If there's been one constant theme peddled by the liberal media's coverage of the El Paso and Dayton shoostings, it's that Democrats are sincere in their efforts to end gun violence, while Republicans are scared of the NRA and are only concerned about their political careers. NBC reporter Jonathan Allen joined Thursday morning's MSNBC Live to remind Congress that given the assassination attempts on Gabrielle Giffords and Steve Scalise this should be personal for them.
Ruhle began by asking Allen why "nothing is happening in Washington, is the real story here about dark money and the NRA?" Allen responded by trying to paint an emotional scene: "Congresswoman Gabby Giffords got shot in the head. Steve Scalise was crawling for his life as a shooter--"
The mention of Giffords and Scalise led Ruhle to interrupt, "that’s not partisan," referring to the two congressmembers of opposing parties. Allen proceeded to diagnose why there's Republican opposition to gun control: "A ton of activism on the right, some of it is the NRA. Some of it is other gun rights groups. Some of it is dark money, gun manufacturers coming in. But, also, there are gun owners that are active on this and they vote on it and they care about it. And that has something to do with elections. Republicans are afraid they're going to get primaried."
Allen concluded by declaring:
What has to happen if people on the left want to change the gun laws is they have to get active about it. They have to care about it. They have to become -- make it one of the priority issues and they have to make politicians care. The mayor was talking about mayors. They've been affected by this. It's actually their constituents who have been affected by it and that's what's going to change laws.
The insinuation Allen and Ruhle made by including Scalise in a list victims of gun violence was that Republicans should support more gun control measures because Republicans are also victims of gun violence, but nobody on MSNBC actually cared to ask Scalise himself what he thought. Perhaps the reason why MSNBC does not ask Scalise his opinion, is because it would be much more difficult for them to accuse him of only opposing what they support because of the NRA, "dark money," or getting primaried.
Here is a transcript for the August 8 show:
MSNBC Live with Stephanie Ruhle
August 8, 2019
9:14 a.m. EasternSTEPHANIE RUHLE: But even political terms. Jonathan, if it is obvious to a whole lot of people but nothing is happening in Washington, is the real story here about dark money and the NRA?
JONATHAN ALLEN: Congresswoman Gabby Giffords got shot in the head. Steve Scalise was crawling for his life as a shooter—
RUHLE: That’s not partisan
ALLEN:-- Members of Congress, this has been brought home to them in stark relief. And nothing has happened, right. There is a ton of activism on the right, some of it is the NRA. Some of it is other gun rights groups. Some of it is dark money, gun manufacturers coming in. But, also, there are gun owners that are active on this and they vote on it and they care about it. And that has something to do with elections. Republicans are afraid they're going to get primaried.
RUHLE: But there are lots of gun owners who don't support assault weapons.
ALLEN: Correct. I agree with that. What has to happen if people on the left want to change the gun laws is they have to get active about it. They have to care about it. They have to become -- make it one of the priority issues and they have to make politicians care. The mayor was talking about mayors. They've been affected by this. It's actually their constituents who have been affected by it and that's what's going to change laws.
