CRISIS/GOP/GUNS: “Bill Nelson got the cheers. Marco Rubio ended up with bruises.
The gripping, nationally televised Florida town hall on guns that unfolded on CNN on Wednesday [2-21-18] evening ended up as a tale of two senators, with Nelson emerging in far better political shape than when he went in, and Rubio turning out worse for wear in the eyes of many… Rubio largely stuck to Twitter on Thursday to amplify the points he tried or wanted to make the night before but that were drowned out by boos or jeers from a liberal crowd ideologically opposed to the pro-gun Republican after last week’s slaughter of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.
In contrast, Nelson went on a victory lap in Tallahassee, where Republicans are on defense over guns, to take the rhetorical fight over firearms to Gov. Rick Scott, his likely opponent this year who skipped the town hall the night before. Scott’s refusal to show up was akin to a campaign contribution for Nelson, who repeatedly chided the governor over guns and made sure to call him out Wednesday night for not showing up, in contrast to Rubio…
Unlike Rubio, Nelson started off the forum with exactly what the crowd wanted to hear: ‘Now there ought to be some common sense solutions like getting the assault rifles off the streets.’
After applause died down, Nelson delivered another crowd-pleaser: ‘Another common sense solution — having criminal backgrounds on everyone acquiring of a gun.’
Rubio, though, had to face the father of a murdered student who criticized the senator’s refusal to support a ban on assault weapons, and a student who won standing and thunderous applause for asking Rubio to refuse NRA money. Rubio said he wouldn’t, and was vigorously booed.
Rubio won some applause for voicing support for raising the age limit on rifle purchases to 21 and for saying he’d consider banning high-volume magazines. He found a more receptive audience on Twitter after his rough treatment.”
-Marc Caputo, “Florida senators face town hall fallout, ” Politico, Feb. 22, 2018 07:03pm