On November 10, 2025, MSNBC host Katy Tur confronted U.S. Senator Tim Kaine during a broadcast, after the Virginia Democrat accused her of exaggerating internal divisions within the Democratic Party. This followed a critical Senate vote that helped end a government shutdown.
The exchange occurred on “Katy Tur Reports” as Tur questioned Kaine regarding his decision to join seven other Democrats and one Independent in siding with Republicans to approve a continuing resolution to reopen the government.
Tur asked Kaine why he trusted promises from the White House to negotiate improved health care for Americans. Kaine clarified that his trust did not lie with the White House but with the commitments now written into statute and with his Senate Republican colleagues to hold a vote.
The discussion intensified when Tur suggested the vote was causing division in the party, especially as Democrats seemed to be uniting after recent elections. Kaine countered, accusing Tur of overstating the situation and claiming that the media often portrayed events as crises, emphasizing that the party merely had differing opinions.
Tur did not accept the criticism, asserting that she was not fabricating or amplifying discord. “Don’t say it’s me,” she told Kaine, citing specific examples of Democratic disapproval.
Tur referenced statements from several prominent Democrats critical of the vote, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and U.S. Senator Chris Murphy.
“I mean, this is me quoting Democrats. I’m not making things up. I’m reading what people are saying,” Tur stated, defending her questioning.
The debate highlighted significant tensions within the Democratic Party regarding negotiations with Republicans over government funding and health care policy. Eight Democratic senators joined Republicans in voting for the resolution, which drew immediate criticism from progressives and party leadership.
Kaine’s vote in favor of the deal was based on his belief that resolving the health care issue was impossible if the government remained closed. His decision was seen by some as a pragmatic compromise, while others viewed it as capitulation.
The public disagreement between Kaine and Tur during the live interview illuminated the broader debate within Democratic circles about media coverage of internal conflicts. Kaine’s remark that Tur was dramatizing the situation suggested some Democrats were concerned that media narratives might be overstating divisions.
However, Tur’s defense, backed by direct quotes from influential Democrats, demonstrated that the criticism was not manufactured by the media but originated from within the party itself.
The incident marked a rare instance of on-air tension between a journalist and a typically media-friendly senator. Kaine appeared to be downplaying the significance of the disagreement within his party.
The vote on Sunday night, which ignited the controversy, was pivotal in resolving the government shutdown, with the eight Democratic senators playing a key role in advancing the Republican-backed continuing resolution, leading to the reopening of the government after several days of closure.
