CNN: ‘Even After These Tragedies,’ Republicans ‘Cling’ To Their Guns

Politico’s Rachael Bade joined CNN Newsroom‘s Jim Sciutto on Monday for a segment that was nominally about Rep. Thomas Massie tweeting out a Christmas family photo with everyone in the picture holding a firearm. The duo condemned not only the photo, but also lamented that Republicans “even after these tragedies” do not embrace gun control.

Sciutto began by declaring “Okay, so this tweet you’re familiar with it, it’s sparking a lot of reaction this week and understandable. One, why a Republican member of Congress would consider this Christmas appropriate, we can show this image on screen, but also coming days after a school shooting in Oxford, Michigan.”

After condemning Massie for posing with or something resembling an M60, Sciutto asked “What does this is a about the current state of guns in politics in this country? Because, he clearly, this was not accidental. This was deliberate and I imagine he’s probably fundraising off of that now.”

Bade did her best Barack Obama impression and agreed, “Absolutely. I mean, politically, incredibly insensitive to the moment we’re in right now. Look, the reality is that Republicans when it comes to guns and Second Amendment even after these tragedies, you know, they more so cling to their right to bear arms and so you have a lot of Republicans for years who have used images of them holding guns, standing in front of guns.”

After Sciutto interrupted to add “It’s almost required now,” Bade continued: 

Yeah, exactly to win primaries, to raise money, but specifically coming after this shooting where a 15-year-old was given, gifted a gun for Christmas, and went and shot up his school and killed a bunch of people is, it’s just, it’s outrageous but outrage unfortunately in this time makes money and makes people popular and so in the Republican Party right now you have someone like Thomas Massie who I wouldn’t be surprised is going to take, sort of, the criticism of this tweet and rebukes of the tweet and actually try to raise more money from it. 

If CNN is really worried about Massie fundraising, they could’ve just rolled their eyes and moved on instead of bringing attention to it, but outrage also makes CNN money, so they didn’t.

Sciutto then changed gears and wondered if, other than Sen. Chris Murphy, anyone has the appetite to pass gun control legislation.

A solemn Bade lamented, “Yeah, Chris Murphy was on TV talking about it yesterday. Look, nobody’s talking about it for real.” Concluding her thoughts, Bade claimed this is “sort of the sad reality, we saw this a few years ago in Sandy Hook where a bunch of elementary school kids were gunned down and nothing was done in Washington and so, you know, I wouldn’t expect anything to change in the next few weeks and months.” 

Sciutto wrapped up the segment by blaming the lack of gun control for dead children, “Meanwhile, you keep seeing pictures of young kids who lost their lives in schools.”

This segment was sponsored by Zales

Here is a transcript for the December 6 show:

CNN Newsroom with Poppy Harlow and Jim Sciutto

9:35 AM ET

JIM SCIUTTO: Okay, so this tweet you’re familiar with it, it’s sparking a lot of reaction this week and understandable. One, why a Republican member of Congress would consider this Christmas appropriate, we can show this image on screen, but also coming days after a school shooting in Oxford, Michigan. Let’s show that picture. So this is his family, “Santa, please bring ammo,” he says. I just want to draw attention to the weapon Thomas Massie himself is holding, that is either an M60 or a weapon modified to look like an M60, which is a, fires a very high velocity, large round. In the Vietnam War it was used to defend hillsides and he was holding it in the Christmas photo here. What does this is a about the current state of guns in politics in this country? Because, he clearly, this was not accidental. This was deliberate and I imagine he’s probably fundraising off of that now. 

RACHAEL BADE: Absolutely. I mean, politically, incredibly insensitive to the moment we’re in right now. Look, the reality is that Republicans when it comes to guns and Second Amendment even after these tragedies, you know, they more so cling to their right to bear arms and so you have a lot of Republicans for years who have used images of them holding guns, standing in front of guns. 

SCIUTTO: It’s almost required now. 

BADE: Yeah, exactly to win primaries, to raise money, but specifically coming after this shooting where a 15-year-old was given, gifted a gun for Christmas, and went and shot up his school and killed a bunch of people is, it’s just, it’s outrageous but outrage unfortunately in this time makes money and makes people popular and so in the Republican Party right now you have someone like Thomas Massie who I wouldn’t be surprised is going to take, sort of, the criticism of this tweet and rebukes of the tweet and actually try to raise more money from it. 

SCIUTTO: Democrats have the White House, the House, and the Senate, granted by small margins but they have it. Is there any appetite or momentum among Democratic leaders to push gun control legislation? 

BADE: Yeah. 

SCIUTTO: Other than Chris Murphy, right? 

BADE: Yeah, Chris Murphy was on TV talking about it yesterday. Look, nobody’s talking about it for real. 

SCIUTTO: No. 

BADE: I mean, it’s sort of the sad reality, we saw this a few years ago in Sandy Hook where a bunch of elementary school kids were gunned down and nothing was done in Washington and so, you know, I wouldn’t expect anything to change in the next few weeks and months. 

SCIUTTO: Meanwhile, you keep seeing pictures of young kids who lost their lives in schools. Rachael Bade, thanks so much.