U.S. Rep.Joe Kennedy came on Univision's political affairs show, Al Punto, in order to be touted as a 2020 presidential candidate, and wasted no mocking the reactions of a significant portion of his fellow countrymen in the face of tragedy.
Here's his take on the efficacy of "thoughts and prayers":
U.S. REP. JOE KENNEDY III (D-MA): We've seen, opportunity after opportunity, shooting after shooting, when my colleagues here - the Republicans here - send their thoughts and prayers to the victims. Look, we've seen the answers to those thoughts and prayers on the faces of each victim, on the face of each member of their family that has to survive these crises. And still, we do nothing.
Kennedy's words speak for themselves. Unfortunately, they also speak to the contempt that one side of the gun-control debate has for the other.
It is also worth noting that Al Punto has now rolled out its own version of pop-up text, talking points that popped up during various times. Does Univision not trust that its viewers will get the messaging as delivered by its news division? Here's the translation of the pop-up featured during the Kennedy interview:
POP-UP TEXT: The NRA has given $123 million to electoral campaigns since 1990, mostly to Republicans.
In keeping with Univision's historic anti-gun biases, today's show featured no one to speak in support of the Second Amendment.
Below is pertinent transcript of the above-referenced interview, as aired on Al Punto on Sunday, February 18, 2018:
JORGE RAMOS, HOST, AL PUNTO: Congressman, let's talk about the massacre in Florida. You family has personally suffered gun violence. Your grandfather, Bobby Kennedy; your relative, John F. Kennedy. Do you think that at some point we'll be able to control this type of violence in the United States? We've been at it for years and absolutely nothing is done in the Congress.
U.S. REP. JOE KENNEDY III (D-MA): Look, Jorge, there are many families, too many families here in the United States that have suffered...gun violence, and...obviously I'm not a victim, but I am family...the family has to...manage to survive this crisis, but they still have to...these shootings have their impact. And so... Look, if Congress isn't going to do anything here, if they're not going to change, we have to change the Congress and it...it's more difficult than that.
We've seen, opportunity after opportunity, shooting after shooting, when my colleagues here - the Republicans here - send their thoughts and prayers to the victims. Look, we've seen the answers to those thoughts and prayers on the faces of each victim, on the face of each member of their family that has to survive these crises. And still, we do nothing. And so, I and many others here...it's time already.
