ABC’s Capitol Hill correspondent Rachel Scott continued her harassment of Republican Senators Thursday in the network’s apparent attempt to bully enough Senators into supporting the Democrat’s gun control agenda, this time with help from Sky News reporter Mark Stone. However, two Republican Senators were able to turn the tables on both Scott and Stone.
Scott went right into propaganda mode during ABC World News Tonight’s segment on the renewed debate over gun control in light of the tragic shooting in Uvalde, Texas (gun laws that wouldn’t have prevented the gunman from acquiring his weapons in the first place).
“Polls show more than 80 percent of Americans support those policies. But it's far from clear that they can get the ten Republican votes needed,” Scott whined before cutting to tape of her chasing after Senator Susan Collins (R-ME).
Since West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin has continued to insist on not voting to scrap the filibuster, Scott hounded Collins to ask if the sixty votes needed to pass gun control are there.
Collins responded that “it’s a little bit early to try to predict the outcome.”
In her typical smug and condescending tone, Scott announced that “for some Republicans, any talk of reform involving guns is a nonstarter.”
During her harassment tour, Scott caught up with Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) to lecture him that the “majority of Americans support some type of action when it comes to gun reform” the and asked if the Republican Party is wrong on gun control.
Wicker did not take her arrogant lectures lying down:
SEN. ROGER WICKER: We need to look at what solutions have worked and haven't worked. So I’m not—
SCOTT: But if the majority of Americans say background checks --
WICKER: Ma'am—
SCOTT: Should be in place.
WICKER: I realize you have a point of view and I've been happy to answer your questions.
SCOTT: It’s the point of view of the American people, sir.
Scott then aired footage of Sky News foreign correspondent Mark Stone attempting to debate gun control with Texas Senator Ted Cruz (spoiler alert: it did not end well for Stone):
MARK STONE: Is this the moment to reform gun laws?
SEN. TED CRUZ: You know, it's easy to go to politics.
STONE: But it's important. It's at the heart of the issue.
CRUZ: I get that that's where the media likes to go.
STONE: It's not. It's where many of the people we’ve talked to here like to go.
CRUZ: The proposals from Democrats and the media inevitably when some violent psychopath murders people.
STONE: A violent psychopath who’s able to get a weapon so easily. 18-year-old with two AR-15s.
CRUZ: If you want to stop violent crime, the proposals the Democrats have none of them - would have stopped this.
NBC Nightly News, during their segment on the gun control debate, aired a portion of Stone’s exchange that wasn’t aired on ABC. Stone despicably and falsely asked Cruz why mass shootings “only happen in your country” and asked Cruz “why is this American exceptionalism so awful?”
Cruz immediately shot back “I’m sorry you think American exceptionalism is awful.”
This biased coverage from ABC & NBC was made possible by Prevagen on ABC and Fresh Pet on NBC. Their information is linked.
To read the relevant transcript click “expand”:
ABC’s World News Tonight
5/26/2022
6:47:10 p.m. EasternRACHEL SCOTT: Now on the table, background checks for gun stores, gun shows, and online sales. And red flag measures allowing courts to temporarily remove guns from people deemed dangerous. Polls show more than 80 percent of Americans support those policies. But it's far from clear that they can get the ten Republican votes needed. [TO SEN. SUSAN COLLINS] Are there 60 votes for that?
SEN. SUSAN COLLINS: It’s a little bit early to try to predict the outcome, but there's clearly a lot of interest.
SCOTT: But for some Republicans, any talk of reform involving guns is a nonstarter. [TO SEN. ROGER WICKER] The majority of Americans support some type of action when it comes to gun reform. Is your party wrong on this? Are you wrong on this?
SEN. ROGER WICKER: We need to look at what solutions have worked and haven't worked. So I’m not—
SCOTT: But if the majority of Americans say background checks --
WICKER: Ma'am—
SCOTT: Should be in place.
WICKER: I realize you have a point of view and I've been happy to answer your questions.
SCOTT: It’s the point of view of the American people, sir.
SCOTT: And back in Texas, the state's other Senator questioned by a reporter from Sky News.
MARK STONE: Is this the moment to reform gun laws?
SEN. TED CRUZ: You know, it's easy to go to politics.
STONE: But it's important. It's at the heart of the issue.
CRUZ: I get that that's where the media likes to go.
STONE: It's not. It's where many of the people we’ve talked to here like to go.
CRUZ: The proposals from Democrats and the media inevitably when some violent psychopath murders people.
STONE: A violent psychopath who’s able to get a weapon so easily. 18-year-old with two AR-15s.
CRUZ: If you want to stop violent crime, the proposals the Democrats have none of them - would have stopped this.
NBC Nightly News
5/26/2022
7:13:47 p.m. EasternGARRETT HAAKE: Senator Ted Cruz was pressed by Sky News correspondent Mark Stone.
SEN. TED CRUZ: If you want to stop violent crime, the proposals the Democrats have, none of them would have stopped this.
MARK STONE: But why does this only happen in your country? I really think that's what many people around the world, just they cannot fathom why only in America. Why is this American exceptionalism so awful?
CRUZ: You know, I'm sorry you think American exceptionalism is awful.
