MSNBC’s S.E. Cupp is used to being the only conservative on a show. Every day she co-hosts The Cycle where she spars with her three ultra-liberal co-hosts, so her appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher on May 18 was nothing new for Ms. Cupp.
Appearing on Friday night, S.E. confronted ultra-liberal host Bill Maher and his two liberal guests, documentary filmmaker Michael Moore and Andrew Ross Sorkin of The New York Times over her objection to a national gun registry, which she summed up as simply a means to “be able to track me.” [See video afer jump.]
After Maher chastised people on the left for not “standing up and saying, of course, we need a gun registry” Michael Moore proceeded to push for greater gun control saying that:
But seriously though, what's the problem with registering guns? We register our cars, we register our dogs? You know, I don't hear anybody saying Obama's going to come take my dog.
Cupp, being the only pro-gun guest on the show began to challenge Maher and Moore’s anti-gun beliefs, stating that:
In all sincerity, as a gun rights advocate and a gun owner. And you don’t have to buy this. But this is why gun owners find this offensive because it treats law- abiding citizens as if they are guilty until proven innocent. Let me finish. Let me finish. I know, this is going over. This is going over. Liberals had a big problem with the kind of scrutiny that papers please laws , and stop and frisk laws sought to enact. The problem with background checks, five day waiting periods, they assume that I have criminal intent to use my gun and pursue my Second Amendment rights. 100 percent they do.
Cupp continued to refute Maher and Moore’s push for both a national gun registry and a “universal background check” arguing that:
I go to give a background check. Prove to me you're not a criminal. I go to get a gun, prove to me you don't want to use it in a heat of passion right now. Wait five days, you need to cool off. That's not fair. The government is not in the business of interrogating me away from my Second Amendment right. It's an abuse of power. And it seeps into the culture. It's why newspapers think they can publish law-abiding owner’s addresses as if they're pariahs. It’s not appropriate.
Cupp was then able to get Moore to admit that his real problem was the Second Amendment, with Michael saying that:
I want to amend the Second Amendment to say that we agree with what the founders wanted and that it covers muskets and that it takes three minutes to put one of those little ball things in there and shoot it. I’m all for that.
Sadly, the segment got much worse, with liberal journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin appearing visibly confused about the need to carry a concealed weapon, allowing Cupp to shoot back at him:
Clearly you've never thought or confronted the idea of domestic violence or being assaulted by another man in a dark alley. Why do I want to conceal it? Why does anyone for self-defense want to conceal it?
The liberal panel as well as Maher’s liberal audience clearly seemed shocked that Cupp would be offended that increased gun restrictions make law-abiding citizens feel like criminals, and that she uses guns in a responsible way to protect herself.
Being the only reasonable voice on gun ownership on the panel, Cupp demonstrated the serious flaws in the left’s gun-control agenda, leaving Maher and the rest of the panel forced to use flawed liberal talking points to attempt and refute Ms. Cupp, which they failed miserably to do.
See relevant transcript below.
HBO
Real Time with Bill Maher
May 17, 2013
10: 38 p.m. Eastern
BILL MAHER: One of the problems with the left is that for example guns, let's take the issue du jour. You know, this Manchin-Toomey bill that didn't even pass, you know, this was- the name of it was the Public Safety and Second Amendment’s Protection Acts. With friends like these, who needs enemies? It actually said, if you create a gun registry, it's punishable by 15 years in prison. This is coming from the so-called Democrats. Where are the people on the left standing up and saying, of course, we need a gun registry.
MICHAEL MOORE: I'm here.
MAHER: Yeah, I know. Me too.
ANDREW ROSS SORKIN: I'm right here.
MAHER: I keep saying where are on the people on the left just to go after the Second Amendment and say the Second Amendment is bull shit? It says a well-regulated militia. We have neither, not a militia, not well regulated.
SORKIN: We can start the registry right here.
MOORE: Start with Bill's guns. But seriously though, what's the problem with registering guns? We register our cars, we register our dogs? You know, I don't hear anybody saying Obama's going to come take my dog.
MAHER: Just wait for it. But, alright.
CUPP: Can I offer a problem with the gun registry. In all sincerity, as a gun rights advocate and a gun owner. And you don’t have to buy this. But this is why gun owners find this offensive because it treats law-abiding citizens as if they are guilty until proven innocent. Let me finish. Let me finish. I know, this is going over. This is going over. Liberals had a big problem with the kind of scrutiny that papers please laws , stop and frisk laws sought to enact. The problem with background checks, five day waiting periods, they assume that I have criminal intent to use my gun and pursue my Second Amendment rights. 100 percent they do. I go to give a background check. Prove to me you're not a criminal. I go to get a gun, prove to me you don't want to use it in a heat of passion right now. Wait five days, you need to cool off. That's not fair. The government is not in the business of interrogating me away from my Second Amendment right. It's an abuse of power. And it seeps into the culture. It's why newspapers think they can publish law-abiding owner’s addresses as if they're pariahs. It’s not appropriate.
MOORE: We the people believe, we, that's the majority, by the way want gun control. We want -- here's what we want. You can have your gun. But all we want to know is—
CUPP: You want to be able to track me.
MOORE: Yes, if you have a dangerous device that can kill 20 school children, I want to know where that device is. [Cheers and applause]
CUPP: I’m going to use it legally. You do not have that right. You do not have that right. The only consistent argument that I've heard on this is that you have a problem with the Second Amendment. And that's what you should go after.
MAHER: That's what I'm saying.
CUPP: Because the Second Amendment protects me from all of the things you guys are talking about.
MOORE: I want to amend the Second Amendment to say that we agree with what the founders wanted and that it covers muskets and that it takes three minutes to put one of those little ball things in there and shoot it. I’m all for that.
SORKIN: Why should you be able to have a gun and hid it and nobody knows that you have it? Why?
CUPP: Why should I be able to hide a gun?
SORKIN: What’s the rationale?
CUPP: Clearly you've never thought or confronted the idea of domestic violence or being assaulted by another man in a dark alley. Why do I want to conceal it? Why does anyone for self-defense want to conceal it?
MOORE: Don’t be afraid of him, he won’t hurt you.
