Following the closing remarks signaling the end of the second day of the Republican National Convention, on Tuesday, CNN’s America’s Choice 2016 panel tackled the party’s support for gun rights. “We haven’t talked about this cheer leading for the NRA, and this cheer leading around the gun stuff,” commentator Van Jones stated, “My concern is that we have a country awash in guns.”
Jones criticized Republicans for not being able to hear what the American people wanted in terms of regulations on guns, “But you've got a real gun crisis and there just seemed to be a tone deafness to the number of funerals from the mass shootings, from the snipers, all this stuff and yet guns, guns, guns.”
Former Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama, David Axelrod had his own problems with the Republicans support the Second Amendment. “If you're trying to expand your base and you’re trying to reach some of these college educated women in suburban areas, is this the way to do it,” he asked, “Do you want to emphasize that issue to it that degree?”
NewsBusters contributor Jeffrey Lord defended the party, “You don't do it by abandoning ship on your principles here. And this is a pretty core principle for the Republican Party.”
Axelrod didn’t let up, asking if the Republicans can find a way to make flyover country kowtow to the big cities:
Because the question is, can you find language or even make a nod to the reality that people in metropolitan areas in particular are feeling, but not limited to metropolitan areas, about gun violence, that isn't so polarizing and that may give you a chance to reach a larger core of voters that you need?
Lord countered by flipping it around on Obama and his refusal to move in the direction of law abiding gun owners:
Let me flip that around on you. When the president— President Obama goes to some of these recent events, one of the first things he does is talk about gun control. So I mean, I’m going to ask the same question in reverse because he never seems to go in the direction of expanding the democratic base by reaching out to folks who are gun owners.
Partical transcript below:
CNN
America’s Choice 2016
July 19, 2016
11:03:02 PM Eastern
VAN JONES: I also thought— We haven’t talked about this cheer leading for the NRA, and this cheer leading around the gun stuff. I think it plays very, very well here. Let me tell you how I hear it. As somebody who— my concern isn't that they're going to take guns away from people defending their homes, I never heard anyone say that.
My concern is that we have a country awash in guns. And we have places like Chicago, which maybe we can argue about the best way to protect it. But you've got a real gun crisis and there just seemed to be a tone deafness to the number of funerals from the mass shootings, from the snipers, all this stuff and yet guns, guns, guns. So I just think there was some ways we were just off tonight.
…
DAVID AXELROD: So, one of the interesting questions about this gun issue. Just from a political stand point is, if you're trying to expand your base and you’re trying to reach some of these college educated women in suburban areas, is this the way to do it? Do you want to emphasize that issue to it that degree?
JEFFREY LORD: You don't do it by abandoning ship on your principles here. And this is a pretty core principle for the Republican Party. To Nia’s [Nia-Malika Henderson] point earlier about the difference in cultures here that these folks are appealing too. This is not, if you will, the New York/DC set, this is the folks where I live, in Pennsylvania, who watch shows like this, who have respect for someone like this, who has created a business, a whole series of businesses, etcetera, as has Donald Trump.
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AXELROD: Jeffrey, can I just return to the gun thing for a second?
LORD: Yes.
AXELROD: Because the question is, can you find language or even make a nod to the reality that people in metropolitan areas in particular are feeling, but not limited to metropolitan areas, about gun violence, that isn't so polarizing and that may give you a chance to reach a larger core of voters that you need?
LORD: But let me-- Let me flip that around on you. When the president— President Obama goes to some of these recent events, one of the first things he does is talk about gun control. So I mean, I’m going to ask the same question in reverse because he never seems to go in the direction of expanding the democratic base by reaching out to folks who are gun owners.
AXELROD: Well actually, 90 percent of Americans support background checks. So if-- As a matter of pure politics, he's on the side of the vast majority of Americans and the Republican Party is not.
