Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) said Friday there is too much "political correctness" in the United States these days, although he tagged both sides of the aisle as being to blame.
Appearing on "Morning Joe" with Schumer to discuss the midterms, MSNBC host Steve Kornacki pointed out data analysis showing general Republican vulnerability with independent voters except in one area: "PC culture."
"They really detest PC culture, political correctness culture, and maybe they sense that the Democratic Party and liberals in general ... don't see it that way," Kornacki said. "Is there too much political correctness in this country?"
"I think there is too much political correctness in this country, but I think health care is far and away the dominant issue," Schumer said. "There's a lot of political correctness on both sides all the time, and it's not the biggest issue, not even close. Biggest issue with independents? Health care."
"Political correctness" is a sore spot with many on the right; President Donald Trump once memorably responded to a debate question about insulting women in the past by saying the country was too "politically correct."
Schumer sounded bullish on Democratic hopes of taking back the House of Representatives and the Senate—polling shows Democrats in good shape to win the majority in the former but facing an uphill climb to take it back in the latter.
Democrats took electoral beatings in 2010 and 2014, the two midterm elections during the Barack Obama administration. They hope to continue a historic trend: the sitting president's political party traditionally loses seats in his first midterm.