House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) was left visibly frustrated on CNN after being confronted with her own words, confirming that Democrats are using the ongoing Schumer Shutdown as “one of the few leverage times we have.”
During an interview with CNN’s Brianna Keilar, Clark was pressed about comments she made last week to Fox’s Chad Pergram, where she admitted that “shutdowns are terrible… and of course, there will be families that are going to suffer. We take that responsibility very seriously. But it is one of the few leverage times we have.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt immediately posted the clip online, calling out Clark’s stunning admission:
“The Democrats are now admitting that they are intentionally causing American families to suffer with their reckless government shutdown. What is wrong with them?”
The Democrats are now admitting that they are intentionally causing American families to “suffer” with their reckless government shutdown.
What is wrong with them? https://t.co/MhFEsBweoJ
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) October 22, 2025
Clark immediately went into damage control, accusing Leavitt of “half-truths” and “taking things out of context,” even though her own words were on video, confirming the accuracy of the quote, and anything said before or after is irrelevant.
Clark then pivoted into a long-winded defense of Democrat policies and attacks on Republicans.
CNN Host Brianna Keilar:
I want to ask you about something else. White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt just posted a clip of an interview that you did on Fox last week. You were answering a question from Fox’s Chad Pergram about blame for the shutdown. I want to look at the post here.Katherine Clark:
I mean, shutdowns are terrible. And of course, there will be families that are going to suffer. We take that responsibility very seriously. But it is one of the few leverage times we have.CNN Host Brianna Keilar:
Leavitt is looking especially at that last bit you said there, saying that Democrats, quote, “are now admitting that they are intentionally causing American families to suffer with their reckless government shutdown.” What’s your response to that?Katherine Clark:
Well, that is right out of her playbook of half-truths, taking things out of context, and not being straight with the American people. And she knows what I said, and I will tell you—and your viewers—this is a point where we can no longer support the budget of the Republicans that takes away health care from millions of people, makes life harder and more expensive for every American, all to give their permanent tax breaks to the very wealthiest while driving up our deficit.We voted “no” to their budget in March, we voted “no” to their budget in July, and we voted “no” to their budget at the end of September.
This is exactly what we have been saying to them. They made a promise—the President’s words—that he would “love and cherish Medicaid.” Trade. They would lower costs for Americans on day one. And what they are doing is the exact opposite.
They have taken terrible cuts not only to the health care for Americans, to the food programs, but also to federal workers. And now somehow we’re supposed to believe they are the newfound champion of federal workers and people who work for a living in this country?
When we have 60% of households that aren’t able to afford the basics, Democrats are saying, “Come to the table.” And to directly answer your last question, I am not going to negotiate on TV when I have Republicans who won’t even show up.
That’s not an insult to me; that’s an insult to the people who sent them here to represent them—to be their voice in these corridors that are empty of my colleagues.
That is just showing absolute disrespect for the hardworking people of this country who are watching this President and his loyalists in Congress make life so hard for them. So that is what this “no” vote on their budget is about. It is about making sure that we address this issue.
WATCH:
UPDATE: An unhinged @WhipKClark accuses @PressSec of lying after she…. quoted the congresswoman’s own words from an interview she did on tape.
Democrats are NOT sending their best! https://t.co/lnvLfJm13B pic.twitter.com/nIgvhGH7Pw
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 22, 2025