U.S. President Joe Biden speaks to the media on the south lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C. on May 30, 2022. (Photo: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
May 30, 2022
U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday sparked anger and frustration in the wake of a Texas mass shooting with remarks about gun safety reform that included describing two GOP congressional leaders as "rational."
"We're in the midst of a civil war, but most Dems don't seem to realize it."
The president said on the White House lawn that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is "a rational Republican," and he thinks Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) is too, according to multiple reporters present.
Biden's comments came after McConnell told CNN last week--after the deadly shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde--that he "encouraged" Cornyn to talk with Democrats to "come up with a bipartisan solution."
Responding on Twitter to the president's Monday statement, Our America co-host Sawyer Hackett simply said, "Wait, what?"
Writer Thor Benson was similarly concise, tweeting, "Hmmm..... no."
Former Democratic Ohio congressional candidate Nina Turner asked, "What in the neoliberal hell is this?"
\u201cWhat in the neoliberal hell is this?\n\nThis is a \u201crational\u201d Republican, apparently.\u201d— Nina Turner (@Nina Turner) 1653923403
Jeet Heer, a national affairs correspondent at The Nation, said that "this might be justified if it yielded results in Republican lawmakers voting for parts of Biden's agenda, but it won't."
"As it stands," he warned, "it's giving centrist voters permission to vote for any Republican who is not" former President Donald Trump or Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).
Noting that "Cornyn was tweeting a few days ago about making schools like airports," journalist Aaron Rupar said that "I'm skeptical of his rationality on guns."
"I beg of Democrats to start dealing with Republicans as they are and not the made-up version you wish they were," he added.
\u201cIn which Joe Biden praises Mitch McConnell as a \u2018rational\u2019 Republican on gun control. Kill me now. https://t.co/uSDl2C0Nti\u201d— Mehdi Hasan (@Mehdi Hasan) 1653926795
Last Tuesday, Salvador Ramos used an AR-15-style-rifle that he legally purchased in Texas after his 18th birthday to murder 19 children and two teachers at the Uvalde elementary school. The teenage gunman was then killed by law enforcement. Biden's Department of Justice is now reviewing the police response to the shooting.
The president told reporters Monday that "I think things have gotten so bad that everybody's getting more rational about it, at least that's my hope."
"The Second Amendment was never absolute," he said, according to the Associated Press. "You couldn't buy a cannon when the Second Amendment was passed. You couldn't go out and buy a lot of weapons."
Biden also explained the limitations on his powers, saying that "I can't dictate this stuff. I can do the things that I've done--and any executive action I can take I'll continue to take--but I can outlaw a weapon. I can't... change the background checks. I can't do that."
\u201cDemocratic leaders are terminally unable to stop themselves from praising Republicans as \u201crational\u201d and legitimate political partners. \n\nIt\u2019s absurd. We\u2019re in the midst of a civil war, but most Dems don\u2019t seem to realize it. https://t.co/V93l2vd1Tt\u201d— Jordan Zakarin (@Jordan Zakarin) 1653931899
When Biden visited Texas over the weekend, onlookers shouted "Do something!" at him. In a Sunday letter, the Principal Recovery Network made a similar demand of all U.S. elected officials.
Faced with nationwide calls for action and data on firearm deaths in the United States, House Democrats have repeatedly moved to strengthen gun laws in recent years, but unless the party's entire caucus in the Senate decides to end the filibuster, most legislation cannot make it through the evenly split upper chamber without GOP support.
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Our Summer Campaign is now underway, and there’s never been a more urgent time for Common Dreams to be as vigilant as possible. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday sparked anger and frustration in the wake of a Texas mass shooting with remarks about gun safety reform that included describing two GOP congressional leaders as "rational."
"We're in the midst of a civil war, but most Dems don't seem to realize it."
The president said on the White House lawn that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is "a rational Republican," and he thinks Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) is too, according to multiple reporters present.
Biden's comments came after McConnell told CNN last week--after the deadly shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde--that he "encouraged" Cornyn to talk with Democrats to "come up with a bipartisan solution."
Responding on Twitter to the president's Monday statement, Our America co-host Sawyer Hackett simply said, "Wait, what?"
Writer Thor Benson was similarly concise, tweeting, "Hmmm..... no."
Former Democratic Ohio congressional candidate Nina Turner asked, "What in the neoliberal hell is this?"
\u201cWhat in the neoliberal hell is this?\n\nThis is a \u201crational\u201d Republican, apparently.\u201d— Nina Turner (@Nina Turner) 1653923403
Jeet Heer, a national affairs correspondent at The Nation, said that "this might be justified if it yielded results in Republican lawmakers voting for parts of Biden's agenda, but it won't."
"As it stands," he warned, "it's giving centrist voters permission to vote for any Republican who is not" former President Donald Trump or Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).
Noting that "Cornyn was tweeting a few days ago about making schools like airports," journalist Aaron Rupar said that "I'm skeptical of his rationality on guns."
"I beg of Democrats to start dealing with Republicans as they are and not the made-up version you wish they were," he added.
\u201cIn which Joe Biden praises Mitch McConnell as a \u2018rational\u2019 Republican on gun control. Kill me now. https://t.co/uSDl2C0Nti\u201d— Mehdi Hasan (@Mehdi Hasan) 1653926795
Last Tuesday, Salvador Ramos used an AR-15-style-rifle that he legally purchased in Texas after his 18th birthday to murder 19 children and two teachers at the Uvalde elementary school. The teenage gunman was then killed by law enforcement. Biden's Department of Justice is now reviewing the police response to the shooting.
The president told reporters Monday that "I think things have gotten so bad that everybody's getting more rational about it, at least that's my hope."
"The Second Amendment was never absolute," he said, according to the Associated Press. "You couldn't buy a cannon when the Second Amendment was passed. You couldn't go out and buy a lot of weapons."
Biden also explained the limitations on his powers, saying that "I can't dictate this stuff. I can do the things that I've done--and any executive action I can take I'll continue to take--but I can outlaw a weapon. I can't... change the background checks. I can't do that."
\u201cDemocratic leaders are terminally unable to stop themselves from praising Republicans as \u201crational\u201d and legitimate political partners. \n\nIt\u2019s absurd. We\u2019re in the midst of a civil war, but most Dems don\u2019t seem to realize it. https://t.co/V93l2vd1Tt\u201d— Jordan Zakarin (@Jordan Zakarin) 1653931899
When Biden visited Texas over the weekend, onlookers shouted "Do something!" at him. In a Sunday letter, the Principal Recovery Network made a similar demand of all U.S. elected officials.
Faced with nationwide calls for action and data on firearm deaths in the United States, House Democrats have repeatedly moved to strengthen gun laws in recent years, but unless the party's entire caucus in the Senate decides to end the filibuster, most legislation cannot make it through the evenly split upper chamber without GOP support.
From Your Site Articles
U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday sparked anger and frustration in the wake of a Texas mass shooting with remarks about gun safety reform that included describing two GOP congressional leaders as "rational."
"We're in the midst of a civil war, but most Dems don't seem to realize it."
The president said on the White House lawn that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is "a rational Republican," and he thinks Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) is too, according to multiple reporters present.
Biden's comments came after McConnell told CNN last week--after the deadly shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde--that he "encouraged" Cornyn to talk with Democrats to "come up with a bipartisan solution."
Responding on Twitter to the president's Monday statement, Our America co-host Sawyer Hackett simply said, "Wait, what?"
Writer Thor Benson was similarly concise, tweeting, "Hmmm..... no."
Former Democratic Ohio congressional candidate Nina Turner asked, "What in the neoliberal hell is this?"
\u201cWhat in the neoliberal hell is this?\n\nThis is a \u201crational\u201d Republican, apparently.\u201d— Nina Turner (@Nina Turner) 1653923403
Jeet Heer, a national affairs correspondent at The Nation, said that "this might be justified if it yielded results in Republican lawmakers voting for parts of Biden's agenda, but it won't."
"As it stands," he warned, "it's giving centrist voters permission to vote for any Republican who is not" former President Donald Trump or Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).
Noting that "Cornyn was tweeting a few days ago about making schools like airports," journalist Aaron Rupar said that "I'm skeptical of his rationality on guns."
"I beg of Democrats to start dealing with Republicans as they are and not the made-up version you wish they were," he added.
\u201cIn which Joe Biden praises Mitch McConnell as a \u2018rational\u2019 Republican on gun control. Kill me now. https://t.co/uSDl2C0Nti\u201d— Mehdi Hasan (@Mehdi Hasan) 1653926795
Last Tuesday, Salvador Ramos used an AR-15-style-rifle that he legally purchased in Texas after his 18th birthday to murder 19 children and two teachers at the Uvalde elementary school. The teenage gunman was then killed by law enforcement. Biden's Department of Justice is now reviewing the police response to the shooting.
The president told reporters Monday that "I think things have gotten so bad that everybody's getting more rational about it, at least that's my hope."
"The Second Amendment was never absolute," he said, according to the Associated Press. "You couldn't buy a cannon when the Second Amendment was passed. You couldn't go out and buy a lot of weapons."
Biden also explained the limitations on his powers, saying that "I can't dictate this stuff. I can do the things that I've done--and any executive action I can take I'll continue to take--but I can outlaw a weapon. I can't... change the background checks. I can't do that."
\u201cDemocratic leaders are terminally unable to stop themselves from praising Republicans as \u201crational\u201d and legitimate political partners. \n\nIt\u2019s absurd. We\u2019re in the midst of a civil war, but most Dems don\u2019t seem to realize it. https://t.co/V93l2vd1Tt\u201d— Jordan Zakarin (@Jordan Zakarin) 1653931899
When Biden visited Texas over the weekend, onlookers shouted "Do something!" at him. In a Sunday letter, the Principal Recovery Network made a similar demand of all U.S. elected officials.
Faced with nationwide calls for action and data on firearm deaths in the United States, House Democrats have repeatedly moved to strengthen gun laws in recent years, but unless the party's entire caucus in the Senate decides to end the filibuster, most legislation cannot make it through the evenly split upper chamber without GOP support.
From Your Site Articles
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.