As the National Rifle Association holds its convention in Houston, CBS Saturday Morning lamented that Republicans “remain in lockstep with” with the organization and decried the partisanship showed at the convention, but of course they only meant Republican partisanship. Accusing people of killing children is just the other perspective for CBS.
Correspondent Robert Costa was in Houston and recapped former President Trump’s keynote address, “While the slaughter from just days earlier was acknowledged, partisanship was central. Trump called the latest push for gun control politically motivated.”
After a clip of Trump warning “this would be the first” step towards gun confiscation, Costa declared, “Trump's message was echoed by many others, underscoring how most top Republicans remain in lockstep with the NRA.”
Instead of pointing to Democratic gubernatorial nominee Beto O’Rourke’s past comments on that, Costa hyped that, “Outside the convention hall, activists and children expressed outrage.”
One refrain from those activists was an “NRA kills kids.” Instead of asking how calling the people you need to convince child murders helps their cause, Costa simply teed up a clip of O’Rourke declaring, “I don't know that there is compromise with the leadership of the NRA. They prioritize power and profits over lives.”
Sounds very partisan. After a more reasonable clip of Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee hoping compromise is possible, Costa returned live to add, “Though the NRA has faced challenges in recent years, gun groups remain politically powerful, spending millions and later today, thousands of attendees will be here for political organizing meetings.”
To which a despondent Michelle Miller concluded the segment by lamenting “And it appears doubling down.”
After another anti-NRA segment, one can ask whether the cast of CBS Saturday Mornings was paying attention while they were on the air just one day earlier, because it's not the NRA, it's the people.
This segment was sponsored by Alfa Romeo.
Here is a transcript for the May 28 show:
CBS Saturday Morning
5/28/2022
8:10 AM ET
ROBERT COSTA: Good morning. Day one of the NRA convention, it was a snapshot of many in the Republican Party and of the growing and tense national debate over gun rights.
DONALD TRUMP: Unlike some, I didn't disappoint you by not showing up.
COSTA: Former president Donald Trump, the keynote speaker at the convention, knocked Republicans who decided not to be on the NRA stage following the mass shooting in Uvalde.
TRUMP: Alexandria Rubio. Alithia Ramirez.
COSTA: While the slaughter from just days earlier was acknowledged, partisanship was central. Trump called the latest push for gun control politically motivated.
TRUMP: We all know they want total gun confiscation, know that, this would be the first step, once they get the first step, they'll take the second step, the third, the fourth, and you'll have a whole different look at the Second Amendment.
COSTA: Trump's message was echoed by many others, underscoring how most top Republicans remain in lockstep with the NRA.
TED CRUZ: We know keeping guns away from citizens who follow the law does very little to keep them away from criminals.
PROTESTOR: No more [unintelligible]. No more
COSTA: Outside the convention hall, activists and children expressed outrage.
PROTESTOR 2: We're pleading for help.
PROTESTORS: NRA kills kids.
PROTESTOR 3: NRA kills kids.
COSTA: So did Texas Democratic leaders.
BETO O’ROURKE: I don't know that there is compromise with the leadership of the NRA. They prioritize power and profits over lives.
COSTA: There were flickers of hope that some gun control measure is possible.
We're just months ahead of the midterm elections, will Washington remain divided and stalled on gun law.
SHEILA JACKSON LEE: I hope not. I hope even my sense of anxiety, and my sense of anger does not counter our responsibility of working on compromise and getting it done.
COSTA: Though the NRA has faced challenges in recent years, gun groups remain politically powerful, spending millions and later today, thousands of attendees will be here for political organizing meetings. Michelle.
MICHELLE MILLER: And it appears doubling down. Bob Costa in Houston, thank you. Dana.
