Republicans were livid over Schumer's rebuke after debt ceiling vote. Joe Manchin would've 'done it differently.'

By the time 11 Republican senators finally agreed to thwart Sen. Ted Cruz's (R-Texas) filibuster of a two-month debt limit increase on Thursday night, allowing 50 Democrats to pass the legislation, feelings were pretty raw in the Senate chamber.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who reached an agreement with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) earlier in the day to allow the short-term break from the threat of fiscal calamity, had spent hours cajoling at least nine more Republicans to seal the deal. And when the 61-38 vote to end the filibuster was official, Schumer lit into his GOP colleagues.
"I thank my Democratic colleagues for showing unity in solving this Republican-manufactured crisis," he said. "Republicans played a dangerous and risky partisan game, and I am glad that their brinkmanship did not work."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"Republicans reacted volcanically to Schumer's speech," Politico reports. Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) was one of the senators who approached Schumer to voice that displeasure. "His speech was totally out of line," he said. "I mean, he crossed lines and it was inappropriate and tone deaf and I told him that." Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), the 11th GOP yes vote, told CNN it was a "classless speech."
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who voted to filibuster the bill, called Schumer's speech self-defeating."There's a time to be graceful and there's a time to be combative," he said. "That was a time for grace and common ground."
Republicans appear to be frustrated McConnell caved after months of insisting Democrats raise the debt ceiling through the cumbersome budget reconciliation process, but Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), who was sitting behind Schumer as he spoke, didn't seem thrilled with Schumer's GOP rebuke, either.
"I'm sure that Chuck's frustration was built up, but that's not the way to take it out," Manchin said afterward. "We just disagree. I'd have done it differently."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Nobody seemed thrilled with Thursday's exercise in catastrophe avoidance. "This whole process is stupidity on steroids," said Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.). Nevertheless, the Senate will almost certainly do it again in seven weeks.
We did learn something from the vote, though. Before Wednesday, the assumption was that McConnell was insisting Democrats use budget reconciliation as part of some plan to derail their agenda or at least rake up material for 2022 attack ads. But political scientist Sarah Binder said there now seems to be a simpler explanation.
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Trump hits Africa, Middle East with new travel ban
Speed Read The travel ban bars visitors from 12 countries and restricts entry from seven
-
Elon Musk slams Trump's 'pork-filled' signature bill
speed read 'Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong,' Musk posted on X
-
Depleted FEMA struggling as hurricane season begins
speed read FEMA has lost a third of its workforce amid DOGE cuts enforced by President Donald Trump
-
White House tackles fake citations in MAHA report
speed read A federal government public health report spearheaded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was rife with false citations
-
Judge blocks push to bar Harvard foreign students
speed read Judge Allison Burroughs sided with Harvard against the Trump administration's attempt to block the admittance of international students
-
Trump's trade war whipsawed by court rulings
Speed Read A series of court rulings over Trump's tariffs renders the future of US trade policy uncertain
-
Elon Musk departs Trump administration
speed read The former DOGE head says he is ending his government work to spend more time on his companies
-
Trump taps ex-personal lawyer for appeals court
speed read The president has nominated Emil Bove, his former criminal defense lawyer, to be a federal judge