CNN host Alisyn Camerota gave gun control activist Andy Parker free rein to bash Republicans like Steve Scalise as “true believers” in the NRA while promoting his new memoir on Wednesday's New Day. Camerota treated Parker as if he were a friend, gushing praise for his activism and literally cheering on his agenda of turning America blue.
To end the 8am EST hour, Camerota brought on Parker to talk about his new book addressed to his daughter, Alison, a journalist who was killed on-air in 2015 by a disgruntled former co-worker. The pair talked more about Parker’s left-wing activism than they did about the book. The CNN host began by praising Parker for trying to change the country’s gun laws:
“We have talked to you many times. We are always struck by how pretty quickly you swung into action. You were grief-stricken but you swung into action! You decided to try to change things in the country,” she praised. The two gushed about Democrats picking up more seats in Virginia, the Parkland kids’ activism and two new bills passed by House Democrats expanding gun laws. Camerota didn’t even pretend to be impartial, calling the liberal agenda, a “huge victory.”
“That was a victory. A huge victory! People said it couldn't be done!” she said, adding, “Congratulations.” Camerota worried about the “setback” of it getting through the Senate. Parker assured her that change was happening, regardless of Republicans, and that Democrats would take over in 2020:
"[U]nfortunately, most Republicans, 99% of them are still, you know, walking in lock step with the NRA, if you can't change their minds then you change their seats. That's what happened. I think that's what's going to happen in 2020," he touted.
That’s when Camerota invited Parker to really lay into Republicans as unreasonable. “Did it take you a while to come around to that point?” she asked, adding sympathetically, “Were you trying to change people’s minds?”
The activist then described Republicans like Steve Scalise as if they were part of a cult:
“I discovered a lot of I them are true believers. I mean look at Steve Scalise. Here’s a guy that got shot. You would think he would have some kind of come to Jesus and say maybe I'm doing something wrong,” he sneered.
Camerota didn’t bat an eyelash, adding placidly, “So your battle has morphed into a political one to get the people who are of that kind of thinking out of their seats?” to which Parker agreed that was “the only way.”
She ended the interview by “cheering on” Parker to continue moving the country “forward” on taking away gun rights:
“We’ve watched you do it and we have cheered you on every time that we talk to you. Now yet another step forward. The book again is 'For Allison.' Andy Parker, Thank you so much,” she gushed.
As Camerota mentioned, this isn’t the first time the network nor the media at large as given Parker a national spotlight to bash Republicans. Former CNN host Carol Costello gave him a softball interview in 2015, twice, while CBS gave the activist time to blast the “cowardly” NRA in another interview that year.
See the partial transcript below:
CNN's New Day
3/6/2019
8:53:22AM-8:56:39AM EST
ALISYN CAMEROTA: We have talked to you many times. We are always struck by how pretty quickly you swung into action. You were grief-stricken but you swung into action! You decided to try to change things in the country and not-- you were trying to have any other family prevented from feeling this way. I'm just wondering in the course of this three and a half years, have there been more victories or setbacks?
ANDY PARKER: I think there have been more victories now. I feel like I moved the needle when I came out swinging and I started advocating.I think things really picked up steam ironically with the elections in Virginia, the state-wide elections in Virginia where Democrats picked up 15 seats.
CAMEROTA: And then what happened?
PARKER: The gun issue was like the number two issue in that race followed by the Parkland shootings. Those kids put the really -- I think that was the -- the Virginia elections were the tipping point. What happened in Parkland put the issue on steroids. Then you saw what happened in the midterms. I think the victories are there. Last week The house passed gun legislation that they haven't taken up in two decades.
CAMEROTA: That therein lies the rub. Because that was a victory. A huge victory! People said it couldn't be done! The House passed--- they made universal background checks. They closed the Charleston loophole. Congratulations. It goes nowhere in the Senate. A setback.
PARKER: And we know that was coming but the statement is being made. Again, what we will see in November in Virginia and in 2020 if you can't change their minds, which unfortunately, most Republicans, 99% of them are still, you know, walking in lock step with the NRA, if you can't change their minds then you change their seats. That's what happened. I think that's what's going to happen in 2020.
CAMEROTA: Did it take you a while to come around to that point, for a while after Alison’s murder. Were you trying to change people’s minds?
PARKER: I was. I really tried to do that. I realized not too far along that you can't do it. I thought initially that these guys are just taking the NRA money. They are really agnostic about it. But then I discovered a lot of I them are true believers. I mean look at Steve Scalise. Here’s a guy that got shot. You would think he would have some kind of come to Jesus and say maybe I'm doing something wrong. But his answer, his response is we need more guns to save people. I mean we’ve got more guns in this country than we do people.
CAMEROTA: So your battle has morphed into a political one to get the people who are of that kind of thinking out of their seats?
PARKER: Yes. That's the only way it’s going to change.
