Republican Senator Ted Cruz (Tex.) spoke to reporters on Monday a day after the Texas church shooting and, upon hearing a number of shouted questions about gun control, he laid into the liberal media’s rush to promote the issue as one of the reasons why people don’t trust them.
An unidentified female reporter muttered a question about gun control to Cruz seconds after he opened up to questions and, needless to say, he didn’t take too kindly too that issue.
“You know, it is an unfortunate thing that the immediate place the media goes after any tragedy, after any murder is politicizing it. We don't need politics right now. You know, I would note in New York we saw a terror attack just this week with a truck. Evil is evil is evil and will use the weaponry that is available,” Cruz began while the reporter mumbled back at him.
Cruz instead sung the praises of the Good Samaritan who grabbed his own firearm and engaged the monstrous murderer:
And, I’ll tell you one of the most inspirational aspects in the face of this horror was that an ordinary citizen stepped forward to engage the gunman, heard about what was happening and just in the moments that it transpired, went, got his own rifle and engaged the gunman in an active gunfire. I toured the crime scene just a few minutes ago, saw where that private citizen hid behind a car and took incoming shots from the gunman behind him, and — because of that individual's bravery, shot the gunman and as a result, stopped this murder spree.
“We need to be celebrating that bravery and courage. We need to be celebrating the compassion and love and unity. Evil, tragically, will always be with us but so will good,” Cruz concluded before the press began shouting.
One reporter wanted to know how the gunman obtained the firearms used on Sunday while someone else yelled about the need to make “changes to gun laws now.” After a few seconds, Cruz stepped in and again slammed the media:
[I]t is predictable. There is a reason why there is public distrust of the media because the immediate focus is on a political agenda of gun control. I can say this. The private citizen who used his own rifle saved lives today. This individual was a sick, deranged murderer.
The liberal media gathered before him continued to pester him into a position of being for gun control, but it didn’t work:
UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER #1: But if not gun control, what more can you do?
CRUZ: And — evil —
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you support vigilantism then?
CRUZ: I support of right of individuals to defend themselves. It's a fundamental right that Texans understand, to defend yourself and your family.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A fine line between vigilantism though!
CRUZ: And — this community right now is not looking to be drawn into the political circus of the national media, debating the same issues that the national media loves to debate.
CNN cut away from this press availability in the middle of his first answer, but MSNBC stayed with Cruz for a few more minutes before MSNBC Live host Ali Velshi pulled away. Fox News did not show Cruz’s press conference live.
In classic CNN fashion, it chose to flash this snarky chyron smearing Cruz that totally ignored his broader point about evil’s existence to play politics: “Breaking News; Cruz: People Get Killed by Trucks, Not Just Guns; Likens massacre in church that killed 26 to bike path attack that killed 8.”
But sure, CNN. Tell me again how evil should be distinguished like apples and bananas.
Here’s the relevant transcript from November 6's MSNBC Live with Ali Velshi:
MSNBC Live with Ali Velshi
November 6, 2017
3:14 p.m. EasternUNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER: Had you any gun control now, sir?
REPUBLICAN SENATOR TED CRUZ (Tex.): You know, it is an unfortunate thing that the immediate place the media goes after any tragedy, after any murder is politicizing it. We don't need politics right now. [INAUDBILE REPORTER SHOUTING] You know, I would note in New York we saw a terror attack just this week with a truck. Evil is evil is evil and will use the weaponry that is available. And, I’ll tell you one of the most inspirational aspects in the face of this horror was that an ordinary citizen stepped forward to engage the gunman, heard about what was happening and just in the moments that it transpired, went, got his own rifle and engaged the gunman in an active gunfire. I toured the crime scene just a few minutes ago, saw where that private citizen hid behind a car and took incoming shots from the gunman behind him, and — because of that individual's bravery, shot the gunman and as a result, stopped this murder spree. I asked multiple law enforcement agents what would have happened had this private citizen not stepped forward to engage and to a person, every law enforcement person I talked to said the death toll could have been much, much higher. That the reason this depraved gunman finally gave up and got in the car and fled, and didn't murder more, is precisely because one individual demonstrated bravery and courage. We need to be celebrating that bravery and courage. We need to be celebrating the compassion and love and unity. Evil, tragically, will always be with us but so will good.
[REPORTERS SHOUTING]
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER #2: How was he able to get a gun?
CRUZ: I have not.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER #2: How was he able to get a gun? He was charged by —
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: We need changes to gun laws now.
CRUZ: I — you know — it is predictable. There is a reason why there is public distrust of the media because the immediate focus is on a political agenda of gun control. I can say this. The private citizen who used his own rifle saved lives today. This individual was a sick, deranged murderer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER #1: But if not gun control, what more can you do?
CRUZ: And — evil —
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you support vigilantism then?
CRUZ: I support of right of individuals to defend themselves. It's a fundamental right that Texans understand, to defend yourself and your family.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A fine line between vigilantism though!
CRUZ: And — this community right now is not looking to be drawn into the political circus of the national media, debating the same issues that the national media loves to debate. What this community needs and wants and deserves is —
ALI VELSHI: Senator Ted Cruz of Texas behind me taking questions from reporters after meeting with the pastor just in front of the church.
