While the liberal media initially cheered President Trump for sounding like a Democrat in his advocacy for new gun control measures, when he started to turn away from such ideas, the press predictably turned on him. During an exclusive interview with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos Monday morning, NBC Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie was aghast that a new White House proposal on school safety did not include Second Amendment restrictions and feared the NRA “got to” the President.
“As you know, the President has repeatedly said in the past that he supported raising the age limit for firearm purchases of assault-style weapons from 18 to 21. He said it repeatedly, I’ll play you some of it,” Guthrie proclaimed as she began her interrogation of DeVos. Following soundbites of Trump originally calling for such a measure, the anchor demanded: “But I’m looking at your plan and it does not call for that age limit to be raised to 21 after all. What happened?”
When the cabinet secretary explained that the administration wanted to initially focus on policies with “broad, bipartisan support” and would form a School Safety Commission to examine other long-term solutions, Guthrie cut her off: “But Secretary DeVos, can I just jump in on that? Because you’re saying it’s a longer process, and yet, the President has made clear what he thought....So why is it that it is not in this plan? What happened? What changed?”
Moments later, the morning show host kept pressing the issue:
The President was very, very clear about it. On the 28th of February he made that last remark about, “Let’s raise the age limit.” One day later, he met with the NRA. Right after that meeting, the NRA lobbyist said that the President does not support gun control and the President tweeted after that, a few minutes after that, saying they had a great meeting. And now, it’s not part of the plan. A lot of people are looking at that and thinking, sounds like the NRA got to him.
DeVos replied: “As I said earlier, everything is on the table, and we will be looking at this. The state of Florida just passed a law this past week that looks at this issue, that raises the age – ” Guthrie impatiently interrupted: “It raises it, they didn’t engage in a long process. They just passed the law.”
Interesting that the same media that claim they are essential to democracy are suddenly in favor of silencing any extended debate or discussion about public policy.
Guthrie proceeded to use the rest of the segment to grill DeVos on the specifics of the portion of the White House proposal that allowed for arming certain qualified school personnel – an optional decision that would be left up to state and local authorities:
Would there be an armed teacher in every classroom?...What about in every grade?...Should the teachers wear their weapons outside so everybody can see it, including little kids, presumably, or they conceal then so that there’s that element of surprise?...Do you think they should be able – teachers should be able to carry assault weapons since presumably they may face assault weapons? Do you have an opinion on that?
In response to that last question about the notion of teachers carrying around “assault weapons,” DeVos explained: “I don’t think assault weapons in schools carried by any school personnel is the appropriate thing. But again, this is an issue that I think is best decided at the local level by communities and by states.”
Guthrie then absurdly declared: “But a student could legally carry an assault weapon, a student over 18.” DeVos corrected her: “Not in schools they can’t.”
When it looked like the President would back gun control, the press coverage was glowing. As soon as it was made clear that Trump still supported gun rights, the liberal media threw a fit.
Here is a transcript of Guthrie’s questions to DeVos during the March 12 segment:
7:12 AM ET
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Betsy DeVos is the Secretary of Education. Secretary DeVos, good morning, nice to have you with us.
BETSY DEVOS: Good morning, Savannah. Great to be with you.
GUTHRIE: As you know, the President has repeatedly said in the past that he supported raising the age limit for firearm purchases of assault-style weapons from 18 to 21. He said it repeatedly, I’ll play you some of it.
DONALD TRUMP [FEBRUARY 22]: We’re going to work on getting the age up to 21 instead of 18.
TRUMP [FEBRUARY 28]: It doesn’t make sense that I have to wait until I’m 21 to get a handgun but I can get this weapon at 18.
GUTHRIE: But I’m looking at your plan and it does not call for that age limit to be raised to 21 after all. What happened?
(...)
GUTHRIE: But Secretary DeVos, can I just jump in on that? Because you’re saying it’s a longer process, and yet, the President has made clear what he thought. He didn’t act like he had to sit there and think about it and have a process. So why is it that it is not in this plan? What happened? What changed?
(...)
GUTHRIE: No question about it, but this is a pretty discreet issue. The President was very, very clear about it. On the 28th of February he made that last remark about, “Let’s raise the age limit.” One day later, he met with the NRA. Right after that meeting, the NRA lobbyist said that the President does not support gun control and the President tweeted after that, a few minutes after that, saying they had a great meeting. And now, it’s not part of the plan. A lot of people are looking at that and thinking, sounds like the NRA got to him.
DEVOS: As I said earlier, everything is on the table, and we will be looking at this. The state of Florida just passed a law this past week that looks at this issue, that raises the age –
GUTHRIE: It raises it, they didn’t engage in a long process. They just passed the law.
(...)
GUTHRIE: Let’s talk about this notion of arming teachers. That this is certainly one of the most eye-grabbing aspects of the proposal. And let’s do the not-Washington thing. I’ll ask short questions and you give short answers, okay? Because I think a lot of people want to understand this. What percentage of teachers at schools would need to be armed, in your mind, to be effective?
(...)
GUTHRIE: Would there be an armed teacher in every classroom?
(...)
GUTHRIE: What about in every grade?
(...)
GUTHRIE: Should the teachers wear their weapons outside so everybody can see it, including little kids, presumably, or they conceal then so that there’s that element of surprise?
(...)
GUTHRIE: Texas does it. Do you think they should be able – teachers should be able to carry assault weapons since presumably they may face assault weapons? Do you have an opinion on that?
DEVOS: I don’t think assault weapons in schools carried by any school personnel is the appropriate thing. But again, this is an issue that I think is best decided at the local level by communities and by states.
GUTHRIE: But a student could legally carry an assault weapon, a student over 18.
DEVOS: Not in schools they can’t.
GUTHRIE: Okay. So you still want the schools to be gun-free zones, except for the teachers?
(...)
GUTHRIE: Just very, very quickly. I couldn’t help but thinking during this piece that aired right before you came on, you had the President using what we used to call a dirty word to describe one of my colleagues. And I wonder, as the Education Secretary, who’s in charge of what our kids learn, what do you think of that kind of language? Would you wash someone’s mouth out with soap?
DEVOS: Well, I would probably use different language myself, and I think we all have an opportunity and a responsibility to be examples to our kids.
GUTHRIE: Would you include the President?
DEVOS: That would include the President as well.
GUTHRIE: Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, good to have you with us this morning, thank you.
DEVOS: Nice to be with you, Savannah, thank you.
