One of the most surefire indicators of liberal bias in the media is how so many reporters, analysts, and commentators view Republican voters as some alien, vaguely threatening entity which are holding Republican Congressmen hostage to their fringe views. This alienation was on full display Wednesday on CNN’s New Day, as John Berman and co. shifted the blame from the NRA to Republican “gun absolutists.”
Berman began the discussion by noting the significance of Joe Manchin’s admission to CNN’s Manu Raju that he would be open to raising the age to buy an AR-15 to 21.
CNN Senior Political Correspondent Abby Phillip noted, “That I think tells you one big thing about where he thinks the politics are on this issue in the American middle.” Phillip then castigated Republicans for not considering an age limit increase in bipartisan talks:
I think a lot of times in Republican politics they don't want to even talk about it because just the fact of a conversation invites criticism on the right, criticism from their constituents, and I won't even say from the NRA because it’s from the constituents who are culturally — uh, you know, gun absolutists in some cases, about maybe 30 percent of — uh, the American electorate or — or less.
For Phillip, the problem isn’t the NRA, which has been consistently described by liberal media outlets as the dark power behind the throne in Republican politics, but Republican voters themselves, fringe “gun absolutists.”
Assume a roughly 50/50 split of all voters along party lines and that these “gun absolutists” are probably not voting Democrat, and one is left with no other option but to conclude that Phillip thinks one-half to two-thirds of Republican voters are, well, a problem, and that Republicans who represent these people — their constituents — are an obstacle to a functional representative government!
Berman then asked New York Times Reporter Astead Herndon for his take on the matter, who parroted Phillip’s point:
That pressure has to continue, and we're going to have to see Republicans really speak up over that 30 percent of the population that Abby is really talking about, because that's a real group who really feels that any type of infringement on kinda where the gun laws are is something that — uh — has really been, you know, a legacy of the NRA and those other lobbyists to really put that fear on those. They do better. They sell more guns when they do that.
Which way, progressive media? Is the NRA the shadow power that they’ve claimed, or do they only live on in the minds of their Republican disciples?
Phillip had the last word, taking a dive into the minds of GOP Congressmen, proclaiming, “I think a lot of Republicans privately, they understand the reasonableness of these proposals, but they know that politically they can't go there.”
The same ideology that wants to abolish the Electoral College in the name of equality is the same group that throws a fit whenever they realize that GOP opposition might actually reflect the opinion of the country outside of their urban coastal echo chambers. But don’t hold your breath for them to realize their hypocrisy.
This little glimpse of what progressives really think of you was made possible by Amazon and Coca-Cola. Their contact information is linked.
Click “Expand” to see the relevant transcript.
CNN’s New Day
06/08/22
8:02:34 AM ETJOHN BERMAN: Joining me now, CNN Senior Political Correspondent and anchor of Inside Politics Sunday Abby Phillip and CNN Political Analyst and National Politics Reporter for The New York Times Astead Herndon. Abby — you know, it was great having Manu chase down so many Senators and have just good discussions about where exactly they are, but it’s pretty revealing.
ABBY PHILLIP: Yeah, it is. I mean, I think that two things stuck out at me. Uh — one, the fact that Joe Manchin, who has absolutely no reason to — uh, you know, to talk about some of these issues is pretty clear. He doesn't think that — uh, you know, AR-15s should be allowed to be purchased by 18-year-olds. That I think tells you one big thing about where he thinks the politics are on this issue in the American middle.
But also Republicans are stumbling over their words to try to explain what you do with this gun and why just a simple age requirement shouldn't even be on the table. I think a lot of times in Republican politics they don't want to even talk about it because just the fact of a conversation invites criticism on the right, criticism from their constituents, and I won't even say from the NRA because it’s from the constituents who are culturally — uh, you know, gun absolutists in some cases, about maybe 30 percent of — uh, the American electorate or — or less.
BERMAN: Astead, what do you hear there?
ASTEAD HERNDON: Yeah, I mean I think it’s the same thing — you know, it’s the legacy of the NRA, it’s a weakened organization now — but they’ve created a real culture among — uh — the grassroots sides of conservatives where any — giving any inch, giving any compromise is seen as something that those politicians can't do. Now we have seen some openness in recent days, right? And I think that shows what the real – uh, the real — uh, uh, — momentum that is coming out of these horrible tragedies to really put pressure, but it’s about that waiting period.
We’ve seen Republicans kind of have this before, where they do these type of negotiations — maybe in good faith, maybe in bad faith — but when that pressure relents, then they won't — then, then, then — we won't actually find the place for compromise and consensus. That pressure has to continue, and we're going to have to see Republicans really speak up over that 30% of the population that Abby is really talking about, because that's a real group who really feels that any type of infringement on kinda where the gun laws are is something that — uh — has really been, you know, a legacy of the NRA and those other lobbyists to really put that fear on those. They do better. They sell more guns when they do that.
PHILLIP: I mean, I remember when after the Parkland shooting — uh, former, then-President Trump at the time actually made a lot of statements indicating that he was willing to look at a lot of gun regulations, including dealing with AR-15s.
BERMAN: Including raising the age.
PHILLIP: Including raising the age. And within days — I mean, literally the NRA came to him and said you can't go there, his aides said you can't go there. And I think a lot of Republicans privately, they understand the reasonableness of these proposals, but they know that politically they can't go there.
