Black Americans have most to fear from whites doing them harm, but I doubt they comprise a majority of the National Rifle Association’s membership. Also: gay Americans. I wonder how many of them attended C-PAC yesterday; speeches like this put the lie to the NRA’s claim that it takes everybody.
An argument for another time. On social media, friends and pundits – awestruck last night by students who after watching the murder of friends and teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School gave the junior senator from Florida, the Plankton with a Hair Piece, the fiercest spanking of his life – wondered why reporters with years of experience in Washington and MSNBC green rooms had never dared to be so blunt to their elected leaders. I can give you the short answer: these reporters grovel before poll-tested “issues” and a reluctance to offend, for to offend is to risk access, the coin of the realm. The only access that Cameron Kasky cared about last night was safe access to a high school education, a freedom from fear. I hope I don’t condescend to Kasky when I aver that his questions were pointed, smart, and merciless like Chuck Todd and Howard Fineman have never been. He reduced Senator Plankton to the gibbering imbecile last seen in February 2016 when Chris Christie treated a box of Kleenex with more respect. Democrats: it’s easy to make Rubio lose his cool; just stop nominating jars of banana custard to oppose him.
Bill Nelson, senior senator from Florida, did not embarrass himself, even summoned unexpected surliness answering a question about assault rifles. He still comes off as an Audio-Animatronic version of himself: a colorless remnant of Florida’s good ol’ boy days. He’ll need more surliness to beat Rick Scott in November.
Humanizing The Vacuum 