On Thursday, NBC’s Today applauded a partisan political stunt by Democrats to exploit the Orlando terrorist attack and push their left-wing anti-gun agenda. Co-host Savannah Guthrie opened the show by breathlessly proclaiming: “Democrats take their fight for gun control late into night....A marathon session that ended just hours ago with a deal reached with Republicans to hold two key votes.”
Moments later, she touted how the gun control issue had “taken on new urgency in the wake of the Orlando shooting” and that Democrats were “frustrated by inaction.” Correspondent Peter Alexander followed: “Senate Democrats say they have had enough, essentially commandeering the Senate floor for hours, lasting into the early hours of this morning, to drive home their call for stricter gun laws....highlighting the Republican-controlled Congress's failure to act on guns.”
On Wednesday’s NBC Nightly News, Alexander offered a similar fawning report on “a filibuster fueled by frustration.”
Following the segment on Today, co-host Matt Lauer turned to Meet the Press host Chuck Todd and wondered: “What we saw on the floor of the Senate over those 14 hours of that filibuster, was it just theater or did it signal a real change in the politics of this?” Todd eagerly declared: “...what you saw yesterday – and I think it was more than show – is that Democrats and those on the gun control side using terrorism as a way to get better attention for gun bills.”
Todd suggested that it was only fair that the liberal lawmakers take political advantage of the tragedy, since “Republicans have successfully exploited terrorism as a way to get some things passed before.” He didn’t bother to cite any examples to prove that accusation against the GOP.
Continuing to praise the election-year posturing by Democrats, Todd argued: “I think Democrats have found a way to get the attention of swing voters, when it comes to the issue of guns, by connecting it to terrorism and the terrorist watch list.”
He happily noted: “And look, Republicans now are changing their rhetoric....they've already got many Republicans at least shifting rhetorically.”
Here is a full transcript of Todd’s June 16 analysis:
7:05 AM ET
MATT LAUER: Let us bring in Chuck Todd. Chuck, good morning to you.
CHUCK TODD: Good morning.
LAUER: What we saw on the floor of the Senate over those 14 hours of that filibuster, was it just theater or did it signal a real change in the politics of this?
TODD: Well, I think what you've seen – this has been a slow shift now for the gun control side of this debate for a while. And what you saw yesterday – and I think it was more than show – is that Democrats and those on the gun control side using terrorism as a way to get better attention for gun bills. And I think that they have found – you know, when you – the terror argument has been a way to overcome other issues in the past. Republicans have successfully exploited terrorism as a way to get some things passed before. And I think on this, I think Democrats have found a way to get the attention of swing voters, when it comes to the issue of guns, by connecting it to terrorism and the terrorist watch list.
And look, Republicans now are changing their rhetoric. They're basically trying to say, “Hey, we agree, too. Here’s our bill.” Now their bill’s very weak, but they've already got many Republicans at least shifting rhetorically.
GUTHRIE: And that makes me get right to my next question, Donald Trump tweeting that he’s going to meet with the NRA about this so-called “No Fly, No Buy” policy. Is he getting ready to buck the NRA?
TODD: Well, you know, I think his instinct – and if you look at him in the past, he’s been supportive of gun control measures before. Although, Trump contradicts himself a lot on various issues. I don't think he’s got the political capital to force the NRA on this. If he looked like he were more competitive in this presidential, if he looked like he had a really good shot right now at being president – and right now he's politically very weak, maybe things could change – I do think he could have some influence on the NRA. But right now I think the NRA doesn't see – doesn’t see Donald Trump as somebody that's going to be perhaps signing bills any time soon. So, I don't think they feel as if they have to listen to him.
LAUER: Alright, Chuck. Chuck, thank you very much.
