Jack "Ass" Kingston, former Republican congressman and current lobbyist, is one of the more disgusting TV yakkers. And on CNN's New Day this morning, he reminded us why.
Alisyn Camerota introduced this segment on the student gun control effort by asking him about a tweet Kingston made.
"Let me read to everyone what you tweeted on Sunday night about this. You said, "Oh, really, students are planning a nationwide rally, not left-wing gun control activists using 17-year-old kids in the wake of a horrible tragedy? #soros #antifa #dnc." You think that, Jack?" she asked.
"I think it's a horrible tragedy and I'm heartbroken that young people have gone through this and I hope that it never happens again. But I also know that their sorrow can very easily be hijacked by left-wing groups who have an agenda. Well, let's ask ourselves. Do we really think -- and I say this sincerely, do we really think that 17-year-olds on their own are going to plan a nationwide rally?
"I would say to you very plainly that organized groups that are out there like George Soros are always ready to take the charge and it's kind of like instant rally, instant protest and --"
"Jack, I'm sorry, I have to correct you," Camerota said. "I was down there. I talked to these kids. These kids -- Jack. These kids were wildly motivated. I talked to these kids before they knew the body count of how many of their friends had --
"I absolutely know these children are heartbroken. But I also know they probably do not have the logistical ability to plan a nationwide rally without it being hijacked by groups that already had --" Kingston retorted.
"They're already doing it. They're on buses going to the state legislature today. They're 17 years old. They can figure this out," Camerota said.
"And they have the money for the bus and they're ready to go. I just have a hard time believing it --"
"Wow. David, your thoughts?" Camerota said.
"Come on. Jack. Who cares who's paying for the gasoline for them to get their voice to legislatures?" Jolly said.
(More overtalking and Kingston not letting anyone else talk.)
"Here's the point," Jolly said. "Here's what the American people are crying out for leadership on. They want universal and comprehensive background checks. They want it to be as difficult to get an assault weapon as it is to get a security clearance in this White House. And they want to see dramatic enforcement of the laws on the books. You don't get to choose which one of those three will stop gun violence. It's going to take all of them."
Kingston responded by bringing up Hollywood and "gratuitous violence and bloodshed,"
"Let's put on mental health, when you look at the background of most of these people who are perpetrated this, there have been all kinds of red flags. In this case, 36 house calls to the house by the local police --"
"Yes, and he could still legally buy a gun, Jack. He could still legally buy a gun. Why not deal with that?"
"I am -- well, let me give you a statistic that's going to challenge you. But from 1991 to 2014, 160 americans. now, that's an appalling figure for many people. 160 million guns --" Kingston proceeds to quote numbers that, IIRC, are from the already-discredited research by John Lott.
"But why went it comes to gun violence do you want to talk about everything except guns?" Camerota asked.
Kingston then contends the AR-15 is not an assault weapon.
And it all went downhill from there. Watch the whole thing.
UPDATE: Students respond.
