Post Reports: "Sen. Cory Booker on the Democrats’ Risky Shutdown Bet"

Date: October 2, 2025
Host: Colby Itkowitz (for The Washington Post)
Guest: Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ)

Overview

This episode of Post Reports dives into the ongoing federal government shutdown, focusing on the Democrats' decision to use the shutdown as leverage against President Trump's administration. Host Colby Itkowitz sits down with Senator Cory Booker to discuss the strategy behind the Democratic stand, voter frustrations, the broader stakes amid partisan gridlock, and what it will take to move forward. The conversation is candid, introspective, and at times confrontational, as both the stakes and the risks of the Democratic approach are explored.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Democrats' Shutdown Strategy and Its Risks

• Democratic Goals:
  • Democrats are refusing to support a Republican government funding plan, demanding an extension of health care subsidies—particularly those supporting the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) marketplace.
  • They are leveraging the shutdown at a rare moment of maximum influence, knowing their votes are required ([04:48]).
• Booker’s Framing:
  • Booker positions the shutdown as a direct response to President Trump’s failure to fulfill promises, especially regarding lowering costs and healthcare ([02:36], [03:55]):

    "He said he would lower costs on day one, and he's done the opposite. You've seen costs go up on groceries, on fuel, on prescription drugs across the board..." ([02:36])

  • He emphasizes the need for bipartisan negotiations, claiming the onus is on Trump and Republicans to come to the table.

2. Pain and Political Calculus

• Costs to Federal Workers:
  • The shutdown leaves many federal workers without pay or laid off, a fact Booker doesn’t shy from.
• Confronting Trump’s Tactics:
  • Booker accuses the President of wielding the shutdown as a weapon against “blue states” and federal employees:

    "A president has said if you don't give me my way, I'm going to hurt hundreds of thousands of more people… if you don't come my way, I'm gonna lay off more government workers." ([05:46])

  • He critiques Trump’s leadership as defined by "chaos, corruption, and cruelty" ([06:51]):

    "The main features of this presidency... chaos, corruption and cruelty... We are a democracy, not an autocracy."

• Booker’s Red Lines:
  • He refuses to state exactly which concessions would end the shutdown but insists "I'm not gonna give them my vote unless they're willing to do something to help the people of New Jersey in some way." ([05:14])

3. Democratic Party Frustrations and Renewal

• Voters Want More Fight:
  • There is widespread frustration that Democrats have not done enough to stand up to Trump, both among voters and within the party ([08:18]):

    "There's obviously been a lot of frustration among Democratic voters and others that the Democrats haven't done enough to... blunt this president."

• Booker’s Critique of His Own Party:
  • Booker is outspoken about his party’s faults, highlighting institutional corruption and a lack of visionary leadership ([10:02]):

    "I have a lot of frustrations with my own party and really believe that this is a Shiva moment... The Democratic Party better... be the party of the kind of things that the American people really wants to see."

  • He condemns both parties for allowing stock trading, PAC money, and general corruption:

    "People on both sides of the political aisle trade stocks. That's ridiculous... I don't understand how we allow corporations and Citizens United to come here and dump money on politicians." ([10:44])

• The American Dream and Inequality:
  • Booker laments the fading opportunity for upward mobility in America and calls out the system’s failure to serve the majority of people, sharing personal stories from his community in Newark ([11:46]).

4. Democratic Approaches & Tactics

• On Fighting Style:
  • The episode references California Governor Gavin Newsom's combative style, calling J.D. Vance a "dipshit" on Twitter, spurring a discussion on whether Democrats should fight fire with fire ([13:01]):
    • Booker is measured, embracing diverse tactics but emphasizing the need to break through the "attention economy":

      "I, for one, am very—I stood on the floor for 25 hours. I did a sit-in on the steps of the Capitol...You have got to find a way to break through." ([13:19], [13:52])

    • He ultimately believes Americans want leaders who are problem solvers, not just combatants.
• Booker's Vision for Leadership:
  • Booker aligns himself with a more hopeful, bridge-building vision for America:

    "What Americans are yearning to hear from us is that we're problem solvers, that we can get things done, that we don't hate each other..." ([14:09])

5. Moral Stakes: Trump’s Rhetoric on “War Within”

• On Calls for Troops in Cities:
  • Booker reacts strongly to Trump’s rhetoric about American cities and the idea of deploying troops domestically ([14:36]):

    "This is so violative of American shared values... It is such an attack on the dignity and the decency of the military, not to mention the people that he's vilifying..." ([15:06])

  • He characterizes this as a moral crisis, not just a partisan issue, invoking the spirit of civil rights leaders and previous generations overcoming hate.
• What's at Stake:
  • Booker sees the present as a pivotal moment to reaffirm American decency and democracy:

    "This is our moment. And I know past generations have overcome those times, and I believe that we will, too." ([16:20])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Shutdown Leverage:

  "The one time Democrats have any kind of leverage where they need us to is now. And to just capitulate to a president who promised to lower costs... Everything he told us he would do, he has not followed through on."
  —Sen. Cory Booker ([04:48])

• On Taking a Stand:

  "I for one, one senator is going to stand up and fight you."
  —Sen. Cory Booker ([06:54])

• On Democratic Party Renewal:

  "This is a Shiva moment... It’s also the God of renewal and rebirth. The Democratic Party better come back re-put itself back together..."
  —Sen. Cory Booker ([10:02])

• On Institutional Corruption:

  "People on both sides of the political aisle trade stocks. That's ridiculous... I was the fourth... not taking corporate PAC money because this system is corrupt."
  —Sen. Cory Booker ([10:44])

• On the American Dream:

  "The American dream, the idea of our country is slipping away from the majority of the people. And our party has lacked the compelling vision for how we are gonna deal with that..."
  —Sen. Cory Booker ([11:46])

• On Trump’s “War From Within” Speech:

  "What he is doing is such an attack on our shared values. It is such an attack on the dignity and the decency of the military, not to mention the people that he's vilifying and trying to turn our own troops on."
  —Sen. Cory Booker ([15:06])

• On Hope and Renewal:

  "I believe that there is not going to be one party that's going to emerge. I believe... Amidst all this destruction is a moment that I hope to help be a part of that is actually an American renewal..."
  —Sen. Cory Booker ([12:50])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Booker sets the stage for Democratic strategy & frustration with Trump: [02:36] – [03:55]
• Discussion about healthcare subsidies and shutdown leverage: [03:55] – [05:14]
• Critique of Trump’s shutdown threats and the "three C’s": [05:46] – [06:54]
• Frustration with Democratic passivity and call for a “Shiva moment”: [10:02] – [11:44]
• Personal reflections on economic opportunity, the party, and leadership: [11:46] – [12:50]
• On tactics (Newsom, attention economy, breaking through): [13:01] – [13:52]
• Response to Trump’s “war from within” language: [14:36] – [16:20]
• Booker leaves to cast a Senate vote: [16:33] – [16:54]

Conclusion

This episode provides an in-depth look at the Democrats’ high-stakes gamble in the government shutdown standoff, centering on healthcare, bipartisanship, and the soul-searching within the Democratic Party. Senator Cory Booker offers a candid assessment of the politics, pressure, and deeper values at play—framed as both a partisan power struggle and a test of American ideals. Listeners get a sense of the urgency, risks, internal conflict, and moral dimensions at stake in this defining political fight.