On Saturday's CNN Newsroom, host Fredricka Whitfield brought aboard liberal American University Professor Allan Lichtman to get his views on why recent presidents have had so much difficulty in passing new gun control laws. Lichtman, whose history of running as a Democrat for the U.S. Senate in Maryland was not mentioned, was given an unchallenged forum to push for more gun control in which he predictably derided the National Rifle Association.
After teasing the segment by alluding to President Barack Obama's recent complaints about not managing to get Congress to pass new gun control laws, Whitfield introduced a few soundbites from President Obama. Whitfield:
All right, the shooting at the Louisiana theater this week reignited the debate over gun control in this country, something President Barack Obama has spoken about many times trying to get Congress to act.
After airing several clips of Obama pushing for more gun laws, she introduced Lichtman without mentioning his biased history:
USA Today reports that since 2006 there have been more than 200 mass killings in the United States. Yet gun control legislation remains a controversial issue, one which has frustrated many presidents.
Joining me right now is Allan Lichtman, a presidential historian and a distinguished professor at the Department of History at American University. ...So, at the top of that reel, of all of those sentiments from the President -- you heard the most recent which took place, you know, during his trip abroad. you know -- and he said this has been the biggest frustration, he has felt very stymied, has it been a particularly uphill battle for this President?
After Lichtman argued that polls show most Americans support some new gun laws, the CNN anchor followed up:
And then even when you listen to the President saying, saying that it's been his biggest frustration, you didn't get a sense in that interview or in the tone of his voice that this is unfinished business that he plans to try to resolve while he's got a year and a half left of his presidency, and, you know, when you think about this recent wave of mass shootings, going as far back as, you know, Columbine under the Clinton administration, this frustration that recent presidents feel, why does it seem like there is no real response or movement from Congress when most of these recent year presidents have all said something has to give? What's happening?
The liberal professor then launched into the National Rifle Association and politicians who do not have a "backbone" to "stand up to the NRA." Lichtman:
Two reasons. Number one, I can spell it out in three letters: N-R-A. The National Rifle Association. ... Lobbying and money in politics. That a small, highly organized, highly financed group can actually cancel out the sentiments of the vast majority of Americans who do favor particular common sense gun control legislation. The second thing is our timid politicians. They don't have a backbone. They're not willing to stand up to the NRA or refute its absurd arguments like, "people kill people, guns don't kill people."
He added:
Well, of course people have the motive, but guns are the means. I grew up in a really tough neighborhood in Brooklyn. We had plenty of fights, but we never killed or seriously injured each other. Why? Because we didn't have guns. If we had had guns, i assure you we would have been shooting and killing each other.
Below is a complete transcript of the segment from the Saturday, July 25, CNN Newsroom with Fredricka Whitfield:
2:05 p.m.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD (BEFORE COMMERCIAL BREAK): All right, straight ahead, the Louisiana theater shooter had legally bought a gun despite a history of mental problems. Will this be the case that moves the Washington discussion on gun control? Our expert joins us next.
(...)
2:11 p.m.WHITFIELD (BEFORE COMMERCIAL BREAK): And straight ahead, while President Barack Obama has been traveling overseas, he actually talked about the frustration that he has felt as it pertains to too many mass shootings. More on that next.
(...)
2:18 p.m.
WHITFIELD: All right, the shooting at the Louisiana theater this week reignited the debate over gun control in this country, something President Barack Obama has spoken about many times trying to get Congress to act.(SEVERAL CLIPS OF PRESIDENT OBAMA PROMOTING NEW GUN LAWS)
USA Today reports that since 2006 there have been more than 200 mass killings in the United States. Yet gun control legislation remains a controversial issue, one which has frustrated many presidents. Joining me right now is Allan Lichtman, a presidential historian and a distinguished professor at the Department of History at American University. ...So, at the top of that reel, of all of those sentiments from the President -- you heard the most recent which took place, you know, during his trip abroad. you know -- and he said this has been the biggest frustration, he has felt very stymied, has it been a particularly uphill battle for this President?
ALLAN LICHTMAN: It's been an uphill battle for most presidents, really, have not made progress on gun control whatsoever in more than 20 years. Even before that, the progress was very, very limited. And let me tell you the dirty little secret about the polls. While the polls do show a slight plurality of Americans do not favor tighter gun control regulation, when you look at specific provisions, the numbers shift dramatically to large majorities in favor of things like tightening up the gun show loophole, making it more difficult for the mentally ill like this shooter in Louisiana to get guns and banning assault weapons. Even the state of Nevada, conservative Republican state, just passed more legislation making it more difficult for the mentally ill to get guns. Nobody is talking about banning guns.
WHITFIELD: Mmm. And then even when you listen to the President saying, saying that it's been his biggest frustration, you didn't get a sense in that interview or in the tone of his voice that this is unfinished business that he plans to try to resolve while he's got a year and a half left of his presidency, and, you know, when you think about this recent wave of mass shootings, going as far back as, you know, Columbine under the Clinton administration, this frustration that recent presidents feel, why does it seem like there is no real response or movement from Congress when most of these recent year presidents have all said something has to give? What's happening?
LICTHMAN: Two reasons. Number one, I can spell it out in three letters: N-R-A. The National Rifle Association.
WHITFIELD: Are you talking as it pertains to lobbying?
LICHTMAN: Lobbying and money in politics. That a small, highly organized, highly financed group can actually cancel out the sentiments of the vast majority of Americans who do favor particular common sense gun control legislation. The second thing is our timid politicians. They don't have a backbone. They're not willing to stand up to the NRA or refute its absurd arguments like, "people kill people, guns don't kill people." Well, of course people have the motive, but guns are the means. i grew up in a really tough neighborhood in Brooklyn. We had plenty of fights, but we never killed or seriously injured each other. Why? Because we didn't have guns. If we had had guns, i assure you we would have been shooting and killing each other.
WHITFIELD: Do you think, as you kind of reflect, is there an area that any sitting President can go as it pertains to, you know, challenging or trying to inspire different or tougher laws as it pertains to the Second Amendment, you know, right of bearing arms, that will appeal to everyone -- those who believe in and advocate for the right to bear arms and those that are, you know, a little reticent about it?
LICHTMAN: Well, I think there is an opening here, and that has to do with access to arms for those who shouldn't have it -- the mentally ill, those with a serious criminal record. There are huge loopholes in our laws that allow virtually anyone to get access to guns. And if you look at the statistics on these mass shootings, most of these horrific killers got guns legally under these laws that have loopholes big enough to drive several mack trucks through. So I think, you know, that might be a possible opening, but its gonna be very difficult for Barack Obama to get anything thru a Republican-controlled Senate and a Republican-controlled House.
