EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Durbin's bizarre defense Schumer's latest gaffe
Sen. Dick Durbin's office attempted a "ballsy" comms move in its bizarre attempt to defend Chuck Schumer.
Sen. Chuck Schumer’s (D., N.Y.) remarks to Punchbowl that “every day gets better for us” during the Schumer Shutdown have caused quite a stir within the Senate Democratic caucus.
Most Democratic senators the Washington Reporter reached out to did not respond to requests for comment — but retiring Sen. Dick Durbin’s (D., Ill.) communications director, Maddie Carlos, did respond, by saying that the quote was taken out of context. Carlos instead sent the “full quote” which included, in part:
“Each day our case gets better and better, stronger and stronger because families are opening their letters showing how high their premiums will clam [sic] if Republicans get their way.”
However, this “full quote” provided by Sen. Durbin’s office did not contain the words cited by Punchbowl, “every day gets better for us.”
This suggests that either Punchbowl reported the quote correctly, or that Senator Durbin’s office sent the Reporter a completely different quote to show that Schumer’s “every day gets better for us” was taken out of context.
The Reporter asked Schumer’s office if it has requested a correction from Punchbowl for its reporting.
A Republican Senate source told the Reporter that “providing a different statement to explain why a quote is taken out of context is a ballsy comms move, even for a Democratic Senate office. Classic Durbin. Gotta respect his game. He will be missed in the next Congress.”