CNN is hitting Democrats from the left for not passing an assault weapons ban. Host Piers Morgan had a liberal pout session with filmmaker Michael Moore on Tuesday night's Piers Morgan Live, and then anchor Carol Costello asked on Wednesday morning if Democrats were "weenies."
After quoting the ultra-liberal Moore calling Democrats "weenies," Costello called out Democrats from the left: "Michael Moore says introduce the bill. Let Republicans vote against it. So my question, are Democrats weenies for not bringing an assault weapons ban to the floor?" [Video below the break. Audio here.]
Costello put up for consideration Moore's insensitive push for parents to publish, if they so choose, photos of the dead Newtown children, despite her admitting that no parent of the slain children has offered to do so.
"Moore suggests the horror of that day has now faded," she aired the left-winger's lament. "He has an idea, though. If they wish, Moore wants parents to release pictures of their children after they'd been slaughtered by the gunman."
She added that "No Newtown parent we know of has offered the public a picture of their murdered child," before wondering anyway, "Will the Newtown death photos force lawmakers to enact new gun laws?"
Costello followed CNN host Piers Morgan, who on the previous night slapped Democrats for not passing the gun bill. "What is wrong with the Democrats?" he pouted to Michael Moore. "Why are they being so cowardly?"
Morgan wondered how senators would vote if their own family members were massacred at Sandy Hook:
"[H]ow many of these senators who in my view probably do think there should be an assault weapons ban, probably do think there should be universal background checks, but they have decided to go against their principle to protect their political seats. How many would change if one of their kids had been in that Sandy Hook school?
Nowhere in the show did either Moore or Morgan bring up President Obama's culpability in the failure of the gun bill.
A transcript of the segment, which aired on CNN Newsroom on March 20 at 9:28 a.m. EDT, is as follows:
CAROL COSTELLO: The question for you this morning: Will the Newtown death photos force lawmakers to enact new gun laws? Gun control Democrats are a frustrated bunch. Despite polls showing a majority of Americans supporting an assault weapons ban, Democratic lawmakers can't get it done. The Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid now says such a ban has zero chance of passing. Here's Michael Moore on Piers Morgan Live.
(Video Clip)
MICHAEL MOORE, filmmaker: This attitude of, well, we're not going to be able to – we're not going to get – you know, this is why our side -- we have these we weenies on our side. There's – well, we can't the votes. That's what I actually admire about Republicans. They have got the courage of their convictions.
(End Video Clip)
COSTELLO: The NRA's message does seem to be resonating. While a majority of Americans are in favor of an assault weapons ban, polls also show support for gun control measures is fading. Moore also cites our fading memories of Newtown for the deep gun control passion. We know dozens of children were murdered there, but Moore suggests the horror of that day has now faded. He has an idea, though. If they wish, Moore wants parents to release pictures of their children after they'd been slaughtered by the gunman.
(Video Clip)
MOORE: In my blog last week I talked about a young man by the name of Emmitt Till, in 1955, he was a young black kid that was murdered down South simply because he was black. And his mother insisted that there be an open coffin because she wanted photographers, the news people, to see what happened to this 14 year-old boy, to see what racism and bigotry does. That galvanized the country back then. And it was just three months later that Rosa Parks refused to get up out of her seat on that bus.
(End Video Clip)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: No Newtown parent we know of has offered the public a picture of their murdered child. The TalkBack question for you though: Will the Newtown death photos force lawmakers to enact new gun laws?
(...)
COSTELLO: Senator Harry Reid, a Democrat, is dropping a proposed ban on assault weapons from a new gun control bill because he says it has no chance, zero -- I can't even get it out. It has zero chance of passing, but Reid says another senator could bring it up as an amendment in the future. In a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll, 57 percent of Americans say they support an assault weapons ban. The NRA, of course, opposes it. Now liberals like Michael Moore are slamming Democrats.
(Video Clip)
MOORE: This attitude of, well, we're not going to be able to – we're not going – you know, this is why our side. We have these weenies on our side. "Well, if we can't get the votes," you know.
(End Video Clip)
COSTELLO: Michael Moore says introduce the bill. Let Republicans vote against it. So my question, are Democrats weenies for not bringing an assault weapons ban to the floor?
