The stunning and fierce revolt against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) for backing down from Republicans in a shutdown battle is being magnified by the resounding silence from Democrats refusing to come to his defense.

In interview, the Senate minority leader said intraparty critics underestimated the dangers of a funding lapse.

A generational divide, seen in newer lawmakers’ impatience with bipartisanship and for colleagues who don’t understand new media, has emerged as one of the deepest rifts within the party.