Lefty Host Admits Dems Losing Messaging Battle On Schumer Shutdown

Left-wing radio host Charlamagne tha God admitted Monday that Democrats are failing miserably to control the narrative surrounding the ongoing Schumer Shutdown, now in its third week.

“I read a poll this morning that said, you know, a lot of Americans are starting to blame Democrats for the government shutdown,” Charlamagne told MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace during an appearance on her podcast The Best People.

“And it’s just simply because Republicans are better at messaging than Democrats will ever be,” he added, conceding that his party’s communications strategy continues to falter.

“I can’t believe Democrats still haven’t figured out how to message,” Charlamagne continued. “But right now, at a time when American people are hurting, and they can point directly to the Trump administration to say, earlier in the year, it was DOGE cutting all the federal jobs. Now they are in charge of every branch of government, and it’s the government shutdown and all of y’all are losing jobs.”

The comments marked a rare moment of candor from a prominent progressive media figure, acknowledging that Democrats’ refusal to negotiate on a funding bill has backfired politically. The shutdown—now the third-longest in U.S. history—has cost taxpayers an estimated $8 billion so far.

Democrats have insisted that any temporary funding bill must include expanded Obamacare subsidies, which would allow states to provide taxpayer-funded healthcare to illegal immigrants. Republicans have flatly rejected that demand, calling it an irresponsible and partisan poison pill.

Charlamagne admitted that the GOP’s clear messaging has resonated more effectively with voters.

“Republicans have beat it in people’s head that it’s Democrats’ fault, and Democrats are taking credit for it,” he said. “They’re saying, ‘No, yeah, we are the reason the government is shut down, but we’re doing it because we didn’t want your healthcare prices to get jacked up.’ So they’re taking a stand, but it’s hurting a whole lot of other people while this stand is being took.”

In a surprising rebuke of the liberal media, Charlamagne also called out MSNBC for ignoring legitimate voter concerns about the southern border crisis.

“You know, you can’t just ignore people’s criticisms of the border and chalk it up to MAGA messaging,” he said. “I’ll never forget when MSNBC did that to me… based off me listening to people in New York City, listening to people in Chicago, activists in Chicago, and them telling me what their issues with the border were.”

Meanwhile, the Senate on Monday rejected a House-passed continuing resolution to reopen the government for the 11th time, extending the shutdown for yet another week. The measure failed on a 50–43 vote, short of the 60 needed for passage.

Two Democrats—Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Angus King (I-ME)—broke ranks to side with Republicans. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) did not vote, while Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) was the only Republican “no” vote, citing fiscal concerns.

Despite growing pressure from the public, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) dug in his heels, declaring on the Senate floor that the Democratic position “remains the same.”

Republicans argue that Democrats alone are responsible for the crisis, pointing out that the Obamacare tax credits at the heart of the dispute were passed, expanded, and set to expire entirely under Democratic leadership.

“It is truly amazing how a program Democrats created and tax credits that they chose to sunset have now become the Republicans’ crisis,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said Monday. “Democrats created ObamaCare — alone. They implemented the enhanced tax credits — alone. And they chose a sunset date for those tax credits — alone.”

“Democrats are solely — solely — responsible for the ObamaCare tax credit cliff,” Thune added. “And yet they’re trying to pin this disaster on Republicans while at the very same time asking us to bail them out. It’s really kind of ironic.”

The Senate is expected to hold another vote on a stopgap funding bill Wednesday, though prospects for a breakthrough remain slim.

With each passing day, Democrats appear increasingly isolated — and even their own allies, like Charlamagne tha God, are beginning to admit it.