Jen Psaki, Colbert mock Schumer, lament Democrats relying on old tactics

MSNBC host Jen Psaki told CBS “Late Show” host Stephen Colbert on Wednesday that not enough Democrats were fighting back against President Donald Trump, as the two liberals mocked Sen. Chuck Schumer’s efforts.

“I think what’s pretty clear is not enough of them are fighting, far too many are still relying on the old tactics of ever lore,” Psaki told Colbert before the late-night host quickly brought up Schumer.  

“But Chuck Schumer, he wrote a very strong letter,” he said. Psaki piled on and noted that it included, “eight strongly worded questions.”

She quipped, “If that’s not going to make you shake in your boots, I don’t know what is.”

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Schumer touted sending the president a “strong letter” about Trump’s government funding freeze at Harvard University, during a CNN interview on Sunday. 

Psaki praised Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s speech in New Hampshire on Sunday, calling it “incredibly powerful and strong.” In the speech, Pritzker called for mass protests against Trump. 

She added that “the message he was sending was, ‘I’m a fighter, I’m going to say the things, I’m going to call out the do-nothing Democrats’ – his word, not my words. He’s going to call out what he’s seeing in the Trump administration.”

Psaki continued, saying, “I think what we are seeing right now is there is a divide, basically. There are people who are out there doing stuff, and by doing stuff I mean, it can be anything: go lead a protest, go to a red state, go hold a town hall, go to El Salvador. Whatever it may be, do stuff, people want to know you’re fighting and doing things. If Democrats are going to rely on the tactics of old, they will lose.”

 “And so, hopefully more people come on to the fighting side,” she added.

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The MSNBC host was also asked if journalists were “caving to the pressure of the Trump administration,” and denying the public truth. 

“Yes, I mean, first of all, when you are picking out the AP and Bloomberg, I mean these are reporters who are asking things like ‘what do you say about the bond market? What about these ceasefire negotiations?’ They are not gotcha questions, they are there to cover the actual news, policymaking that is happening in the administration,” she said, outlining her concerns.

“I’ve worked with media for more than two decades. Where the decisions are made are often behind the scenes, so there is no media organization or media outlet or reporter who is going to say, ‘We are going to obey and advance now.’ That’s not how it’s going to work.”

She added, “What happens is stories are killed, voices aren’t invited on, stories are muted, they’re watered down. We’ve obviously seen this happen recently, we don’t know all the details behind the scenes with ‘60 Minutes,’ but Bill Owens resigning is a significant statement of what they felt they were experiencing.”

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“I think most journalists are there to hold truth to power, to hold people to account, to follow the story, but where does the pressure come from at the top? And how do people respond to that? And how does that manifest itself in what news ends up on the front pages and on television? And those are pieces you will not see all of the behind-the-scenes conversations on,” Psaki said.