After President Biden’s Thursday night address to the nation that called on voters to kick Republicans out of office if they refuse to accept a litany of gun control measures, CNN host Don Lemon had his opening panel brainstorm how the Democrats could best take advantage of the recent string of horrific mass shootings. One conclusion? Tell voters Republicans love guns over people.
Surprisingly, Lemon began on an optimistic note, asking CNN contributor and former GOP Congressman Charlie Dent, “Are there any Republican Senators, let alone ten, who would face consequences from the voters if they don't act on guns?”
Dent replied in a similar vein, saying that many of Biden’s proposals are actually broadly supported, citing his own personal experience, “In a state like mine in Pennsylvania we voted for a bill like that in the '90s with the Republican governor, the NRA supported it. That's a very reasonable thing,” and, “I don't want to say that there are ten, but I think you can get darn close to ten on some of those proposals.”
Lemon then turned to former Clinton White House counselor and Democratic political strategist Paul Begala, asking, “Are you one of those [optimistic] people? Are you like us?”
Begala answered bluntly, saying Republicans will not support any of these measures because they gain no political advantage from doing so. He then decided to give a preview of the kind of awful rhetoric we can expect Democrats to employ for the midterms:
The entire House is up, and we can vote them out if we want to, and yet the very same polls that say everybody wants gun safety laws also say everybody wants Republicans to take over the Congress. So, Americans are going to have to decide. You know, GOP stands for guns over people and if people don't lift up the ballot box, we're just going to keep carrying coffins.
Lemon, clearly awed by the political potential of such a vile insinuation, asked, “Is that a campaign ad for Democrats?” To which a jubilant Begala replied, “I hope so.”
But Begala was just hitting his stride. He decided to go over Republican voters as well:
The problem is not the NRA. It's not. It's that Republican politicians are so fearful of their base and we the people have to show them that if they vote against protecting our kids and our cops and our neighborhoods and our churches and our synagogues and our grocery stores, if they vote against gun safety, we’re gonna vote them out of office.
Every time a liberal Congressman votes for a radical agenda, it is “we the people” who motivate them. Every time a conservative Congressman votes against a radical agenda, it is solely because they are “fearful of their base.” Do Begala and Lemon think that the Americans who don’t agree with radical gun control are a group separate from “we the people?" Do they think their voices, their votes, deserve to be heard?
Apparently not.
This Democratic midterm strategy meeting was made possible by Orkin and the US Postal Service. Their contact information is linked.
Click “Expand” to see the relevant transcript.
CNN’s Don Lemon Tonight
06/02/229
10:08:36 PM ETDON LEMON: Charlie, listen, President Biden, he knows it's an uphill battle in the Senate. He knows he needs ten Republican senators. But what I want to know from you is are there any Republican Senators, let alone ten, who would face consequences from the voters if they don't act on guns?
CHARLIE DENT: Oh, Don, I actually think that they can do something here. And, as Kaitlan pointed out, some of these proposals, like the red flag laws. Senator Rick Scott, when he was governor of Florida, enacted a red flag law to allow police to go to the courts to prevent a dangerous individual from — uh — owning a gun. So I think that's something they can do right now. I also happen to agree that raising the age from 18 to 21 is not unreasonable. We already have limitations on purchasing handguns for those who are 18. They can't buy until 21 as well. Universal background checks that would include private sales, that’s something that's broadly supported. In a state like mine in Pennsylvania we voted for a bill like that in the '90s with the Republican governor, the NRA supported it. That's a very reasonable thing. But between universal background checks, red flag laws, raising the age, maybe codify the banning of the bump stock, those are things that can be done.
And I don't think these Senators, Republican or Democrat, would pay a political price for supporting them because those proposals are broadly supported by the American people.
LEMON: My question though, Charlie, are there ten Senators? Republican senators?
DENT: Uh, you know, it's hard to say. I think — I think there are some. I mean, I can look down that list now. I see Susan Collins. I see Pat Toomey, maybe Rick Scott on some of these, and there are probably some others. I — I don't want to say that there are ten, but I think you can get darn close to ten on some of those proposals. Again, I don't think they are outrageous. Like that bump stock, I think it’s already administratively banned. What's so hard about doing this thing legislatively given what we’ve seen with the bump stock in Las Vegas many years ago? So, I think it's tight right now. I'm not sure the votes are there yet, but with public pressure there may be.
LEMON: Yeah, I remember covering Las Vegas and the action that they took on bump stocks. People were very happy about that. No one faced any consequences, or suffered any consequences I should say — at least politically —
DENT: Right.
LEMON: — for supporting that ban. So, Paul, some people have been very optimistic about the chance for change. And you heard Laura and I speaking moments ago, we have to be optimistic, right? Let's hope something happens. Are you one of those people? Are you like us?
PAUL BEGALA: Well, as the prophet Zechariah says I'm a prisoner of hope. I have no choice but to hope because I love my country and I believe in it.
LEMON: Right.
BEGALA: But, to answer the question you asked Charlie, the answer is no one. I've been at this for a very long time. I cannot think of a single Republican who ever lost an election by being against gun safety laws. I can show you 19 who lost their seats because of the Brady bill and the assault weapon ban which — by the way — Ronald Reagan supported, but at least 19 of the 52 Democrats we lost after that assault weapon ban and Brady bill were because of guns. You're exactly right. “The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in our stars; It lies in ourselves.” The entire House is up, and we can vote them out if we want to, and yet the very same polls that say everybody wants gun safety laws also say everybody wants Republicans to take over the Congress. So, Americans are going to have to decide. You know, GOP stands for guns over people and if people don't lift up the ballot box, we're just going to keep carrying coffins.
LEMON: What does that — for what you just said, “The GOP stands for guns over people,” right? I can hear that coming up in the election.BEGALA: Right.
LEMON: Is that a campaign ad for Democrats?
BEGALA: I hope so. I hope so. I — and, uh — the President hinted at that today — tonight when he said, “make this outrage central to your vote.” That's the problem. Everybody says we need it. Only people who vote on it are the people at the most extreme fringe. And, again, I say this as a gun owner and a hunter, and most gun owners and hunters support exactly what President Biden is trying to do. The problem is not the NRA. It's not. It's that Republican politicians are so fearful of their base and we the people have to show them that if they vote against protecting our kids and our cops and our neighborhoods and our churches and our synagogues and our grocery stores, if they vote against gun safety, we’re gonna vote them out of office.
