CNN Airs Bill Maher's Liberal Gripe Over Gun Laws, Asks Why No One Else Is Questioning Them

April 3rd, 2012 12:24 PM

Discussing gun laws in the aftermath of the Trayvon Martin shooting, CNN's Carol Costello played Bill Maher's liberal grievance about the lack of "sensible" gun laws. Costello then asked why no one was "talking seriously about America's gun laws?" during Tuesday's 10 a.m. hour of Newsroom.

The fact that CNN was giving such attention to a liberal comedian before adding on to his commentary and questioning America's gun laws is telling. And given the network's past bias, it's safe to say that Costello was toeing the liberal line and pushing for stricter gun laws for law-abiding citizens. [Video below the break.]

Maher had preached on his HBO show Real Time that "We can go on and on about hoodies, and the neighborhood watch guy who looks like Chaz Bono, but....it's not really a discussion until you save some blame for the liberal politicians, who unconditionally surrendered in the fight for sensible gun laws. When are they going to stand their ground?"

Other CNN anchors have echoed Costello's dismay over gun laws. CNN's Piers Morgan bemoaned Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law, asking singer Lionel Richie on March 28 if the law didn't "just frighten" him as an American. And on his Monday night show, he continued his skepticism of current gun laws.

Morgan asked Rick Santorum "given the sheer number of cases now of people getting access to firearms who simply shouldn't have them and who then go on to commit these kind of crimes, is it time for a big review of gun law in America?"

And last month, while reporting on a repeal of handgun regulations in Virginia, CNN hyped the alarm of gun control activists and evoked two tragic school shootings as it brought on the father of a victim of one of the shootings. No one supporting the repeal of the handgun regulations was interviewed.

A transcript of the segment, which aired on April 3 on Newsroom at 10:30 a.m. EDT, is as follows:

CAROL COSTELLO: First question, it's a serious one. It's about gun laws in the aftermath of the Trayvon Martin shooting. I'll let Bill Maher set it up.

(Video Clip)

BILL MAHER, comedian: We can go on and on about hoodies, and the neighborhood watch guy who looks like Chaz Bono, but –

(Laughter)

(Applause)

MAHER: – but it's not really a discussion until you save some blame for the liberal politicians, who unconditionally surrendered in the fight for sensible gun laws. When are they going to stand their ground?

(Applause)

(End Video Clip)

COSTELLO: So the question, why isn't anyone talking seriously about America's gun laws? Jason?