Sunday night’s CNN Newsroom with Pamela Brown hosted Republican strategist Alice Stewart and Democratic strategist Maria Cardona to discuss issues within our nation today, examining them from two different angles. Giving you just a glimpse of what was said, the two discussed New York Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and she alluded to the fact that endorsing Biden may not be in her cards for the 2024 election, and how that might be a terrible sign for the Democratic party.
With the mid-terms coming up, Americans need to start thinking about whom they would want to run, and for whom they would vote for. Leading into this part of the conversation Brown seemed concerned about an interaction Ocasio-Cortez had with her CNN colleague Dana Bash earlier in the day when asked the simple question of if she’ll support Biden in 2024.
For Ocasio-Cortez, a prominent member of the Democratic Party, and the radical leftist faction known as, “The Squad,” the answer isn’t simple. She stated, “If the President has a vision and that is something that we’re all willing to entertain and examine when the time comes.”
Stewart commented that even the fact that Ocasio-Cortez answered: “anything short of a resounding yes to that question is a stunning rebuke of the President.”
Cardona excused the idea and said that “what President Biden should be worried about is 2022, because that’s what’s in front of us,” giving assurance that AOC “will support him in 2024 if he runs.”
Brown also drew attention to a New York Times recent article with the headline: “Should Biden Run in 2024? Democratic Whispers of ‘No’ start to rise,” outlining just some of the fears toward another the President’s time including the “struggle to advance the bulk of his agenda, doubting his ability to rescue the party from a predicted midterm trouncing and increasingly viewing him as an anchor that should be cut loose in 2024.”
As the public has seen the President’s approval ratings hit lower than Trump’s, politicians in his party beginning to question his time in office and an economy that is hurting everyone. Is another election in his future?
Prior to the fretting about Biden’s political future, gun control and relations on both sides of the spectrum to enact this legislation was their first concern. Both strategists seemed “hopeful” about this bipartisan action and are expectant to see it reach its potential in the future.
As she was pivoting to talking to Cardona, Brown admitted the policies in this package wouldn’t stop mass killings:
BROWN: I want to ask you, because this is the obvious question, right Maria, you know, there will be more shootings, sadly. No matter what.
CARDONA: Sadly.
BROWN: Do you worry that Republicans will point to this legislation if it becomes law and say ‘gun control doesn't work?’
Cardona suggested that banning AR-15s was the way to go.
But an “assault weapons ban” is not part of the package. Likely because the last one saw Democrats routed in the House with a sweeping rebuke from the citizenry in the next election cycle. Yet another election hazard for Democrats.
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Click "expand" to read the full transcript below.
CNN Newsroom with Pamela Brown
06/12/22
7:34:59 p.m. EasternPAMELA BROWN: Tonight a potential major breakthrough on gun reform. A bipartisan group of senators announced an agreement in principle for gun safety legislation. It has the support of ten Republican Senators right now which means there is enough support to overcome the filibuster. There is no legislative text yet but here are the main parts of the current framework.
Funding for mental health and school safety resources. Grants for states to enact so-called red flag laws and enhanced review process for gun buyers under 21. Closing the “boyfriend” loophole, penalties for straw purchases, and clarifying the definition of a firearms dealer. Here to discuss this and the latest political hot topics is Republican strategist Alice Stewart and Democratic strategist Maria Cardona. Ladies, great to see you both.
Alright, let’s just get right into this, this big news today. Look, I mean, the bottom line here is that we haven't seen this in decades. A bipartisan framework. Right? None of the Republicans who signed on this bipartisan framework are up for re-election this year. Four of them are retiring, so these 10 don’t have much to lose politically. It is worth noting that Mitch McConnell, he has praised the work for the negotiators. But, he was not on the initial list of endorsing this framework.
Are you hopeful to see more Republicans come around on meaningful gun reform? What do you think?
ALICE STEWART: I’m extremely hopeful, and I’m glad to see this ten already step out in support of this. Look, I’ve talked to several Republican Senate offices, they are reading over the text, reading over the agreement and I do expect to see more Republicans join on.
And look, Mitch McConnell has been quite clear from the very beginning. To have real true meaningful gun violence prevention, it has to include the aspects. Mental health, school safety and gun restrictions are all integral parts of this and I applaud the fact that they had meaningful bipartisan conversations that have not just looked at the gun aspect but mental health and school safety; because this is all the key for real meaningful gun prevention.
BROWN: I’m want to ask you, because this is the obvious question, right Maria, you know, there will be more shootings, sadly. No matter what.
MARIA CARDONA: Sadly.
BROWN: Do you worry that Republicans will point to this legislation if it becomes law and say ‘gun control doesn't work?’
CARDONA: I hope they won't because sadly, Pam, you know, the deadliest, the last ten deadliest mass shootings involved an AR-15. There's nothing in here that restricts any kind use for an AR-15. And so again, God forbid but the next school shooting or the next mass shooting may very well involve an AR-15. So I actually think, if that happens, it will actually point to the need to do more.
We do need to do more. I am really hopeful as Alice and am glad this is a good first step but hope that is what it is: a first step. Why would we, an 18-year-old, someone whose frontal cortex is not completely developed, be able to access and buy an AR-15 when we don't even trust them to have a glass of wine or a beer? It doesn’t make any sense.
BROWN: Already I’ve already talked about the January 6 hearings. Let's listen to Congresswoman Liz Cheney describing on how Trump aides describe the President’s reaction to the riot.
[Cuts to video]
LIZ CHENEY: President Trump was yelling and, quote, “really angry at advisors who told him he needed to be doing something more.” And aware of the rioter’s chants to hang Mike Pence, the President responded with this sentiment: “maybe our supporters have the right idea.” Mike Pence, quote, “deserves it.”
[Cuts back to live]
BROWN: I'm wondering what you think, Alice. Do you think Mike Pence has come out forcefully enough against the former President? Given the fact that we’re now learning Trump had been in favor of Pence being hanged.
You know, I was interviewing Olivia Troye, a former aide to Mike Pence. I said, “Do you think that Pence, and other Republicans who haven’t come out against Trump, are lacking moral courage?” And she said yes. What do you think?
STEWART: Look, I think Pence is a very loyal aide to the President for years. I think he has spoken out on this and more than anything, Pence's action himself by not stopping the certification of the Electoral College votes was very impressive in my mind and also took a lot of courage to stand up to President Trump.
I think what we are going to hear, what we are going to hear tomorrow is not just what the President said in his action but in his inaction for more than 180 minutes doing absolutely nothing while this happened, that’s going to speak a lot.
But the truth is we need to get answers, we need to find out who is responsible for this, but at the end of the day when it comes to the politics of this, people heading into the midterm elections are more focused on the what’s going on the midterm elections and beyond and not about what happened in the last election.
BROWN: Well, it’s worth noting, Maria, that Trump is more popular than ever. Right? In the wake of January 6 according to the polling that's been done, he is the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination. I should say more popular within his own party. What do you think about that?
CARDONA: Absence makes the heart grow crazier, maybe? I mean, it is astonishing to me, but I do, I think the fact that he is off social media, or the ones that are mainstream social media that everyone has access to, or wants to have access to, I think has helped him because his crazy is not in our face each and every single day but I think what these hearings will do is it remind people -- everyone, not just those in his party because I do think there are some in his party who will support him no matter what but other people, independents, moderate Republicans, women, the ones who rejected him in 2020.
If he is front and center through these hearings and through what would happen if he is able to run again in 2024, I think that will remind people exactly why they rejected him in 2020, and will not want him again. And hopefully, that will happen before even he gets a chance to get the nomination. Alice, I’m hoping that your party will actually step up and have other leaders to beat him but right now, like you said, according to the polling, that's not the case.
BROWN: And, there is a lot of looking ahead to 2024. Some politicians, like AOC, may not want to be talking about who they would support but earlier today my colleague Dana Bash asked Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez whether she would endorse President Biden if he ran again. Here is her answer.
[Cuts to video]
REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ (D-NY): If the President has a vision and that is something that we’re all willing to entertain and examine when the time comes.
DANA BASH: That's not a yes.
OCASIO-CORTEZ: Yeah. You know, I think we should --
BASH: Okay.
OCASIO-CORTEZ: -- endorse when we get to it. I believe the President has been doing a very good job so far and should he run again I think that I-I think it's -- we'll take a look at it.
[Cuts to live]
BROWN: So the comments -- not exactly a full-fledged endorsement there. And, the comments come as The New York Times published an article with the headline: “Should Biden Run in 2024? Democratic Whispers of ‘No’ Start to Rise.” I was just interviewing David Axelrod. And he said, look this is hand wringing among Democrats is kind of what Democrats do. But, do you think that President Biden should be worried about an uprising within his party?
CARDONA: Well, I think what President Biden should be worried about is 2022, because that’s what’s in front of us. And I actually think, if we do get a shellacking in 2022 will make it a lot easier for people to continue this kind of whisper campaign because I do think that's all it is right now.
So I think this President and Democrats should be and are focused on 2022 to continue to make the case candidate by candidate that they are the ones that have the values and the principles that are taking care of the interests of the American people. And look what the Republicans are offering: no solutions, just blame and more chaos.
BASH: Final thoughts?
STEWART: Look that was not a trick question. That was a very easy question for her to say that she supported Joe Biden. Look, anything short of a resounding yes to that question is a stunning rebuke of the President.
And, it's laughable for her to say that he is doing a good job when we have record inflation, the economy is in a bad spot, we’re still dealing with foreign policy disasters and crime is on the rise, and crisis at the border. So, look, if he gets pushback from people of his own party, AOC being a big figure in the party, he’s in real trouble.
BROWN: AOC then took to Instagram
CARDONA: Exactly.
BROWN: -her Instagram stories and said that it was a curveball. She said, I mean, you know.
CARDONA: She will support him in 2024 if he runs, I guarantee you.
BROWN: Alright, we got to go. Alice Stewart, Maria Cordana, thank you both so much.
