Senate Democrat zings Schumer on timing of debt ceiling tirade against GOP

'The timing may not have been the best,' Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware said Sunday.
Senator Chris Coons

Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said Sunday that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's tirade against the GOP came at an inconvenient moment when "we need more stability in our Congress and our country."

"While I completely understand President Schumer's deep frustration, the timing may not have been the best," Coons said, mistakenly referring to Schumer as the chief executive.

Coons said he agreed with Schumer's sentiments, but like Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia -- who shook his head and walked from the Senate floor after Schumer's speech -- believes the moment of dealing with a debt ceiling and and a bipartisan infrastructure bill called for civil conversation.

Schumer last week accused Republicans of playing "dangerous and risky partisan game."

"Frankly, I agree with the reasons why Senator Schumer was so frustrated that this standoff over the debt limit was risky, was unnecessary, was a manufactured crisis," Coons told Fox News Sunday. "But partly why Senator Manchin had his head in his hands was he thinks our leaders should be talking to each other directly. And all of us agree that we need more stability in our Congress and our country."