Vance blames Schumer's fear of AOC primary challenge as shutdown cause

Vance criticized Schumer and congressional Democrats in remarks about the shutdown during a White House press briefing, saying there were "a lot of different answers" about why the Democrats shutdown the government before he laid out the "reality."

Vance further excoriated Schumer, saying if the shutdown persists, the senator's wing of the Democratic Party is responsible for the fallout.

"Our troops are not getting paid starting today because of the Chuck Schumer wing of the Democratic Party," the vice president said. "We have people who require food assistance, low-income Americans who require food assistance, who will not get it unless we reopen the government, thanks to Chuck Schumer and his wing of the Democratic Party. 

"We have flood insurance as we start hurricane season in the southeastern part of our country. That flood insurance is going to disappear because of Chuck Schumer and the far left of the Democratic Party."

"So, I'd invite Chuck Schumer to join the moderate Democrats and 52 Senate Republicans, do the right thing, open up the people's government and then let's fix health care policy for the American people," Vance said.

"I think that certainly Sen. Schumer was not expecting three moderates to break with him last night," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. "In fact, last night you heard Sen. Schumer say he can't guarantee that he will be able to hold his caucus together."

Leavitt said the White House encourages Democrats to have "the courage to do the right thing" and vote on the resolution to keep the government funded.