Less than a day after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was subjected to death threats from protesters outside his home and threatening Twitter hashtags (#MassacreMoscowMitch and #MassacreMitch), two CNN shows downplayed the protesters and one also featured 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Bill de Blasio expressing support for one of the hashtags.
In the case of de Blasio, the socialist New York City Mayor appeared on The Situation Room and, when encouraged by host Wolf Blitzer, he demanded that Congress “come back” to enact massive gun control measures because “if they don't come back, there will be tremendous anger among constituents.”
De Blasio then teed off on McConnell, gloating:
I think Mitch McConnell has to finally live up to his constitutional role. He is being called Massacre Mitch right now for a reason because he literally is refusing to allow pieces of legislation to the floor even though they have bipartisan support, legislation that would actually start to reduce the dangers to our children, to our seniors.
Blitzer never said a word about the threats to McConnell (who’s already hobbled by a broken shoulder) and, by the media’s definition of Republicans refusing to engage on every Trump controversy, endorsed de Blasio’s rhetoric.
So he thus allowed the floundering candidate to double down: “We need more Republicans to speak up but unless Mitch McConnell likes that phrase, Massacre Mitch, he has got to bring the Senate back and bring this legislation to the floor.”
Taking note of this double standard, my colleague Rich Noyes tweeted: “I remember in 2011, after the Giffords shooting, CNN scolded guests who used the word “targeted.’”
In addition to this unchallenged smear, Blitzer featured nearly identical reports (one in each hour) from chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta ignoring the threats and offering no description of the protests.
Teeing up a clip in both of failing 2020 candidate and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Acosta boasted: “Democrats are calling on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring lawmakers back to Washington to vote on new gun-control measures after protesters gathered outside of his home this week.”
For a guy who speaks ad nauseam about the death threats he has faced because the President doesn’t like him, it’s a little sad Acosta doesn’t seem to have the same sympathy for someone whom people want dead.
During the previous show (The Lead), White House reporter Kaitlan Collins went off about what she stated were “amid growing calls in Washington for action on gun control” (click “expand”):
COLLINS: Democrats want Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring back lawmakers from the five-week summer recess for a vote on stalled gun legislation.
CONGRESSMAN TIM RYAN (D-OH): Mitch McConnell needs to get off his [EXPLETIVE] and do something.
[PROTESTERS SHOUTING]
COLLINS: That sentiment heard outside of McConnell's Kentucky home where protests gathered on Monday night. Despite the inaction, a source close to McConnell said he's serious about considering gun legislation. Now, Jake, we're being told by sources right now that Republican leadership is not considering ending the recess and coming back to Capitol Hill because Mitch McConnell still feels that universal background checks bill that Democrats have been calling for still does not have the support of the President or most Republicans in the Senate. Instead, they say they want to stay in touch with the White House about potential legislation they could get passed when they do return in the fall and our sources here at the White House are telling us the President has expressed some openness to expanding the background checks in the last few days, but right now the question is whether or not that’s something he does still support and in the coming days or if it’s something that he’ll back off of in the end.
To see the relevant transcript from CNN’s The Lead and The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer on August 6, click “expand.”
CNN’s The Lead
August 6, 2019
4:31 p.m. EasternKAITLAN COLLINS: This amid growing calls in Washington for action on gun control.
SENATOR CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): It’s a piece of paper, but it’s a piece of paper that could save lives.
COLLINS: Democrats want Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring back lawmakers from the five-week summer recess for a vote on stalled gun legislation.
CONGRESSMAN TIM RYAN (D-OH): Mitch McConnell needs to get off his [EXPLETIVE] and do something.
[PROTESTERS SHOUTING]
COLLINS: That sentiment heard outside of McConnell's Kentucky home where protests gathered on Monday night. Despite the inaction, a source close to McConnell said he's serious about considering gun legislation. Now, Jake, we're being told by sources right now that Republican leadership is not considering ending the recess and coming back to Capitol Hill because Mitch McConnell still feels that universal background checks bill that Democrats have been calling for still does not have the support of the President or most Republicans in the Senate. Instead, they say they want to stay in touch with the White House about potential legislation they could get passed when they do return in the fall and our sources here at the White House are telling us the President has expressed some openness to expanding the background checks in the last few days, but right now the question is whether or not that’s something he does still support and in the coming days or if it’s something that he’ll back off of in the end.
CNN’s The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer
August 6, 2019
5:13 p.m. Eastern
JIM ACOSTA: Democrats are calling on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring lawmakers back to Washington to vote on new gun-control measures after protesters gathered outside of his home this week.
SENATOR KIRSTEN GILLBRAND (D-NY) [on CNN’s At This Hour, 08/06/19]: I don't know what he's waiting for and I don't know what Republicans in the Senate are waiting for. They should be calling on Mitch McConnell to bring the Senate back to vote on this legislation today.
ACOSTA: White House officials say the President was meeting with aides to prepare for tomorrow's trip to Ohio and Texas, looking at a wide range of policies potentially aimed at preventing mass shootings but, Wolf, we talked to a Republican source a short while ago who said the White House sent out talking points to surrogates earlier today that mainly touted the President's actions on guns in the past and there is no indication at this point that there is a groundswell of support in the White House for new gun-control measures in the aftermath of the shootings.
(....)
5:28 p.m. Eastern
WOLF BLITZER: Well, let's talk about gun control legislation. What is your trop priority?
NYC MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO (D): I think right now this Congress needs to come back, this is a moment that must be addressed, I think if they don't come back, there will be tremendous anger among constituents. I think Mitch McConnell has to finally live up to his constitutional role. He is being called Massacre Mitch right now for a reason because he literally is refusing to allow pieces of legislation to the floor even though they have bipartisan support, legislation that would actually start to reduce the dangers to our children, to our seniors. Who’s dying in these massacres, the hate-inspired massacres? Look at the ones we've been through and look at the tree of life synagogue in Pittsburgh, seniors, children, families being massacred because assault rifles are so easy to get, because there’s no background checks, because there’s no waiting period. The Congress of the United States could address this right now in August. You're actually starting to see bipartisanship coming from some people and I give Congressman Pete King credit for speaking up. We need more Republicans to speak up but unless Mitch McConnell likes that phrase, Massacre Mitch, he has got to bring the Senate back and bring this legislation to the floor.
(....)
6:11 p.m. Eastern
ACOSTA: Democrats are calling on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring lawmakers back to Washington to vote on new gun control measures after protesters gathered outside his home this week.
GILLBRAND [on CNN’s At This Hour, 08/06/19]: I don't know what he's waiting for and I don't know what Republicans in the Senate are waiting for. They should be calling on Mitch McConnell to bring the Senate back to vote on this legislation today.
