Part 4/7:
In the lead-up to the confirmation vote, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer made a passionate statement suggesting that there might be "better choices" than Gabbard for the DNI position. He even speculated that if the vote were secret, Gabbard would receive only around ten votes of support from the Senate. This prediction was largely viewed as overblown rhetoric aimed at undermining her nomination rather than a reflection of genuine consensus among senators.
Despite Schumer’s misgivings and the attempts to delay the process, the Senate ultimately proceeded with the vote, moving past his objections. Supporters of Gabbard pointed out that the confirmation process was designed around thorough scrutiny through committee hearings and background checks, which had concluded favorably for her.