Sen. Schumer: Republicans Will 'Blink' on Obamacare

When all is said and done about trying to defund Obamacare, the Republicans will back down, New York Sen. Chuck Schumer predicted Friday.

"At the end of the day, they'll blink," Schumer said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." "All the Republican leadership knows that doing this is a disaster for them."

Schumer said Republicans are hoping attempts to defund Obamacare will "play out," adding that moderate Republicans "are not strong enough to resist the tea party."

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Infighting among Republicans has "weakened them with the public," but has strengthened Democrats, Schumer contended.

He said Obamacare defunding is "a great issue to raise money" for tea party affiliated Republicans. It gets their name in the media when their mind is on higher office he said, referring to Sen. Ted Cruz's presumed presidential aspirations.  "He knows it's a disaster," Schumer said.

"He took this hot potato that he created. He heated up the potato and threw it over to the House. He said, 'Not me. You guys do it.' That got them furious, as it should," he added.

"When there is disunity, as amongst Republicans, there was among Democrats two years ago, you almost always lose," Schumer said.

A government shutdown will not play out in the long run, Schumer indicated.
"You could have the collapse of the economy," he said.

Instead, Schumer indicated, when it comes down to the wire, there will be "pressure on mainstream Republicans that they stand up" and not let "60 tea party people dictate" to them.