doubt one of the few leverage occasions now we have.”
White Home Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt instantly posted the clip on-line, calling out Clark’s gorgeous admission:
“The Democrats at the moment are admitting that they’re deliberately inflicting American households to undergo with their reckless authorities shutdown. What’s improper with them?”
The Democrats at the moment are admitting that they’re deliberately inflicting American households to “undergo” with their reckless authorities shutdown.
What’s improper with them? https://t.co/MhFEsBweoJ
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) October 22, 2025
Clark instantly went into injury management, accusing Leavitt of “half-truths” and “taking issues out of context,” regardless that her personal phrases had been on video, confirming the accuracy of the quote, and something mentioned earlier than or after is irrelevant.
Clark then pivoted right into a long-winded protection of Democrat insurance policies and assaults on Republicans.
CNN Host Brianna Keilar:
I wish to ask you about one thing else. White Home Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt simply posted a clip of an interview that you simply did on Fox final week. You had been answering a query from Fox’s Chad Pergram about blame for the shutdown. I wish to have a look at the submit right here.Katherine Clark:
I imply, shutdowns are horrible. And naturally, there can be households which can be going to undergo. We take that duty very critically. However it is without doubt one of the few leverage occasions now we have.CNN Host Brianna Keilar:
Leavitt is trying particularly at that final bit you mentioned there, saying that Democrats, quote, “at the moment are admitting that they’re deliberately inflicting American households to undergo with their reckless authorities shutdown.” What’s your response to that?Katherine Clark:
Properly, that’s proper out of her playbook of half-truths, taking issues out of context, and never being straight with the American individuals. And he or she is aware of what I mentioned, and I’ll let you know—and your viewers—it is a level the place we will now not help the price range of the Republicans that takes away well being care from hundreds of thousands of individuals, makes life tougher and dearer for each American, all to offer their everlasting tax breaks to the very wealthiest whereas driving up our deficit.We voted “no” to their price range in March, we voted “no” to their price range in July, and we voted “no” to their price range on the finish of September.
That is precisely what now we have been saying to them. They made a promise—the President’s phrases—that he would “love and cherish Medicaid.” Commerce. They might decrease prices for People on day one. And what they’re doing is the precise reverse.
They’ve taken horrible cuts not solely to the well being take care of People, to the meals applications, but in addition to federal employees. And now by some means we’re purported to imagine they’re the newfound champion of federal employees and individuals who work for a dwelling on this nation?
When now we have 60% of households that aren’t capable of afford the fundamentals, Democrats are saying, “Come to the desk.” And to straight reply your final query, I’m not going to barter on TV when I’ve Republicans who gained’t even present up.
That’s not an insult to me; that’s an insult to the individuals who despatched them right here to characterize them—to be their voice in these corridors which can be empty of my colleagues.
That’s simply displaying absolute disrespect for the hardworking individuals of this nation who’re watching this President and his loyalists in Congress make life so laborious for them. So that’s what this “no” vote on their price range is about. It’s about ensuring that we deal with this difficulty.
WATCH:
UPDATE: An unhinged @WhipKClark accuses @PressSec of mendacity after she…. quoted the congresswoman’s personal phrases from an interview she did on tape.
Democrats are NOT sending their finest! https://t.co/lnvLfJm13B pic.twitter.com/nIgvhGH7Pw
— Fast Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 22, 2025