As former Michigan Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm appeared as a guest on Thursday's CNN Newsroom, host Carol Costello worried that Democratic Senators have inadvertently sabotaged the possibility of new gun laws by "antagonizing' Republicans with a filibuster, which she termed as "kicking sand in their faces."
After responding to Granholm's NRA-bashing by sympathetically proclaiming, "Right, and I admire your passion," she ended the segment by declaring, "Okay, well, I hope so," after the Michigan Democrat predicted a vote on new gun laws.
After Granholm praised Connecticut Democratic Senator Chris Murphy's push for more gun control, Costello followed up:
Let's talk about that filibuster, shall we, because I know the filibuster went on for 15 hours, but before the filibuster there were Republicans willing to talk about gun control, which is quite unusual. They were willing to maybe pass amendments, right, maybe instituting more gun control measures. And yet, that filibuster. Why do that then? Why not just let things evolve? Because wasn't that just antagonizing Republicans?
The former governor bristled at the CNN host finding fault with the Democratic strategy:
How long have we been waiting for this evolution, though? I mean, Carol, but there were Republicans who joined in the filibuster. How long must we wait for the Republicans in Congress who have been objecting to this for years and years? How long do we have to wait? How many of these tragedies do we have to see?
Granholm then went into a rant against the NRA:
I mean, truly, the NRA, in 1999, Wayne LaPierre, the head of the NRA, came out and said that they favored, that the NRA was reasonable and they favored background checks and closing the gun hole loophole -- the gun show loophole - and now where are we? And so, honestly, the NRA has moved so far out of the realm of what is rational, that they have become completely against what the mainstream of American voters want to see. I just hope these members of Congress -- Democrats and Republicans -- listen to their voters and not be held hostage by the NRA.
Costello then showed her concern again about whether Democrats were hindering more gun control efforts with their strategy:
Right, and I admire your passion, but I'm just saying that after what went down in San Bernardino, there were gun control measures that were presented before Congress, and those measures went down to defeat. So now this -- now you know you had Republicans coming out and saying, "You know, maybe we should look at why somebody on the terror watch should be able to buy a gun," and then this filibuster happens. So, again, I mean, two steps forward, then the filibuster-
Granholm then indignantly went back and forth with the CNN host:
GRANHOLM: But are you suggesting, Carol, though -- are you saying that the filibuster will prevent a vote?
COSTELLO: I don't know. I'm just asking the question because it was just kind of like kicking sand in their faces. Some people might term it that way.
GRANHOLM: Well, I don't know, I mean, honestly, kicking sand? Kicking sand when people are being killed in record numbers across this country every single day? Honestly, I don't know that politeness has worked. I think you have to take a strong stand. I mean, I, you know, I've been working with Correct the Record in support of Hillary Clinton. She has been so clear about doing reasonable gun safety measures, things that would be no-brainers to most gun owners. Most gun owners favor this. So this notion of being polite, again, and waiting, again, it's not working. The filibuster may actually result in a vote.
Pining for more gun laws, Costello concluded: "Okay, well, I hope so. Jennifer Granholm, thanks for being with me. I'll be right back."
Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Thursday, June 16, CNN Newsroom with Carol Costello:
9:50 a.m. ET
FORMER GOVERNOR JENNIFER GRANHOLM (D-MI): And while everybody says that the victims and their families are in our prayers, there are many who say, "After the prayers come action." And I, my hat is off to Senator Chris Murphy and the filibuster that he was orchestrating yesterday to be able to try to do something to get Congress to move in a direction that's consistent with their constituents about preventing gun violence.
And I would say, Carol, just quickly about that, I mean, there are three levels of what they could do. They were filibustering this loophole that would allow terrorists on the watch list -- that's one thing. But if the terrorists on the watch list could go to a gun show and buy a gun without any checks, it defeats the purpose, so both of those loopholes have to be closed.
And I would say the third is that, you know, that gunman was holding an assault rifle. And last night, family of the person who actually created the AR-15 -- I think it's the Smoker family -- those -- the Stoner family -- they came out and they said that their grandfather who built that weapon had no intention for that weapon to be used by civilians. It was a military weapon. So all three of those measures should be something that Congress should consider because their constituents demand it.
CAROL COSTELLO: Let's talk about that filibuster, shall we, because I know the filibuster went on for 15 hours, but before the filibuster there were Republicans willing to talk about gun control, which is quite unusual. They were willing to maybe pass amendments, right, maybe instituting more gun control measures. And yet, that filibuster. Why do that then? Why not just let things evolve? Because wasn't that just antagonizing Republicans?
GRANHOLM: How long have we been waiting for this evolution, though? I mean, Carol, but there were Republicans who joined in the filibuster. How long must we wait for the Republicans in Congress who have been objecting to this for years and years? How long do we have to wait? How many of these tragedies do we have to see? God bless them for raising the public profile of this. Who knows whether they would have gone forward with it or not, but now there will be some kind of vote. I sure hope that it leads to others.
I mean, truly, the NRA, in 1999, Wayne LaPierre, the head of the NRA, came out and said that they favored, that the NRA was reasonable and they favored background checks and closing the gun hole loophole -- the gun show loophole - and now where are we? And so, honestly, the NRA has moved so far out of the realm of what is rational, that they have become completely against what the mainstream of American voters want to see. I just hope these members of Congress -- Democrats and Republicans -- listen to their voters and not be held hostage by the NRA.
COSTELLO: Right, and I admire your passion, but I'm just saying that after what went down in San Bernardino, there were gun control measures that were presented before Congress, and those measures went down to defeat. So now this -- now you know you had Republicans coming out and saying, "You know, maybe we should look at why somebody on the terror watch should be able to buy a gun," and then this filibuster happens. So, again, I mean, two steps forward, then the filibuster-
GRANHOLM: But are you suggesting, Carol, though -- are you saying that the filibuster will prevent a vote?
COSTELLO: I don't know. I'm just asking the question because it was just kind of like kicking sand in their faces. Some people might term it that way.
GRANHOLM: Well, I don't know, I mean, honestly, kicking sand? Kicking sand when people are being killed in record numbers across this country every single day? Honestly, I don't know that politeness has worked. I think you have to take a strong stand. I mean, I, you know, I've been working with Correct the Record in support of Hillary Clinton. She has been so clear about doing reasonable gun safety measures, things that would be no-brainers to most gun owners. Most gun owners favor this. So this notion of being polite, again, and waiting, again, it's not working. The filibuster may actually result in a vote.
COSTELLO: Okay, well, I hope so. Jennifer Granholm, thanks for being with me. I'll be right back.
