Senate Democrats embrace hardball on government shutdown

• "Democrats had nothing to do with this bill. And we want an opportunity to get an amendment vote or two. So that's what we are insisting on to vote for cloture," Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) told reporters after the meeting.
• "There are not the votes right now to pass it," Kaine said.
• Republicans will need at least eight Senate Dems to vote for the bill to move it forward, as 60 votes are needed to advance most Senate legislation.

Zoom in: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer spent weeks pushing his caucus to keep their powder dry on a shutdown. He privately counseled them that advocating for a shutdown was bad politics for Democrats.

• But he has also insisted that any legislation to keep the government open must be done in a bipartisan manner. The bill passed by the House on Tuesday was written exclusively by Republicans.
• Schumer is balancing his deep distaste for a shutdown against external pressure from the grassroots and Democratic voters to do more to stand up to President Trump.