Last night, Stephen Colbert expertly laid waste to those Republican Senators and other right-wingers who are against background checks.
It seems these days, every time you turn on the news, there's another heartbreaking story about victims of gun violence... targeting innocent members of Congress. It has to end. And I know I'm not going to win any awards for saying that, unless the NRA gives out awards. (hears producer off-camera) They do? Ooh, it's a seat in the Senate, great! (audience cheering and applause)
Now, the latest senseless victim of these victims is New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte, one of the heroes who voted to block the gun bill that would've expanded background checks, and made Americans wait 30 minutes after eating before firing a gun in the pool.
Well, yesterday, the Senator was caught in an emotion crossfire, when ambushed at a town hall by the daughter of the principal who was slain at Sandy Hook.
4/30/2013:
SEN. KELLY AYOTTE, R-NH: Erica, we want to get to your question.
ERICA LAFFERTY: You had mentioned that the burden on owners of gun stores that the expanded background checks would cause. I'm just wondering why the burden of my mother being gunned down in the halls of her elementary school isn't as important as that.
Is it over?
....
Now, another hero in this fight is Senator Rand Paul, who said this about the President and the Newtown families.
SEN. RAND PAUL, R-KY (4/17/2013): And I hate to see him using people, I think, as props, and politicizing people's tragedy. I mean, when I see the father and the mothers and them testifying ... it still saddens me just to see them.
Hey, Newtown parents, stop making Rand Paul sad! He's extremely sensitive... to his own feelings. (A Real Tear Jerk) I mean, I think what Rand Paul reminds us here is that grieving families aren't the real victims, gun owners are — a point driven home by conservative radio host Bob Davis.
BOB DAVIS (4/12/2013): I'm sorry that you suffered a tragedy, but you know what? Deal with it, and don't force me to lose my liberty, which is a greater tragedy than your loss.
(shocked audience gasps)
Yes, the parents of Newtown only lost their children. But Bob Davis might have to fill out some forms at a gun show. That's a precious waste of time, time that could be spent yelling at people who have lost their children. (Top That, Westboro Baptist!) (audience laughter)
And folks, Davis already knows what he'd yell.
BOB DAVIS (4/12/2013): I'm sick and tired of seeing these victims trotted out, given rides on Air Force One, hauled into the Senate well and everyone is just afraid. They're terrified of these victims. I would stand in front of them and tell them, "Go to Hell!"
(hushed audience gasps)
Finally! Someone with the courage to tell off these Newtown parents to their faces! (While Hiding in a Radio Booth) And folks, he would do it. In fact, when one Sandy Hook resident offered to pay to fly him out to Connecticut, Davis proved he not only talks the talk, he walks the "hasn't responded". Well, he's probably busy answering fan mail. (Sociopaths Can Get So Gushy)
....
CHRIS MATTHEWS (4/30/2013): New Hampshire Republican Kelly Ayotte has slid 15 points.
Poor Kelly Ayotte! Apparently New Hampshire voters don't want to change their state motto to "Live Free And Die". (Previously: "Vermont's That Way")
Video and full transcript below the fold.
It seems these days, every time you turn on the news, there's another heartbreaking story about victims of gun violence... targeting innocent members of Congress. It has to end. And I know I'm not going to win any awards for saying that, unless the NRA gives out awards. (hears producer off-camera) They do? Ooh, it's a seat in the Senate, great! (audience cheering and applause)
Now, the latest senseless victim of these victims is New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte, one of the heroes who voted to block the gun bill that would've expanded background checks, and made Americans wait 30 minutes after eating before firing a gun in the pool.
Well, yesterday, the Senator was caught in an emotion crossfire, when ambushed at a town hall by the daughter of the principal who was slain at Sandy Hook.
4/30/2013:
SEN. KELLY AYOTTE, R-NH: Erica, we want to get to your question.
ERICA LAFFERTY: You had mentioned that the burden on owners of gun stores that the expanded background checks would cause. I'm just wondering why the burden of my mother being gunned down in the halls of her elementary school isn't as important as that.
Is it over?
Folks, I'm telling you, we cannot underestimate the danger posed by the victims of gun violence. They are sympathetic figures who are fanatically committed to having someone do something. And their numbers are growing every day.
That's why Senator Joe Manchin, who co-sponsored the original background check bill, has vowed to reintroduce it all on the flimsy excuse that over 90% of Americans want it. Making it slightly more popular than nacho cheese and reacharounds. Not to mention, Nacho Reacharounds, which incidentally, is the worst Doritos flavor ever.
Obviously, those of us who oppose background checks could argue our case again, but our case has one weakness.
BARACK OBAMA (4/17/2013): There are no coherent arguments as to why we wouldn't do this.
Fine. Then what about incoherent arguments, like background checks will lead to a gun registry as part of a plot by Bigfoot and the Illuminati to replace the Pope with that dog from the Bush's Baked Beans commercials?
But luckily, there is a way we can defeat the forces of doing something, and it brings us to tonight's Wørd: N.R.A.-vana.
Nation, on my very first broadcast of this show, I coined the word "truthiness", to describe the natural human desire to ignore facts, and to go with what you feel in your gut. (Nacho Cheese Reacharound Doritos?) And truthiness works. After all, I won a Pulitzer for it. (He Didn't) No. But it feels like I did.
Sadly, with the increasing frequency and magnitude of mass shootings, the victims and their families are winning the emotional argument. But some brave and heartless individuals are willing to fight back against the tyranny of empathy. (Shatter The Glass Feeling)
Like National Review columnist Kevin D. Williamson, who said of Gabby Giffords:
KEVIN WILLIAMSON (4/18/2013): It should be noted that being shot in the head by a lunatic does not give one any special grace to pronounce upon public-policy questions.
(disgusted audience reaction)
Oh, it is noted. Experiencing massive head trauma does not give you special insight. For instance, judging by his column, there is something wrong with Kevin Williamson's head. (Just Lodged In Ass) (audience laughter and applause)
Now, another hero in this fight is Senator Rand Paul, who said this about the President and the Newtown families.
SEN. RAND PAUL, R-KY (4/17/2013): And I hate to see him using people, I think, as props, and politicizing people's tragedy. I mean, when I see the father and the mothers and them testifying ... it still saddens me just to see them.
Hey, Newtown parents, stop making Rand Paul sad! He's extremely sensitive... to his own feelings. (A Real Tear Jerk) I mean, I think what Rand Paul reminds us here is that grieving families aren't the real victims, gun owners are — a point driven home by conservative radio host Bob Davis.
BOB DAVIS (4/12/2013): I'm sorry that you suffered a tragedy, but you know what? Deal with it, and don't force me to lose my liberty, which is a greater tragedy than your loss.
(shocked audience gasps)
Yes, the parents of Newtown only lost their children. But Bob Davis might have to fill out some forms at a gun show. That's a precious waste of time, time that could be spent yelling at people who have lost their children. (Top That, Westboro Baptist!) (audience laughter)
And folks, Davis already knows what he'd yell.
BOB DAVIS (4/12/2013): I'm sick and tired of seeing these victims trotted out, given rides on Air Force One, hauled into the Senate well and everyone is just afraid. They're terrified of these victims. I would stand in front of them and tell them, "Go to Hell!"
(hushed audience gasps)
Finally! Someone with the courage to tell off these Newtown parents to their faces! (While Hiding in a Radio Booth) And folks, he would do it. In fact, when one Sandy Hook resident offered to pay to fly him out to Connecticut, Davis proved he not only talks the talk, he walks the "hasn't responded". Well, he's probably busy answering fan mail. (Sociopaths Can Get So Gushy)
Now, I know that you might be saying, "Stephen, won't demonizing the victims of gun violence make people hate us?" No Greg, it won't. Because it already has.
CHRIS MATTHEWS (4/30/2013): Senators who voted "no" on that background check vote are suffering in the polls. ... According to a new PPP poll, Nevada Senator Dean Heller lost 2 points overall; Senator Mark Begich of Alaska's down a net of 6 points; his colleague in Alaska, Senator Lisa Murkowski, lost 16 points; Senator Rob Portman of Ohio — who I thought was untouchable — lost a net of 18 points. ... New Hampshire Republican Kelly Ayotte has slid 15 points.
Poor Kelly Ayotte! Apparently New Hampshire voters don't want to change their state motto to "Live Free And Die". (Previously: "Vermont's That Way")
But folks, to win the fight against these enormously popular modest gun regulations, we can't care about the voters. We can't care about coherent argument. We can't even care about what feels right. We have to beyond all previous experience of political engagement and human interaction, and achieve what I believe the Zen Buddhists call satori, wherein we are but empty vessels waiting to be filled. (With Gun Lobby Cash)
These Senators must reach a state beyond truthiness, a compete non-attachment to anything other than keeping their jobs. (N.R.A.-vana) And that's the Wørd, we'll be right back.
Stephen also looked at the FDA decision to
sell Plan B over the counter without a prescription.
Meanwhile, Jon looked at the
failure to close Gitmo.
He then focused on the
douchebaggery of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).
Jon talked with former Sen.
Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), and Stephen had on
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, who performed
"Same Love" and
"Can't Hold Us" for the web.