On Friday's CNN Tonight, while going on a rant lecturing a Republican guest about "politicizing" the Orlando nightclub terrorist attack, host Don Lemon inserted what sounded like his own political push for more gun control while he was still lecturing his guest about being political.
The CNN host began the segment at about 9:40 p.m. ET by playing a clip of GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump declaring that the terrorist gunman would have himself been shot more quickly if someone in the nightclub had been armed. Lemon then fretted:
Listen, I know Donald Trump is an animated man. He talks with his hands. But can gesturing between the eyes like that, I mean, I just got back from Orlando, and the families there, the people are watching the news very closely. It's a sensitive moment for the victims' families and for the people in Orlando especially. Do you think he's being insensitive in the wake of such a tragedy?
After Trump supporter Ken McKay began complaining about Democrats pushing for more gun restrictions after the attack, Lemon bristled:
I have to tell you it's not just Democrats -- it's not just Democrats and it's not really -- okay, I understand that, but it's not just Democrats who are saying that there needs to be some sensible restrictions on what kinds of guns. It's also Republicans, it's also independents, it's reasonable people. And what the families say is that we're tired of the political talking points -- Republican families, Democratic families, independent families, all of them who are -- every family that I spoke to said that they are pro-Second Amendment.
Lemon's rant continued:
They were tired of this whole gun thing being politicized. And, quite frankly, they said that they were -- they thought that Donald Trump was politicizing it -- most of them, even Republicans. So how do you respond to that? It's not just Democrats. By saying this is a Democratic talking point, you are politicizing it by doing that.
Moments later, the CNN host proclaimed that "the commonality in all of these mass shootings is the type of weapon that is used" as he further lectured:
They're tired of turning on the television and hearing people bickering about left versus right when it comes to guns. They don't care if it was a terrorist attack. They don't care if it was an act of hate. They don't care what it is. Their loved one is dead, and they want something done about it. The one thing they say -- the commonality in all of these mass shootings is the type of weapon that is used. So by saying that this is a left -- a Democratic thing, you are politicizing it. That does not have to be your first response.
Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Friday, June 17, CNN Tonight:
DON LEMON: Listen, I know Donald Trump is an animated man. He talks with his hands. But can gesturing between the eyes like that, I mean, I just got back from Orlando, and the families there, the people are watching the news very closely. It's a sensitive moment for the victims' families and for the people in Orlando especially. Do you think he's being insensitive in the wake of such a tragedy?
KEN MCKAY, REBUILDING AMERICA NOW: No. I think he's showing the frustration and the anger that most of us -- virtually all of us feel, you know. This is -- this is another situation where, you know, the Democrats have run out -- they made sure to blame this tragedy on gun owners of America quicker than they blamed the Benghazi attack on terrorists. That's how quickly and disgusting -- disgustingly political the Democrats are on this stuff. Every time they come running out and they blame gun owners of America. And so I think he's frustrated.
LEMON: I have to tell you it's not just Democrats -- it's not just Democrats and it's not really -- okay, I understand that, but it's not just Democrats who are saying that there needs to be some sensible restrictions on what kinds of guns. It's also Republicans, it's also independents, it's reasonable people. And what the families say is that we're tired of the political talking points -- Republican families, Democratic families, independent families, all of them who are -- every family that I spoke to said that they are pro-Second Amendment.
They were tired of this whole gun thing being politicized. And, quite frankly, they said that they were -- they thought that Donald Trump was politicizing it -- most of them, even Republicans. So how do you respond to that? It's not just Democrats. By saying this is a Democratic talking point, you are politicizing it by doing that.
MCKAY: Well, how else am I supposed to respond? This is what they do. They run out-
LEMON: You can respond by not having a partisan response and relying on partisan -- (after CNN analyst Bakari Sellers tries to jump in) hang on, let me finish, Bakari. Listen, I know some people may get upset with me, but every time I go to one of these things and I sit with families who have lost loved ones and they stare me in the eyes and they are crying, and I see women, the women that I saw, the mothers who could not stop moving -- they were so jittery, they hadn't slept -- and they're telling me that they cannot sleep at night, they cannot do anything.
They're tired of turning on the television and hearing people bickering about left versus right when it comes to guns. They don't care if it was a terrorist attack. They don't care if it was an act of hate. They don't care what it is. Their loved one is dead, and they want something done about it. The one thing they say -- the commonality in all of these mass shootings is the type of weapon that is used. So by saying that this is a left -- a Democratic thing, you are politicizing it. That does not have to be your first response. Go ahead.
MCKAY: But that's the question you asked me, whether I thought Mr. Trump was politicizing it or being offensive, and I don't think he is. I think he's frustrated-
LEMON: I didn't ask you if he was politicizing it. I asked you -- that's not right. That's not what I asked you. The question is, I asked you if he was being insensitive at this point. I said nothing about politicizing it.
MCKAY: No, I don't think he's being insensitive.
LEMON: Thank you.
MCKAY: I don't think he's being insensitive. I think he's expressing the same frustration that the rest of us feel. These are awful events. There are people dead. There are families suffering, and the first thing that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama do is blame it on people who own guns in America.instead of focusing on the real issue -- the rise of terrorism, the rise of ISIS in the Middle East. That happened under their administration. They have a mirror to look at here and stop looking in our closets and see what we're doing. I think he's that frustrated. I think everybody else is, too.
LEMON: That's still a -- that's still a -- that's still a political talking point.
