Lauer to Tom DeLay: Will You Rethink Your Opposition to Gun Control Now?
Former Texas Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, on Thursday's Today show, was cornered by NBC's Matt Lauer on his anti-gun control stance, as Lauer pressed: "In the wake of...that shooting out in Tucson, Arizona, do you today feel the same way about gun control that you did when you were an elected official?" DeLay was invited on to discuss being sentenced in his campaign finance case but Lauer felt the need to shoe-horn in a question about the Gabrielle Giffords shooting as he attempted to guilt DeLay into rethinking his support for overturning the assault weapons ban back in 2004.
First up, Lauer's colleague, Norah O'Donnell, foreshadowed the anti-gun bias turn in the interview, in her set up piece as she reported: " In Congress, DeLay was known for his ruthless ability to make his fellow Republicans tow the line, blocking renewal of the assault weapons ban in 2004, in the news again today because of Saturday's Arizona shooting."
Lauer then advanced that line to DeLay in the subsequent interview segment as seen in the following January 13 Today show exchange:
MATT LAUER: I wonder if I could turn subjects on you, a little bit here, and get your opinion on some things. Gun control, it's a hot topic again, right now, in the wake of those shootings or that shooting out in Tucson, Arizona. Do you today feel the same way about gun control that you did when you were an elected official?
TOM DELAY: Absolutely. In fact, I understand there' been a bill introduced that has a 1000 foot barrier around an elected official so people couldn't bring guns. If I were still in Congress, I would welcome and urge those that have license to carry, to come to my town meetings. I'd feel more safe having them there, rather than shutting them out and letting some crazy come in and, and, and shoot up the place.
LAUER: So you would have-
DELAY: You know I had a shooting in my office from one of these crazies, too, back, back in-
LAUER: You would have no difference of opinion, in terms of the assault ban, of the ban on assault weapons that you didn't allow to come to a vote in 2004? And I'm not connecting dots that don't exist here, Congressman, believe me. But, but in that law would have prevented the new manufacture of things like these extended magazine that, that was used by this alleged shooter in this case. He could have still gotten one, he could have gotten an old one. But no new rethinking of your, of the philosophical idea of that?
DELAY: Absolutely not. Guns and people that carry guns are a deterrent. Happened right here in Texas. We, we had a situation where people would bump into women in expensive cars and rob them right on the freeway. The day that concealed carry went into law in the state of Texas, that all stopped, because the robbers didn't know if that women they were bumping into had a gun or not. So, you know, this is all stuff that we shouldn't be talking about. And what we ought to be talking about is, is the rhetoric in Washington, what people ought to be - how people should be treating each other civilly. And gun control and grandstanding doesn't help anybody.
—Geoffrey Dickens is the Senior News Analyst at the Media Research Center. You can follow him on Twitter here
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Comments
Hot Topic?
Submitted by Ashrak on Thu, 01/13/2011 - 5:15pm.
Only in the minds of those who refuse to accept that there exists a pre-existing, fundamental, individual, recognized, incorporated, inalenable right to keep and bear arms because the Constitution is just a guideline worthy of consideration sometimes, but not a concrete document called a contract that sets boundaries like "Shall Not Be Infringed" and "Congress Shall Make No Law".
Hey Lauer - wake up.
Gun control
Submitted by tampamom25 on Thu, 01/13/2011 - 5:22pm.
Even when government passes a law banning guns, criminals can still get guns. That means not only are we as citizens helpless to defend ourselves in the event of a government gone mad, but we cannot protect ourselves from the criminals! Statistics prove over and over again that where the people are armed, crime goes down. It is a deterrent. Liberals want our guns because it's another way to control us. They make all these pontificating statements about taking away assault weapons and extended magazines, but what they are doing is making inroads to passing complete weapons bans. The Constitution guarantees citizens the right to bear arms. Lauer and the rest of the liberals want to redefine that right. That crazed person in Tucson had been exhibiting strange, demented behavior for a long time before he went out with his gun. Too bad someone didn't intervene to get him the help he so obviously needed.....
Besides, if large clips had
Submitted by trak65 on Thu, 01/13/2011 - 5:19pm.
Besides, if large clips had been unavailable he could've carried multiple weapons. If a legal gun had been unavailable, he could've obtained one illegally.
He took a taxi to the scene of the crime. Perhaps we need to consider banning or restricting access to taxis!
He could have stolen the cab...
Submitted by Red Jeep on Thu, 01/13/2011 - 10:35pm.
....and then driven it into the crowd. This was a parking lot not a building.
At least Lauer didn't ask Delay for his opinion on shiv control
Submitted by SickofLibs on Thu, 01/13/2011 - 5:20pm.
It really is just one giant liberal agenda with these JOs.
Looks to me like DeLay pistol
Submitted by Barack_must_go..... on Thu, 01/13/2011 - 5:24pm.
Looks to me like DeLay pistol whipped ( figuratively ) that little pussy Lauer into submission, without even having to take out his gun. See, carrying does keep the punks in line.
I'm not completely sure but I could swear I even heard Matt sqealing just like Ned Beaty in Deliverance twards the end of the interview.
Barack_Must_Go.....
DeLay Should Have Shot Back ...
Submitted by LibertyAtStake on Thu, 01/13/2011 - 5:32pm.
...In light of my bogus conviction resulting from the Left's attitude "everything is political", I'm not at all surprised you would ask such a nakedly political question of me after this tragedy.
http://libertyatstake.blogspot.com/
"Because the Only Good Progressive is a Failed Progressive"
Why not ban cars?
Submitted by Boudin on Thu, 01/13/2011 - 5:40pm.
Even with all of the Gov requirements, they still kill 3x as many folks
Gun Control
Submitted by texusmc on Thu, 01/13/2011 - 5:42pm.
yep this is it... Breath Relax Aim Squeeze Smile BRASS
They really dont get it. Gun control on who the populice who is doing it correctly? well guess what, that JO Loughner obtained all of his weapons leagally. Doesn't that just stick in the leftist's craw!. ban on 30 rnd magazines. for crying out loud, he would have carried more weapons and practiced changing magazines faster then. The only reason he isnt dead is that TWO brave GUN TOTING men (and a brave woman who slapped the new mag out of his hand) jumped him.
Look Lauer, its already
Submitted by bassndude on Thu, 01/13/2011 - 5:44pm.
Look Lauer, its already illegal to shoot people. It is illegal to kill people, in many states, under penalty of death. The lawless still do it. They still kill people, shoot people, stab, cut, slice and dice and baseball bats. You really think that one more law is going to stop them? You really are as stupid as you look.
Save a SeAL, club a liberal/troll!!
Hellooooo...anybody in there?
Submitted by MidAmerica on Thu, 01/13/2011 - 5:44pm.
What I want to know is when will our current congress go back to work.
Are they waiting for permission from the media?
When someone in the military is wounded or killed...
Submitted by Red Jeep on Thu, 01/13/2011 - 10:38pm.
...does the military stop what they are doing for a week?Tthese people should have voted to kill health care already.
The question is valid...
Submitted by retrocon on Thu, 01/13/2011 - 6:09pm.
The question was valid, and Delay's answer was correct.
Actually, yes and no
Submitted by Cappmann1962 on Fri, 01/14/2011 - 9:27am.
The question itself might be valid, and Delay's answer was pointed. It was Lauer's elaboration that was out of line.
LAUER: You would have no difference of opinion, in terms of the assault ban, of the ban on assault weapons that you didn't allow to come to a vote in 2004? And I'm not connecting dots that don't exist here, Congressman, believe me. But, but in that law would have prevented the new manufacture of things like these extended magazine that, that was used by this alleged shooter in this case. He could have still gotten one, he could have gotten an old one. But no new rethinking of your, of the philosophical idea of that?
Not trying to connect dots that don't exist? Then why bring it up? The "assault" weapons ban wouldn't have made a bit of difference in this case (or any other). So the law prevented new manufacture of banned weapons/accessories. Okay. He then clearly states that this whacko could have gotten the banned item(s) anyway. So EXACTLY what is his point?
"Tom, even thought the ban did NOTHING to curb crime, didn't ban existing weapons or magazines, and absolutely nothing in the ban would have precluded this atrocity, have you changed your mind on gun control?"
"No Matt. Why the hell would I?"
Matt Lauer - what an incredible nincompoop!
People that are walking into
Submitted by mostlymoderate on Thu, 01/13/2011 - 6:39pm.
People that are walking into the gun shop, waiting 21 days to purchase their gun (California), filling out a registration, etc. etc. are not the one's usually doing the killings. It is overwhelmingly inner city youth's (between ages 14 and 24) that obtained their firearms illegally and on the street. The most violent cities also have the strictest gun rules.
A Question for Matt
Submitted by JustAl on Thu, 01/13/2011 - 6:41pm.
Have you reconsidered going into journalism if you leave your current position as a lobbyist?
Matt,...
Submitted by BBallleaper on Thu, 01/13/2011 - 6:49pm.
what we really want to find out is how you cheated on your wife all these years and how you feel after having betrayed her love and devotion????????? Do you think you should perhaps reassess your position as a NBC spokesperson when you've clearly shown that you have no morality or ethical behavior towards even your own wife??????????
Lauer is fooling no one
Submitted by Dave. on Thu, 01/13/2011 - 7:29pm.
Neither he, nor anyone on the left, gives a damn about criminals with guns shooting people.
The government knows who those crimals are, where they are, and can round them up pretty much any time they like.
No, the guns that Lauer and his totalitaran statist friends truly fear (and with good reason), and are looking to confiscate are yours and mine, which is why they will never stop trying to come after them.
And every law they pass that further restricts the rights of law abiding gun owners (which is every gun law they pass) just gets them one step closer to their ultimate goal: 100% disarmament of the American people.
-Dave
Vote for the American in November
I wonder if Lauer knows...
Submitted by ckc1227 on Thu, 01/13/2011 - 8:52pm.
I wonder if Lauer knows gun deaths are down since 2004?
Hey, Lauer... Is the
Submitted by Cowboy on Thu, 01/13/2011 - 11:12pm.
Hey, Lauer...
Is the Second Amendment repealed?
matt
Submitted by charlietexas on Thu, 01/13/2011 - 11:49pm.
Where the hell is Matt Lauer? Why would he think that the bugman would change his stance now? I wish the bugman was still in congress....he was a great servant for the country and to Texans. He'll never serve a day in jail.
Jared's black bag was found
Submitted by ckc1227 on Fri, 01/14/2011 - 12:05am.
It was filled with 9 mm ammo, causing Matt Lauer to wonder if maybe it's time to ban black bags.
Well Brokaw, Lauer and all the rest of you communist A.H.'s
Submitted by Patriot II on Fri, 01/14/2011 - 10:59am.
When you get through harping on guns.....you going to start on Machetes next? I mean they will do a hell of a job on you and a lot messier.....so you freaking wimps start telling the truth and maybe you won't go around messing your pants everytime someone honks a horn!!! That goes for some of your cohorts in congress too....some of them are changing their pants several times daily it sounds like!!! imo