Danny Tarkanian is about what you'd expect from a Steve Bannon favorite for Senate candidate, targeted to run against Republican Sen. Dean Heller for the sin of occasionally showing signs of humanity. He's a professional candidate who has won the wingnut primary in five previous races and lost to the Democrat in the general election. (He was also endorsed in this primary by... Sarah Palin! So right there, that tells you a lot.)
Watch this interview last night with Chris Hayes, who rarely lets exasperation show. I think you'll want to make a point of supporting whatever Democrat is running for this seat.
"You mentioned international terrorism. and obviously there was worry or concern or thoughts earlier today that might bear out," Hayes said.
"Do you think that if it had been international terrorism, there would be very concrete calls from people in your party and from all parties for policy action against, say, ISIS? Would that result in some channeling of the grief and the anger into some concrete calls for policy?"
Listen to his response.
"So you think that some policy passed by Congress would stop an ISIS terrorist attack? Is that what you're suggesting?" Tarkanian said, practically sneering.
"Look, my mother is on the city council here in Las Vegas. She gets briefed regularly by Homeland Security. They have told her that there are all kinds of terror cells out there that they've been monitoring, and there is a big risk that something like this would happen here. When I first heard this happened this morning when I got up, I said, oh my goodness, something happened like they had warned her. And then we find well, it probably is not that case. it's somebody that just lived 45 minutes from here."
Hayes then talked about concrete changes that Congress can do to reduce the incidents of gun violence and mass shootings. Does Takanian thing it's achievable?
"Look, I think that any time an activity like this can happen in our country, it's wrong," he said.
"And something needs to be done to stop it. The bodies aren't even cold yet. and we're going to sit here and politicize this thing? Why don't you wait until there is some time for the people to grieve and get over this, and then you can figure out exactly how did the guns, how did he get ten guns like that? Did he break the law to get him? Are you going to pass laws that will stop someone from breaking the laws?"
Two wingnut talking points in one paragraph! Which could also apply to international terrorism, but of course that's different. Those people don't break laws, amirite?
He then talked about all the wonderful efforts by local people to deal with the fallout.
"There is going to be time to politicize this later on. And if there are solutions, to come up with those solutions."
Hayes asked if Trump hadn't politicized the Pulse nightclub shootings.
"I think you love to misquote President Trump. And that's all good and well for your viewership. I'm not going to get into that today when this has been the worst tragedy that happened to my city and you want to start taking potshots at the president. Let's talk what happened here, what our city is going through and what we're trying to do to get through this really, really difficult period of time," he retorted.
"Sir, I have to say, I've covered a lot of these," Hayes said.
"And my hope, and I think the hope of every other citizen, is to find some way that we don't have to cover any more of these, whether here in Vegas or in Orlando or San Bernardino or Oregon, or anywhere else."
"Yeah. and I don't think Senator Mullarkey, all the mullarkey he was saying came up with any solutions that would have stopped these type of mass shootings you're talking about," Tarkanian said.
"It was mullarkey, what he was saying. If this guy broke the law to get the guns, you figure passing new laws are going to prevent someone from doing this? He is already breaking the laws. when you're murdering somebody, you're breaking one of the worst laws you can do. it's like you guys think you can legislate human decency and evilness. And you can't."
"All right. Mr. Tarkhanian, thank you for making time tonight. And again, the whole country is grieving with you."
Assuming you're actually grieving, and not grandstanding for effect. Because as we know, during the ten years the assault weapons ban was in effect, it reduced this problem considerably.
