Wednesday's CNN town hall to promote gun control and gun grabbing was off the rails from the start. Moderator Jake Tapper sat back as the wild crowd targeted Republican Senator Marco Rubio (Fla.) with boos and jeers for basically just being there. The wildest moment allowed by Tapper was when Parkland, Florida student Cameron Kasky smeared the Senator by equating him to the shooter that killed 17 of his classmates. And Tapper thanked him for all of it.
“I'm sorry, I know I'm not supposed to do this, but I'm not going to listen to that. Senator Rubio, it's hard to look at you and not look down the barrel on an AR-15 and not look at Nikolas Cruz, but the point is: You're here and there are some people who are not,” Kasky spat.
After Rubio answered his question, Kasky began to browbeat him for the money the NRA donated to his campaign, basically insinuating he was being bribed. “And this is about people who are for making a difference to save us and people who are against it and prefer money. So Senator Rubio, can you tell me right now that you will not accept a single donation from the NRA in the future,” he demanded as the crowd went crazy.
When the crowd finally settled down, Kasky took a swipe at NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch who appeared in a later segment. "I wished I could have asked the NRA lady a question. I wish the NRA lady – I could have talked too because I would ask her, how she can look in the mirror, considering the fact she has children, but maybe she avoids those," he chided
“And I do support any law that would keep guns out of the hands of a deranged killer, and that's why I support the things I have stood for and fought for--” Rubio responded before Kasky interrupted him:
KASKY: No more NRA money? More NRA money?
RUBIO: That -- that is the wrong way to look -- first of all, the answer is, people buy into my agenda --
KASKY: You can say "No."
As the ridiculousness and the crowd noise grew to outrageous proportions, that was when Tapper finally stepped in. “Cameron is having a conversation with Senator Rubio. Let's let them talk,” he requested. Basically, Tapper wouldn’t stop the radical leftist smears against Rubio but he would quiet the crowd to hear more of them.
“So right now in the name of 17 people, you cannot ask the NRA to keep their money out of your campaign,” Kasky picked up. Between the crowd noise and Kasky’s persistent attacks, Rubio wasn’t able to respond. “Matter of fact, I bet we can get people in here to give you exactly as much money as the NRA would have,” the student interrupted and asked the crowd. “Can you stand up if you'd donate to that real quick? Okay, not a lot, but we'll get it. I'll do it. We've raised quite a bit of money so far.”
Tapper continued to sit back as Kasky continued his mudslinging:
KASKY: I'll ask again. Are you accepting money from the NRA in the future?
RUBIO: I will always accept the help of anyone who agrees with my agenda. But my agenda is also –
KASKY: Your agenda is protecting us, right?
(…)
KASKY: So I knew that was going to happen. NRA, please just keep the money out of Rubio. If he wants to run again, you can –
At the end of the segment, Tapper praised Kasky: “Thank you, Cameron. Appreciate it.”
This is CNN. No objectivity. Just a naked ratings grab and gun ban push.
To see the relevant portions of the transcript below, click expand to read:
CNN
Town Hall: Stand Up: The Students of Stoneman Douglas Demand Action
February 21, 2018
9:48:09 PM Eastern [5 minutes 4 seconds](…)
TAPPER: I want to bring in Cameron Kasky, he's a junior, and he has a question for Senator Rubio. Cameron?
CAMERON KASKY: I'm sorry, I know I'm not supposed to do this, but I'm not going to listen to that. Senator Rubio, it's hard to look at you and not look down the barrel on an AR-15 and not look at Nikolas Cruz, but the point is: You're here and there are some people who are not. And I need to ask two things of you. Number one, Chris Grady, can you stand up? This is my friend who is going to the military. I need you to tell him that he's going to live to make it to serve our country. And then we'll get to the other one.
(…)
KASKY: Thank you. And guys, look, this isn't about red and blue. We can't boo people because they're Democrats and boo people because they're Republicans. Anyone who is willing to show change, no matter where they're from, anybody who is willing to start to make a difference is somebody we need on our side here. And this is about people who are for making a difference to save us and people who are against it and prefer money. So Senator Rubio, can you tell me right now that you will not accept a single donation from the NRA in the future?
[Crowd goes wild]
KASKY: I wish I could have -- I wish I could have spoken -- I wished I could have asked the NRA lady a question. I wish the NRA lady – I could have talked too because I would ask her, how she can look in the mirror, considering the fact she has children, but maybe she avoids those.
MARCO RUBIO: Sorry?
KASKY: I don’t freaken know.
JAKE TAPPER: It’s ok. The question was about NRA money.
RUBIO: So number one, the positions I hold on these issues is the Second Amendment, I’ve held as I entered office in the City of West Miami as an elected official. Number two, the answer to the question is that people buy into my agenda. And I do support the Second Amendment. And I also support the right of you and everyone here to be able to go to school and be safe. And I do support any law that would keep guns out of the hands of a deranged killer, and that's why I support the things I have stood for and fought for –
KASKY: No more NRA money? More NRA money?
RUBIO: That -- that is the wrong way to look -- first of all, the answer is, people buy into my agenda --
KASKY: You can say "No."
RUBIO: Well, I –
KASKY [to crowd]: Guys be quite, come on, we're going to be here all night.
RUBIO: The influence of these groups comes not from money, the influence comes from the millions of people that agree with the agenda. And millions of Americans that support the NRA and who support gun rights –
TAPPER: All right, Senator.
KASKY: Guys, Guys.
TAPPER: Cameron is having a conversation with Senator Rubio. Let's let them talk.
RUBIO: Look, I respect -- you can ask that question and I can tell you that people buy into my agenda. I will answer any questions you guys have about any policy –
KASKY [to crowd]: Guys, be quiet, be quiet! We're going to be here all night.
RUBIO: And I think that ultimately, that is not our goal here. Our goal here is to move forward and –
KASKY: Wait, hold on. So right now in the name of 17 people, you cannot ask the NRA to keep their money out of your campaign?
RUBIO: I think in the name of 17 people, I can pledge to you that I will support any law that will prevent a killer like this –
KASKY: No, I'm talking about NRA money.
RUBIO: No. No, because –
KASKY: Matter of fact, I bet we can get people in here to give you exactly as much money as the NRA would have.
RUBIO: But it's not -- I understand. And you're right.
KASKY: Can you stand up if you'd donate to that real quick? Okay, not a lot, but we'll get it. I'll do it. We've raised quite a bit of money so far.
(…)
KASKY: I'll ask again. Are you accepting money from the NRA in the future?
RUBIO: I will always accept the help of anyone who agrees with my agenda. But my agenda is also –
KASKY: Your agenda is protecting us, right?
(…)
KASKY: So I knew that was going to happen. NRA, please just keep the money out of Rubio. If he wants to run again, you can –
TAPPER: Thank you, Cameron. Appreciate it.
(…)
