CNN Asks “Why is support for gun control at record lows?

This week Gallup announced the findings of a new poll that suggested that Americans are against gun control, and CNN covered this by putting a negative spin that asked, “Why is support for gun control at record lows?” This is a subtle bias, but a bias nonetheless. Jack Cafferty, who offered the question in his column, further noted:

“What’s interesting here is Americans are shifting to a more pro-gun stance despite high profile incidents of gun violence – like the Arizona shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and 18 others.”

These events actually make Americans feel less safe, and while he is correct in stating that these are “high profile,” they are the rare exception to the rule. The truth is that Americans are waking up to the fact that we could very easily lose our Second Amendment rights.

And let’s consider one other point he makes:

“Only Democrats, Eastern residents and those without guns in their homes still favor stricter gun laws.”

First, we disagree that “Democrats” are anti-gun or in favor of gun control. Perhaps “Liberals” are anti-gun but as a seasoned newsman Cafferty should know better than to confuse Democrats with Liberals. But let’s consider the other point: “Eastern residents” – as in those in Boston and New York City – the latter where much of the media is based. This certainly is a good point, as those in New York City are often brainwashed against guns, and the very Liberal attitude causes people to be anti-gun. This in turn causes the bias in the media and the cycle begins anew.

As we’ve long maintained, New Yorkers – including the New York based media – tend to be out of touch with the country, and often believe that their liberal views are those of all Americans. But the Gallup poll now suggests otherwise.

Even CNN is Doubting Eric Holder

This week CNN’s John King began to question what Eric Holder said in testimony to Congress on May 3, 2011 reports Real Clear Politics, which included a full transcript of the segment. Remember it was on May 3 that the Attorney General said:

“”I’m not sure of the exact date, but I probably heard about Fast and Furious for the first time over the last few weeks.”

But as noted, President Obama stated this in March to CNN Espanol in March:

“BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There have been problems, you know. I heard on the news about this story that — Fast and Furious, where allegedly guns were being run into Mexico, and ATF knew about it, but didn’t apprehend those who had sent it.

“Eric Holder has — the attorney general has been very clear that he knew nothing about this. We had assigned an I.G., inspector general, to investigate it.”

Even if Holder didn’t know in March, as the POTUS tries to claim, the question is how he didn’t hear about it until just before he gave testimony? How in the month and a half between these events did Holder not find out?

The interesting part is that Obama has said he has complete confidence in Holder. We have to ask, but why?

Firing Back: 70,000 Jobs Lost – Why Isn’t This Due Diligence Done For Gun Numbers?

This week CNN offered a story titled, “70,000 jobs lost! Really?” We ask the question, REALLY? While CNN notes that these numbers aren’t accurate, we notice that CNN – nor most of the mainstream media – ever bothered with the same fact checking for gun numbers. CNN reported:

“An oft-repeated statement that the Federal Aviation Administration’s partial shutdown has forced the layoff of 70,000 construction workers is, at best, an over-simplification, and at worst, an exaggeration, according to the expert behind the number.”

The sad truth is that the figure of “90 percent of guns used in Mexico” could also be called, “at best, an over-simplification, and at worst, an exaggeration.” But actually, it is even worse, because the 90 percent was widely debunked, widely proven false and yet the same mainstream media continued to report it.

The government of Mexico continued to state it, and Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State, even offered this number. For more than two years we’ve tried to spread the word that this 90 percent number – sometimes 80 percent and sometimes even the lower 70 percent – are all absolutely inaccurate. The numbers just aren’t there, but the MSM doesn’t care.

And when outlets such as CNN take the time to show how one number – such as the 70,000 jobs lost in the partial shutdown are inaccurate – is inaccurate, but never bothers for the 90 percent figure, this suggests a bias. But consider this passage from the CNN story:

“The rampant use — and misuse — of the 70,000 figure is a study in the wondrous ways of Washington, where facts and figures frequently enter the public debate filled with nuance and caveats, all of which are rapidly abandoned in the blazing heat of partisan battle.”

Does that speak volumes about the 90 percent number too?

Ted Nugent Speaks Out on Guns and Obama

This week rocker Ted Nugent is taking heat for speaking out against President Obama. During an interview on CNN this week, Nugent offered this commentary:

“Anybody that wants to disarm me can drop dread. Anybody that wants to make me unarmed and helpless, people that want to literally create the proven places where more innocents are killed called gun-free zones, we’re gonna beat you. We’re gonna vote you out of office or suck on my machine gun. You can take it whichever way you like.”

Of course Nugent hasn’t been one who has been known to hold his tongue. Our friends at Newsbusters.org offered the full transcript, but here is our favorite line… when Pierce Morgan said it was too easy for criminals to get guns, and laws should be changed, Nugent offered this thought:

 

 

Bill Maher Calls GOP Party of “Assault Weapons”

This week our friends at Newsbusters noted that “comedian” (and we do use that word loosely) Bill Maher was on In the Arena on CNN with disgraced former New York Governor Elliot Spitzer, and the pair ranted about Republicans. Maher noted:

“There’s an attack in Arizona with assault weapons, and the party that backs assault weapons doesn’t get blamed.”

First, does this guy follow the news? As Newsbusters noted:

“Jared Jee Loughner used a semi-automatic pistol with a 33-round magazine in Tucson, not an “assault weapon.” Maher likely wants to ban those extended magazines as well, but it doesn’t give him an excuse to spout off a false detail.”

Maher routinely speaks out against any Republican or Conservative that makes the smallest error or mistake. But yet he does the same thing.

However, there is another point to all this. Maher clearly doesn’t get that guns are not just favored by Republicans. Many Democrats care about this issue too.

CNN Gives Michael Bloomberg Platform

In an editorial for CNN, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg noted that “a handful of states with weak gun laws are the largest contributors to the U.S. market for illegally trafficked guns.” He calls for tougher laws in states outside his own New York, and calls for closing of so-called loopholes.

Maybe Bloomberg would like to see more states have laws such as New York, but like many true “New Yorkers” Bloomberg clearly doesn’t know that there is a whole nation west of the Hudson River. Bloomberg writes, “the stakes are high: 12,000 people a year are murdered with guns.”

Yes, and how many of these crimes occur in cities where gun control is the law, and criminals find a way to get guns anyway. So yes, the stakes are high. We shouldn’t let the mayor of one city with problems change the laws across the land. Maybe Bloomberg should consider whether those handful of states have the same level of crime as New York or Chicago?

CNN Tracks Straw Purchases, Misses Points

Our friends at Newsbusters.org responded to CNN’s new segment on the so-called “Iron Pipeline.” Thank you to Newsbusters for pointing out that CNN’s reporters essentially crafted a very one-sided and biased piece looking at firearms sales, and in the process never point out that straw purchases are essentially felonies!

Too often the media tries to make it seem that “straw purchases” are legal, and that only when the firearm is handed to a criminal is the law broken! What the media fails to address is that criminals obtain firearms many ways, and even purchasing a “legal” gun for a criminal is in itself a crime. We’re just glad that Newsbusters is also watching the mainstream media, and calling them like they see it.

Militias on the Rise, But Where is Reporting of the Real Threat?

Want proof that there is a media bias? The mainstream media never stopped reporting on how Muslims in America felt under threat following 9/11. But now law-abiding citizens are being targeted by the same media again. And while the militia movement is nothing new it seems to be the boggy man out there to the mainstream media, but is it a real threat?

CNN recently did a profile of these groups, citing a Southern Poverty Law Center report that highlighted “Return of the Militias.” Now these groups may not be to everyone’s liking, but the question to ask is whether they’ve broken the law and are they a threat? Of course the media will point to one Timothy McVee, and that’s fair. But what the media downplayed the Muslim connection to Fort Hood shooter Major Nidal Hasan, despite early reports that he even yelled “Allah Akbar.”

In fact, according Rawstory.com, CNN’s Jim Acosta even states that gun control “is unrealistic in many ways, because the Obama administration and the Democrats know that it would be political suicide for them to go after gun control measures. Even the attorney general has indicated he won’t go back to the assault weapons ban enacted in the Clinton administration.”

While we should take this as good news, and proof that the government is listening to gun owners and upholding our rights, it is worrisome that the media casts this as a bad decision. The same media that is generally silent about any Muslim threat – real or otherwise – to this country.

CNN Story Tries To Be Cute

CNN.com/Fortune Magazine is running a story today about the slowing of firearms sales. Ever since the election of President Obama, gun and ammunition sales have increased because of a fear that the administration’s policies will lead the country to economic ruin and draconian firearms laws. To make fun of those of us who fear the President’s “hope and change” message, the story is full of puns and double meanings. There is a well established rhetorical tactic that says if you can’t win an argument with logic you should ridicule the opponent and the opponent’s position. Read more