Republicans and Democrats were pointing fingers at each other as they tried to place blame for the government shutdown.
The scenario played out during a town hall Wednesday evening in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo was the host.
A plethora of topics were discussed, including the ongoing government shutdown as both sides continued to blame each other.
Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) said Democrats want to keep the government open. However, Republicans “haven’t been in town for weeks.”
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) responded that Republicans “passed a bill that funds the government at the level the Democrats wanted.”
“You have the trifecta. You’re failing to govern,” Dean retorted.
Rep. Ro Khannan (D-Calif.) spoke up and questioned why members of Congress aren’t locked in the Capitol until a deal is reached.
He also said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) was “too ineffective to shut down the government.”
Stephen A. Smith, who provided commentary with Bill O’Reilly, said people are frustrated by the shutdown — something lawmakers don’t understand.
“Everybody up here is getting paid,” he said, pointing to the members of Congress on the stage.
Meanwhile, while a man is working extra DoorDash to pay for his daughter’s tuition. No paychecks are being issued traffic controllers because of the shutdown.
“The debt is high. A government shutdown is happening right now, and the only person not getting a check is him,” Smith said.
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Another topic discussed was how few Democrats are working towards a resolution.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) spoke of being one of two Democrats voting to keep the government open.
“You don’t hold the government hostage,” Fetterman said, He added the shutdown is “what the Democratic Party wants to do.”
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Fetterman said he believes in “calling balls and strikes” despite angering some in his own party.
He called President Donald Trump, a Republican, a “hero” for his role in the release of Hamas hostages.
Former Sen. Joe Manchin, (I-W.Va.) said members of Congress are not working together because they don’t know each other.
“How can you work together if you don’t know anybody?” Manchin said.
He called the shutdown “something that should never happen.”
