Despite CNN's Gun Control Advocacy, Polls Show Drop In Support

January 17th, 2013 3:48 PM

Despite CNN waging a crusade for gun control over the past month, and host Piers Morgan drawing attention with his incessant activism and bullying of his opponents on the gun issue, CNN’s own poll shows that support for some gun control measures has dropped over the past month.

CNN.com reported on its poll Wednesday: "According to the survey, 56% support a ban on semi-automatic guns, but that's down from 62% in a CNN poll taken in the days after the shooting at Sandy Hook. The same is true for a ban on high-capacity ammunition clips - 62% in December, down to 58% now - as well as a requirement for all gun owners to register their firearms with the local government - 78% last month, down to 69% now."

So support for these gun control measures fell over the past month despite (seemingly) CNN's best efforts to marginalize gun rights advocates. For instance:

NewsBusters reported on January 15, one day before CNN's poll was released, that over the course of the previous day, CNN trotted out 13 guests favoring gun control, including five Democratic politicians, versus just two Republican guests who opposed gun control or defended the NRA.

CNN's Howard Kurtz compared gun control to the fight for civil rights and gay marriage, and said it was the "media agenda" that helped achieve legislative success on those issues.

Soledad O’Brien lectured gun rights advocate John Lott, "your position completely boggles me, honestly. I just do not understand it," three days after the Newtown shooting. 

Four days after the atrocity at Sandy Hook, CNN's Piers Morgan tore into a gun rights advocate, Republican Texas state representative Steve Toth, as "unbelievably stupid" and "dangerous." 

Anchor Carol Costello initiated a 15-minute grilling of NRA President David Keene, resorting to citing liberal Facebook comments on why the NRA is "crazy."

Fareed Zakaria pleaded with representatives in Congress to "have the courage to protect our children" and pass new restrictions on firearms.

Morgan, losing a gun debate to Breitbart.com's Ben Shapiro, sneered that "you brandish your little book," referring to Shapiro's copy of the Constitution that he was citing on Morgan's show.

CNN reporters fawned over Gabby Giffords' new anti-gun push. "[I]f Gabby Giffords came knocking on my door, office door on Capitol Hill, I would have to let her in," admitted anchor Carol Costello. 

Fill-in anchor Victor Blackwell tossed liberal Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) talking points from the anti-gun group Mayors Against Illegal Guns.