You know, this deputy in Parkland with a gun that didn't act... ends the debate (if there ever was one) about arming teachers. But it’s not really a debate. It’s a distraction. From Dave Karpf:
Okay, allow me to be the cranky strategic political communication professor for a minute.
I've got some stuff to say about this ludicrous "arm the teachers" gambit.
It's a ridiculous proposal. It's an unserious proposal. It's an offensive proposal.
And the thing is, that's the whole point.
Indulge me, here. Donald Trump hosted a listening session at the WH: It was amazing/awful. Amazing because of the amazing people from parkland (and Newtown). Awful because that’s when Trump imposed his ‘arm the teachers’ idea. Here’s a great piece from Peter Bonilla about some work he did with Kenneth Feinberg:
I don't actually remember well what was discussed at the meeting. But partly that was by design. Feinberg proceeded, to my recollection, without much of an agenda. Instead, he gave the floor to the families to talk at length and share the stories of those they'd lost.
He'd learned to do this the hard way. His early town halls running the 9/11 Fund were a disaster, because he tried to impose his own agenda and order on the discussions, and the families just weren't ready for that. It took him a long time after that to win back their trust.
That never works.
CNN:
Four Democratic governors from the Northeast have formed a coalition on gun control, saying they can't wait for Congress and the federal government to take action. Three of them appeared on CNN's "New Day" Friday morning to explain why.
"We as governors are demanding action from the federal government and we need them to take action, but in the meantime, we've decided to take a regional approach," said Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo.
That approach includes "sharing information about guns across our state lines, sharing a database, and for the first time that I know of having a regional research center which studies gun violence and the impact on public health," she said.
The multi-state task force will trace and intercept illegal guns in the region, according to Raimondo and her fellow coalition members, Governors Andrew Cuomo of New York, Dannel Malloy of Connecticut and Phil Murphy of New Jersey.
It’s about the data:
Latest polling from Marist (Widespread Support Exists for Stricter Gun Laws… Gun Reform Major Factor for Midterms) and CBS (Support for stricter gun laws rises; divisions on arming teachers):
Jennifer Rubin/WaPo:
Five suggestions for the 'March for Our Lives' organizers
Finally, the NRA has been successful because it can mobilize single-issue voters who are passionate about this one item. The march offers the opportunity to show that people who differ on all sorts of issues (taxes, gay rights, the environment, abortion, legalizing pot, etc.) can agree to prioritize this issue (e.g., ‘pro-life’ means surviving to graduation). The prospect of millions of voters who will care first and foremost about new gun safety laws may help to shift the political calculus for some politicians. A focused campaign, for example, of gun safety forces against an NRA absolutist like Gov. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who likely will run for Senate, could be a test run for the new movement.
Here’s some “angry voters” stuff.
Susan Milligan/US News:
Another Year of the Angry Voter
Furious Americans elected Donald Trump, now the tables have turned and Democrats stand to benefit from the anger.
Sarah Ullman, co-founder of the grassroots SuperPAC One Vote at a Time, says it's not about rallying around a personality or specific leader. Instead, she says, activists are recalling the advice given to them by a man who indeed did develop a personal following among youth, Obama. "What President Obama tried to tell us all along is that we're the ones we've been waiting for. We are the ones who can save ourselves from this mess," Ullman says. Trump, indeed, is "motivating a lot of people. But the causes are intersectional," she adds. "People are finding the piece of the movement that motivates them." And, on a frequent basis, a protest march or rally to give them an outlet for their anger.
Greg Sargent/WaPo:
Angry about Trump and gun violence? Do this now, Democrats.
In an interview with me today, Elisabeth Pearson, the executive director of the Democratic Governors Association — which tries to get Democrats elected as governors — told me that Democratic candidates will not shy away from talking about gun violence in their campaigns, even in deep purple states.
“It is an opportunity for Democratic candidates to lead,” Pearson said. “People in states everywhere are looking for people who will lead on this issue and actually talk about it. Republicans are terrified of taking on their base and the National Rifle Association, and are unable to lead because of that.”
As it happens, there is a model for how to do this: Ralph Northam’s successful gubernatorial candidacy in Virginia last year. While Northam struck a moderate tone, after the Las Vegas massacre he discussed gun violence through the prism of his experience as a doctor, and called for universal background checks and the restoration of a one-gun-per-month law. “He created a smart template — talking about his experience and beliefs,” Pearson said.
Radiologist. But still…