Now I think I get it.

The Democrat Party must have done polling before the shut down and interpreted their polling results as projecting that the blame would be placed on the Republican party for the shut down, and therefore, the Republican party would give the Democrats whatever they wanted.

Maybe yes, maybe no. It's one thing to poll the general public, it's another thing entirely to have polled those people most directly and immediately affected by the shut down.

Sure, all the privileged white ProGlibs that got included in the shut down polling were probably vehemently anti-Trump and anti-GOP--as these folks always are. But that's not the same exact group as people directly and negatively affected by the shut down.

But the main problem with the Democrat strategy is: It was entirely unprincipled. "Give us what we want or we will make the American people suffer." Not a good look, ever. Hakeem Jeffries is STILL saying his caucus should vote against re-opening the government. Extending Covid era ACA subsidies when the Covid era is over with makes no sense. It doesn't address rising health care costs at all--it enables them. Just like the whole student loan fiasco. If the government keeps subsidizing endless money for something it will tend to get more expensive without limit. The Democrats never ever ever presented any valid policy arguments as to why Covid era enhanced ACA subsidies MUST be extended, without even a debate, or they would keep the government in shut down mode.

But I guess their polls were showing them that they could blame Republicans. As Angus King said, they didn't believe the Republicans would stick to their guns until several weeks passed. What Angus didn't explain is WHY the Democrats seemed to believe that the Republicans wouldn't stick to their guns. He didn't explain it because any explanation would not revolve around Republican thinking (i.e. it's a matter of principle), but around Democrat delusion of what they WISHED Republicans would be thinking--but assuming that Republicans were as totally lacking in principles as the Democrats seem to be.

That's why Angus King didn't explain why. The explanation makes the Democrats look like imbeciles.