When pressed on whether Democrats are overreaching in funding negotiations, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) gave the kind of answer that sounded more like a deflection than a defense.
Appearing on CNBC’s Squawk Box Thursday, Shaheen was asked by co-host Joe Kernen whether Democrats were trying to “take Republicans to the cleaners” in the standoff over a short-term spending bill.
The question came after President Donald Trump canceled a scheduled meeting with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries earlier in the week, calling their demands for the continuing resolution “ridiculous.”
Kernen pressed Shaheen on whether Democrats were simply asking for too much. “Give them an inch and they’ll take a mile?” he asked, pointing to the $1 trillion-plus package Democrats have demanded, which includes restoring funds for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting after Congress clawed them back in July. “Is the problem that some of your colleagues are asking for too many things?”
Rather than address the heart of the question, Shaheen pivoted to small businesses in New Hampshire, describing a roundtable she hosted where owners said they rely on tax credits to help cover health insurance for workers. She then shifted to trade and tariffs.
“But you’re not answering…” Kernen cut in, prompting Shaheen to finally concede: “I’m not answering your question because I think it’s a bigger problem that you’re not acknowledging.”
That acknowledgment — that she was deliberately dodging the question — underscored the tension Democrats face. While Republicans accuse them of trying to stuff a stopgap bill with unrelated priorities, Democrats argue that the funding fight reflects larger systemic issues, including healthcare costs and trade disputes.
So far, the legislative battle reflects the stalemate. The House managed to pass a short-term resolution on Friday, but the Senate’s Democratic proposal has failed to advance. Trump, meanwhile, is making clear that he won’t bend, framing the negotiations as a test of fiscal responsibility versus political gamesmanship.
The bigger problem Shaheen alluded to may well be gridlock itself. But for now, her evasive answer highlighted the political reality: neither side is ready to give ground, and the prospect of another fiscal showdown looms large.
