We’ve been tough on CBS News’ Margaret Brennan. She’s self-immolated herself trying to corner Republicans and Trump officials, making for great smackdown content, but not this time. On Sunday, the Face the Nation host cornered Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), one of the most insufferable members of Congress, on his past remarks about the government shutdown.
In 2018, when Democrats shut down the government over border security, Murphy said, “We shouldn't be having the discussion amidst a government shutdown, and trying to use our nation's security and all of these federal workers and the work that they do as hostages.”
🚨 WOW! Democrats failed so miserably on the government shutdown even CBS is BRUTALLY calling them out now
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 12, 2025
BRENNAN: You've been critical of shutting down the government! 2018 and 2013. Here's what you said in 2018.
SEN. MURPHY (D): "We shouldn't be having the discussion amidst… pic.twitter.com/qgvoYghcPU
Well, that’s exactly what’s happening now: a government shutdown caused by Democrats that has taken federal workers hostage, because liberals want $1.5 trillion for illegal alien health care and NPR funding.
Murphy’s rebuttal was weak, basically saying it’s different, because that’s what all Democrats say when their spot is blown up. Democrats are dying on a public policy hill that's not popular, and it's not about the health care subsidies that expire in December. It's about illegal aliens' access to health care. That's at the core of this fight. Those subsidies could be addressed if they didn't shut down the whole works.
A sign that the shutdown is not going well for Democrats: They've lost Margaret Brennan pic.twitter.com/0UpBVCIZ9n
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) October 12, 2025