On Wednesday's New Day show, CNN anchors John Berman and Brianna Keilar again showed their hostility to the right to use guns for self-defense as the show allowed Democratic guests in two different segments to slam Governor Mike Parson because the Missouri Republican pardoned Mark and Patricia McCloskey, who famously used guns to defend their home from trespassing protesters.
At 7:42 a.m. Eastern, as Keilar spoke with far-left Democratic Congresswoman Cori Bush about the issue of protecting those facing eviction, the CNN anchor brought up the recent pardon. Noting that Bush had been one of the protesters who marched past the McCloskeys' home last summer, Keilar failed to note that they were trespassing on private property or that the prosecution against them was politically motivated:
I do want to get your reaction to a big story coming out of St. Louis. The governor of Missouri, a Republican, has pardoned Mark and Patricia McCloskey, who were famously photographed pointing guns at protesters during June of 2020 in those demonstrations in St. Louis. You were actually among the marchers who encountered the McCloskeys that day. Mark McCloskey, at the Republican convention, called you "the Marxist liberal activist leading the mob through our neighborhood." What is your reaction to this pardon?
After Congresswoman Bush ranted against Governor Parson, Keilar gave no pushback as she wrapped up.
In the next hour, an entire segment of more than three minutes was devoted to allowing a Democratic state representative from Missouri -- who was also one of the protesters -- to complain about the pardon. As he introduced State Representative Rasheen Aldridge, Berman avoided using the word "trespassing" as he recalled that the protesters were on a private street:
New this morning, the Republican governor of Missouri is pardoning the St. Louis couple who pointed guns at protesters last summer. Mark and Patricia McCloskey had pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges for brandishing a long gun and handgun outside their mansion and pointing them at protesters who were walking on a private street near their home. Joining me now is Missouri State Representative Rasheen Aldridge -- he was one of the leaders of that demonstration. Representative, thank you so much. What do you make of the governor's decision to pardon the McCloskeys?
Aldridge began by slamming Governor Parson for the pardon, and repeated the discredited mantra that there is widespread racial discrimination by America's police officers:
You know, my heart is still heavy. I'm just -- still a lot of emotions and feelings and just completely disgusted by the actions of the governor of this state. You know, it reminds me of the two worlds unfortunately that people still live in. In one world, people take to the street nonviolently just last year -- last June -- after the death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor to take to the streets and say, "Hey, something was wrong," and to call out injustice and say that we need to change this system because what we constantly see is black and brown bodies being killed by the police, and no justice happened.
After the state legislator spent more than two minutes railing against the McCloskeys being pardoned, Berman seemed perplexed that the incident gave a boost to Mark McCloskey to run for the U.S. Senate as a Republican as the CNN host followed up: "McCloskey has parlayed his fame now into a political run. How do you explain that?"
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Transcripts follow. Click "expand" to read more.
CNN
New Day
August 4, 2021
7:42 a.m. Eastern
BRIANNA KEILAR: You mentioned St. Louis. I do want to get your reaction to a big story coming out of St. Louis. The governor of Missouri, a Republican, has pardoned Mark and Patricia McCloskey, who were famously photographed pointing guns at protesters during June of 2020 in those demonstrations in St. Louis. You were actually among the marchers who encountered the McCloskeys that day. Mark McCloskey, at the Republican convention, called you "the Marxist liberal activist leading the mob through our neighborhood." What is your reaction to this pardon?
CONGRESSWOMAN CORI BUSH (D-MO): That is absolutely unbelievable. There are other people that -- there are pardons that we have been asking for -- pardons that should actually happen in Missouri -- and that was not one. That was not one. They stood there, they pointed their guns totally reckless to a group of nonviolent protesters walking down a street that had no clue that they lived there -- didn't care that they lived there, didn't know them, didn't want to know them. Mark McCloskey is an absolute liar -- he has spat on my name -- and because of that, his day will come. He will not be successful in all that you're trying to do when you are hurting the very people that are out trying to save lives. Nothing good comes from that, and he can try it, but I will not stand by and allow him or our governor to hurt the very people that are doing the work that they should be doing.
So that was -- there are other people, Governor Parsons, that you should be looking at. We have an activist that's been sitting for such a long time -- sitting. Do something. Actually show up and be the governor of all the people of Missouri, not just those that follow your type of politics that actually hurt black people -- that actually hurt brown people -- that actually hurt people who are unhoused -- that actually hurt our LGBTQ community -- that actually hurt people who are of the Muslim faith -- people who are struggling in this country and people that are burdened differently than you. Stand up and be the governor of everybody.
KEILAR: Congresswoman, obviously, look, you feel very strongly about this, and we appreciate you talking to us this morning.
(...)
8:29 a.m. Eastern
JOHN BERMAN: New this morning, the Republican governor of Missouri is pardoning the St. Louis couple who pointed guns at protesters last summer. Mark and Patricia McCloskey had pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges for brandishing a long gun and handgun outside their mansion and pointing them at protesters who were walking on a private street near their home. Joining me now is Missouri State Representative Rasheen Aldridge -- he was one of the leaders of that demonstration. Representative, thank you so much. What do you make of the governor's decision to pardon the McCloskeys?
STATE REPRESENTATIVE RASHEEN ALDRIDGE (D-MO): Thanks for having me this morning. You know, my heart is still heavy. I'm just -- still a lot of emotions and feelings and just completely disgusted by the actions of the governor of this state. You know, it reminds me of the two worlds unfortunately that people still live in. In one world, people take to the street nonviolently just last year -- last June -- after the death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor to take to the streets and say, "Hey, something was wrong," and to call out injustice and say that we need to change this system because what we constantly see is black and brown bodies being killed by the police, and no justice happened.
And in the midst of that, I'm nonviolently walking down the street -- you also have a different world -- you have a privileged world where individuals like Patricia and Mark McCloskey was able to come out of their home -- note they were not the target. When we held that protest last June, we were going to the mayor's house. We didn't even know who Mark and Patricia was. They came out of their home -- they pointed loaded firearms at individuals that were children in the crowd -- they pointed firearms at nonviolent, peaceful protesters and threatened us to potentially shoot us and kill us. That night -- or that day -- could have really turned out to be deadly. And then you have a governor that is pardoning this couple that admitted to saying, "Yes, we walked outside our house and pointed a gun at individuals. And now they're walking basically scot-free. The only thing they had to do is pay a fine.
It makes me think of individuals in this state like Kevin Strickland and Lamar Johnson who has been in prison for 41 years and 20 years that have no evidence against them. The prosecutors have even said that they should be let free. But, instead, we're pardoning political pundits and political people that are running for higher office for U.S. Senate. And it's just -- it sends a very hard message for people in this state that are really trying to move Missouri forward when you see divisive actions and racist actions from the governor by pardoning a couple who doesn't need to be pardoned. The only thing we've seen in the last year is just more hate and divisiveness, and really just becoming famous off of pointing guns at individuals like me that was out there that day. It's gross.
BERMAN: McCloskey has parlayed his fame now into a political run. How do you explain that?
ALDRIDGE: This is -- they have been able to use the pain and anger and hurt of the movement -- a multicultural movement especially in St. Louis. We are the epicenter of Ferguson. We're known to protest, and we have really changing world and what it means to push back and make sure we don't just stay equal but equitable. And now you have this couple that have -- became famous off the pain and hurt of black lives -- off the pain and suffering of countless injustice that we are seeing since Ferguson and way before my time. It is outrageous that, you know, you can literally say, "I'm running for U.S. Senate as a Republican," and then admit to some charges, and then, a few months after that, you know, have a pardon. It is absolutely crazy.
BERMAN: Representative Rasheen Albridge, we appreciate you being with us this morning. Thank you.
