Trump + Gov FL No Shows at CNN Town Hall, Hear What Surviving Students of Stoneman Douglas Shooting Had to Say to Marco Rubio + the NRA
CNN hosted a town hall with Jake Tapper to hear what the survivors had to say about gun control and address the leaders in charge about such an important issue.
Join CNN’s @JakeTapper for a town hall that includes Sen. @marcorubio, @SenBillNelson, @RepTedDeutch, @BrowardSheriff Scott Israel and @NRA national spokesperson @DLoesch
“Stand Up: The Students of Stoneman Douglas Demand Action” airs live tonight at 9 ET #StudentsStandUp pic.twitter.com/htcxGfD74Z
— CNN (@CNN) February 22, 2018
Getting ready for tonight’s town hall on @CNN here in Florida. #StudentsStandUp pic.twitter.com/6pvW42xsIS
— Ryan Struyk (@ryanstruyk) February 22, 2018
Tapper began the town hall with a moment of silence while showing photos of the victims to remember the ones who died in the devastating school shooting.
.@jaketapper: “Before we begin tonight, we want to take some time to remember the 17 beloved members of the community who were murdered one week ago today.” #StudentsStandUp https://t.co/0JuAnBIsYo https://t.co/2lQ2pkMZje
— CNN (@CNN) February 22, 2018
The leaders whom the students addressed at the town hall did not include Trump or the Governor of Florida being that they were not in attendance.
Trump declined to participate in tonight’s CNN town hall on students demanding action after last week’s shooting, @jaketapper says.
— Rebecca Shabad (@RebeccaShabad) February 22, 2018
Rubio spoke at the town hall mentioning the polarization that exists in our nation and how it is hard to demand action and have this kind of conversation when everyone is politically isolated.
Sen. Marco Rubio: “I think all of us would like to see action, but I want to tell you what we’re going to struggle with. We are a nation of people that no longer speak to each other” #StudentsStandUp https://t.co/jlUQTDBRkw
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) February 22, 2018
Senator Marco Rubio says he supports a law that bans 18 year old adults from buying rifles. #StudentsStandUp
— David Hookstead (@dhookstead) February 22, 2018
However, a father of a shooting victim was rightfully quick to call out Rubio and his “weak” comments as well as President Trump’s “weak” comments. He also calls for Rubio to accept the fact that guns were the reason for this terrible tragedy and take some action.
Father of Florida school shooting victim confronts Sen. Marco Rubio: “Your comments this week and those of our President have been pathetically weak” https://t.co/puYEwpdgTl #StudentsStandUp https://t.co/AC5Zh1NuJa
— CNN (@CNN) February 22, 2018
“Pathetically weak,” a parent of a slain student said of Marco Rubio’s comments on the Parkland shooting to his face. I agree and would extend that to his gun control position.
— Brian Normoyle (@BrianNormoyle) February 22, 2018
I am no fan of Marco Rubio, but I give him points for chutzpah by showing up tonight. #CNNTownHall #StudentsStandUp
— Bonnie Berry (@bonnie_berry) February 22, 2018
Rep. Deutch also addressed the crowd during the town hall.
Rep. Ted Deutch: A lot of people have told this community that it’s too soon to talk about getting weapons of war out of our communities. “It is not too soon, it is too late for the 17 lives that were lost.” https://t.co/cIFakLEhbs #StudentsStandUp https://t.co/mXZlupfLAq
— CNN (@CNN) February 22, 2018
Deutch says lawmakers will introduce an assault weapons ban in Washington but understands “that won’t help you when you go back to school.” #StudentsStandUp
— Ryan Struyk (@ryanstruyk) February 22, 2018
Congressman Deutch says it straight to Rubio — you think there are too many loopholes in the assault weapons ban – close them. Rubio responds you would literally have to ban every semi-automatic rifle and the crowd cheers wildly in favor.
— Philip Gourevitch (@PGourevitch) February 22, 2018
Essentially: Rubio is saying that you have to ban all semi-automatic guns or none at all. And that GOP will not support banning all.
Deutch is saying heck yes, let’s ban them all. (And the crowd is on its feet.)
— Lisa Desjardins (@LisaDNews) February 22, 2018
Democratic Sen. Nelson mentioned that Rubio had “guts” for attending the town hall while also calling out that Florida Governor Scott did not. He further stated that he always had guns and enjoys hunting but “an AK-47 and an AR-15 is not for hunting it’s for killing.”
Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson to Samantha Grady, whose best friend died in the school shooting in Parkland, Florida: “When you get right down to it, the gun is what is going to do the killing” https://t.co/YEEYfj61CL #StudentsStandUp https://t.co/kHFKYAiwWO
— CNN (@CNN) February 22, 2018
Rubio opposes arming teachers. Says could cause additional tragedy when SWAT team arrives.
Bill Nelson calls it “a terrible idea.”— Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) February 22, 2018
Major applause occurred when Cameron Kasky, who is a junior in high school and school shooting survivor, asked Rubio to tell everyone that he will never accept a single donation from the NRA. The crowd quickly stood to their feet as Kasky called out the NRA and Rubio for taking such donations while innocent people are constantly dying at the hands of guns. Rubio answered with saying, “People buy into my agenda,” which caused outrage from the crowd.
Florida school shooting survivor Cameron Kasky challenges Sen. Marco Rubio: “Can you tell me right now that you will not accept a single donation from the NRA?” https://t.co/LiU42QFBEv #StudentsStandUp https://t.co/p6jlUGFxOs
— CNN (@CNN) February 22, 2018
Rubio did not even say “NRA” in his response, and never directly answered the question of whether he’d reject NRA money. Cameron Kasky, a HS student, clearly bested Rubio in that exchange.
— Holly Epstein Ojalvo (@heoj) February 22, 2018
Rubio “reconsidering” position against magazine-size limits, in addition to considering raising age to 21 for certain firearms purchases. Will he truly vote against the NRA on this? Will GOP Senate even allow such a bill to get to debate?
— Tony Pipitone (@TonyNBC6) February 22, 2018
Senior Chris Grady who is also a survivor and recently enlisted in the army asked Rubio about banning large capacity magazines.
Would you agree that there’s no place in our society for large capacity magazines?
Rubio: I traditionally haven’t supported it but “after this and some of the details I learned … I am reconsidering that position” https://t.co/1zo7oRaJHW #StudentsStandUp https://t.co/lzGQlSPytq
— CNN (@CNN) February 22, 2018
Rubio has made some policy news in this town hall. Says he backs raising the age limit for guns and is reconsidering his position on banning high capacity magazines
— Caitlin Huey-Burns (@CHueyBurns) February 22, 2018
Emma Gonzalez made her powerful voice heard once again to ask and challenge NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch on whether she believes that it should be harder to obtain semi-automatic and automatic weapons. Of course, being a spokeswoman of the NRA, Loesch sort of beat around the bush and did not necessarily answer the question. Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel challenged Loesch with saying; “You’re not standing up for them until you say ‘I want less weapons.'”
NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch: “This individual was nuts. … None of us support people who are crazy, who are dangerous to themselves, who are a danger to others, getting their hands on a firearm.” https://t.co/V50uSV8IiG #StudentsStandUp https://t.co/P5SiokWN3S
— CNN (@CNN) February 22, 2018
Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel to NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch: “You just told this group of people that you are standing up for them. You’re not standing up for them until you say, ‘I want less weapons’” https://t.co/mTli3fm9tF #StudentsStandUp https://t.co/Buf7EYEDIp
— CNN (@CNN) February 22, 2018
Dana Loesch is very good at this. And so far she’s managed to avoid being asked directly about why the NRA doesn’t support policies that would have kept the Parkland shooter from getting and keeping the guns he used. #CNNTownHall
— Holly Epstein Ojalvo (@heoj) February 22, 2018
Max Schachtner, father of shooting victim Alex Schachtner, shared a poem that his son wrote.
Max Schachter, father of Florida high school shooting victim Alex Schachter, shares a poem that his son wrote https://t.co/gOTuQWUTjt #StudentsStandUp pic.twitter.com/ySxn16IlkM
— CNN (@CNN) February 22, 2018
Watching our family friend #maxschachter read his son Alex’s poem tonight is almost too much for me to bear. Max, we are all with you. We love you. Your strength is incredible. Your son’s poetry is light in this darkness. #alexschachter
— Josh Gad (@joshgad) February 22, 2018
Even though Rubio may have turned down the offer to not receive anymore donations from the NRA, many are thankful, including school shooting survivor Alfonso Calderon, that he took the time to show up and have his views challenged in order to try to make some changes.
Florida shooting survivor Alfonso Calderon says he’s “thankful” for Sen. Marco Rubio’s attendance at the #StudentsStandUp town hall. “I am actually very excited about what is to come. Because Marco Rubio talked about change” in gun policy https://t.co/Fsn5eoXpuI pic.twitter.com/fBKKByKKQU
— CNN (@CNN) February 22, 2018
Tonight’s #CNNTownHall was very https://t.co/9mAldilc6r revealed both the challenges & opportunities ahead as we take action to prevent mass shootings
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 22, 2018
I am very proud of Senator Nelson, Congressman @RepTedDeutch our Sheriff @ScottJIsrael and the students, teachers and parents – all of whom did an amazing job on this evening’s CNN Town Hall.
— Marty Kiar (@MartyKiar) February 22, 2018
The CNN Town Hall was really powerful. These kids are amazing.
— Alexander Taub (@ajt) February 22, 2018
This town hall shows the bravery that came out of the grief and anger from the high school shooting survivors and family and friends from the victims. Hopefully this town hall tonight will move us forward to more policies regarding stricter gun laws.
