In their first show after the Santa Clarita school shooting, the CNN morning team on New Day handled the story in their typical fashion of only having guests who support more gun control and who falsely portray Republicans as having no proposals for how to lessen mass shootings.
The show also included the bizarre recurring theme of beginning the discussion by lamenting that gun control had not been passed beforehand, thus hinting that such reforms might have prevented the carnage, but then pivoting to admitting that the attack probably would not have been prevented by the liberal proposals after all, but then sticking by it anyway.
The most noteworthy segment came at 7:25 a.m. Eastern and featured co-host Alisyn Camerota speaking with Florida Democratic Congressman Ted Deutch while giving little pushback to his liberal take on the issue. She began by suggesting that President Donald Trump has not done enough to prevent school shootings:
And after Parkland, I know that you were praying, as were so many people, that Congress would take some action. And after Parkland, President Trump vowed to help fix this. In fact, he told Parkland parents in a meeting at the White House that he would try to fix this. So what has happened to -- what has the Trump administration done to try to solve the school shooting epidemic?
Not mentioned was that the administration not only banned bump stocks, but also set up a school safety commission that came out in favor of pushing for more armed staff in schools, and the end of a Barack Obama-era directive that discouraged schools from prosecuting dangerous students.
Camerota soon took the time to suggest a change in the law probably would not have prevented the Santa Clarita attack as she followed up: "About this case in particular -- the Santa Clarita one -- this shooter had a .45 caliber pistol. A 16-year-old in California cannot buy guns, so how do you think he got it?"
Camerota picked up on his assertion that it is "unacceptable" to do nothing and voiced agreement with him:
Of course. I mean, Congressman, there's also an opioid epidemic in our country, as you know, and nobody says, "Oh, well, there's nothing we can do about that, "the helplessness that lawmakers seem to feel about this epidemic of gun violence is so different than any other epidemic."
After Deutch responded by complaining about Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocking new gun control, Camerota again voiced agreement: "You're so right. I mean, you're so right. Helplessness is the wrong word. 'Impediment' and 'obstructionist' is, I guess, are better words."
Camerota also failed to bring up the finding that the reason background checks failed to have any impact on Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz getting a gun was because his school had reportedly followed the Obama-era directive to go soft and avoid prosecuting students who had committed crimes, thus ensuring he had no official criminal background that would show up.
Additionally, earlier in the show, liberal Republican contributor Charlie Dent and liberal contributor Andrew McCabe also advocated more gun control without any conservative balance.
Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Friday, November 15, New Day on CNN:
ALISYN CAMEROTA: And after Parkland, I know that you were praying, as were so many people, that Congress would take some action. And after Parkland, President Trump vowed to help fix this. In fact, he told Parkland parents in a meeting at the White House that he would try to fix this. So what has happened to -- what has the Trump administration done to try to solve the school shooting epidemic?
REP. TED DEUTCH (D-FL): Well, Alisyn, thanks. It's good to be with you. Sorry to be back to have to talk about another shooting like this. The administration hasn't done anything. The question is, how have things changed since Parkland? Well, there is a rising up of students all around the country and their families who are sick and tired of seeing this happen over and over, and they delivered a majority -- a gun safety majority in the House of Representatives, and we passed a background check bill -- the universal background checks bill, which is one significant piece to try to save lives, and the administration has done nothing.
But -- the legislation is important, but, Alisyn, it's just worth taking a moment to realize that again this morning -- really all over America -- there are parents who are taking their kids to the bus stop. They're getting their kids dressed to go to school, and this news is ringing in their ear, and they're scared, and they don't know what's going to happen to their kids, and they feel that way because this is another example of the scourge of gun violence that the President refuses to deal with -- that Mitch McConnell refuses to deal with. This doesn't need to be a partisan issue. There's nothing partisan about protecting our kids and protecting our public.
CAMEROTA: I'm one of those parents, Congressman. I think about this all the time as I send my three kids to school every day. I mean, how could you not? I mean, there's a feeling -- and the Parkland students have described this themselves -- kids are now sitting ducks in their classroom. About this case in particular -- the Santa Clarita one -- this shooter had a .45 caliber pistol. A 16-year-old in California cannot buy guns, so how do you think he got it?
REP. DEUTCH: I don't know, Aiisyn, and we'll find out the details, but what tends to happen is after a horrific event like this, we -- and it's understandable -- we want to know the facts. We want to know exactly what happened. We want to figure out if there's some fix that will address this and every bit of gun violence in America, and there isn't. There isn't, but that doesn't mean that we do nothing. And that's the frustration. And for people who say, "Well, background checks might not have prevented this. Background checks may not stop every school shooting," that's right. But if it stops some -- if it saves some lives, we ought to do it.
And, Alisyn, the other thing we need to take a moment to realize is that there is gun violence that happens every day, every weekend in our country. I was with some folks from Milwaukee a couple of weeks ago who told me about the little baby who was shot on her grandfather's lap in just a random act of gun violence. It disproportionately impacts communities of color. We need to be focused on all of this. There is just no way that this should be acceptable.
CAMEROTA: Of course. I mean, Congressman, there's also an opioid epidemic in our country, as you know, and nobody says, "Oh, well, there's nothing we can do about that." The helplessness that lawmakers seem to feel about this epidemic of gun violence is so different than any other epidemic..
(…)
REP. DEUTCH: There's real leadership that led to significant action. The only helplessness is the helplessness that Mitch McConnell says he feels because the President won't allow him to bring up a bill. The Senate needs to act on this, and there's so much more we can do. We can fund programs in communities to help address gun violence. We can have extreme risk protection orders. There are things that are just -- they're not partisan. They are not partisan. And we need to just get them done.
CAMEROTA: You're so right. I mean, you're so right. Helplessness is the wrong word. "Impediment" and "obstructionist" is, I guess, are better words.
