At the top of CNN’s anti-gun town hall, Wednesday, host and Antifa terrorist backer Chris Cuomo lashed out at the National Rifle Association for not subjecting themselves to the hate and rhetorical torture session they were treated to at the Parkland shooting town hall last year.
After noting some of the other groups represented in the crowd, including some who “work in the firearm industry,” Cuomo proved the NRA’s decision to not take part correct when he blasted them:
We also invited the National Rifle Association, the NRA, to be a part of tonight’s conversation. They declined. They sent a totally disingenuous statement that they’re open to honest discussion, but not this spectacle.
“That’s what you call this, a spectacle? I guess they want to do their talking with propaganda ads and millions in lobbying,” he viciously spat. “Besides, let's be honest, the gun lobby is not going to be the answer. And that shouldn't be expected any more than we expected big tobacco to help us expose the ills of smoking.”
After the first commercial break, Cuomo took another swipe at the NRA in a question to former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu (Cuomo admitted New Orleans was “one of the most dangerous cities in America”).
“A little bit of news. The President we're told was on the phone with the head of the NRA Wayne LaPierre yesterday or today. They are in contact. Is that a good thing, is that a bad thing,” he asked the Mayor.
As a follow up to that question, Cuomo turned to New York District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and teed him up to talk about how the NRA controls politicians on the right. “You believe that the NRA is that powerful? That that's what the main reason is that we don't see the right wanting to make more legislative change in the area of controlling access?”
Given this divisive treatment, why should the NRA show up to a CNN-hosted event?
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
CNN’s America Under Assault: The Gun Crisis: Cuomo Prime Time Town Hall
August 7, 2019
9:01:24 p.m. Eastern(…)
CHRIS CUOMO: Many of the people here survived the bullets that tore through their bodies, changed their lives and changed their communities. Many lost loved ones. Some are now advocates for reform. Some work in the firearm industry. Others work to limit that industry's reach.
We also invited the National Rifle Association, the NRA, to be a part of tonight’s conversation. They declined. They sent a totally disingenuous statement that they’re open to honest discussion, but not this spectacle.
That’s what you call this, a spectacle? I guess they want to do their talking with propaganda ads and millions in lobbying.
Besides, let's be honest, the gun lobby is not going to be the answer. And that shouldn't be expected any more than we expected big tobacco to help us expose the ills of smoking.
The reality is, people like you are the answer, and there can be no sides when it comes to wanting to be safer, better protected. There just can’t be. Not anymore. So, let's use this moment, let's connect and confront what should be obvious by now. The other special interest involved tonight is our collective interest in dying less this way.
(…)
9:32:45 p.m. Eastern
CUOMO: A little bit of news. The President we're told was on the phone with the head of the NRA Wayne LaPierre yesterday or today. They are in contact. Is that a good thing, is that a bad thing,
(…)
9:33:41 p.m. Eastern
CUOMO: You believe that the NRA is that powerful? That that's what the main reason is that we don't see the right wanting to make more legislative change in the area of controlling access?
