John Hickenlooper: Shooter ‘Almost…a Terrorist’
On Meet the Press, Colorado governor John Hickenlooper described alleged Aurora killer James Holmes as “diabolical” and “demonic.” He explained: “I think of him almost as a terrorist,” in that he “wanted to take away…our ability to enjoy life.” The governor went on to say that Holmes has “lawyered up” and “is not cooperating” with the ongoing investigation.
Bloomberg: Hold Obama and Romney Accountable
New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg took his fight for better gun regulation to Face the Nation, and called on both President Obama and Mitt Romney to clarify their positions on gun control. “What do they stand for and why aren’t they standing up?” Bloomberg asked. “It’s time for both of them to be held accountable.” Meanwhile, he minced no words laying out his own position: weapons designed to kill humans—advertised as “able to pierce body-armor,” for example—should be banned. “[The] last time I saw a deer wearing a bulletproof vest was a long time ago,” he said.
Aurora Congressman: Ban Assault Rifles
“Colorado is not a violent place, but we have some violent people.” That’s what Ed Perlmutter, the Democratic congressman who represents Aurora, wrote on Facebook after the tragic shooting took 12 lives in his constituency on Friday. In the comments that followed, a gun-control debate raged: “I feel like this is Columbine all over again,” wrote one woman, “HOW did this evil individual get ahold [sic] of so many deadly weapons etc?” Another responded: “If ONE person inside that theater was armed, this situation would NOT have been as bad as it is… Gun control is NOT the solution, it is the problem.” On Face the Nation, the congressman supported a ban on assault rifles. “He had enough ammunition for like a small army!” Perlmutter said of the alleged shooter.
Dianne Feinstein: ‘Weapons of War Don’t Belong on the Streets’
California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who introduced a (since expired) national ban on assault weapons, told Fox News Sunday that “weapons of war don’t belong on the streets.” The Democratic lawmaker argued: “I believe people use these weapons because they can get them.” Meanwhile, Sen. Ron Johnson, a Republican endorsed by the NRA, countered, arguing that the Aurora massacre “isn’t an issue about guns…it’s an issue of freedom.”
Howard Kurtz: ‘I Don’t Care About This Guy’
On Reliable Sources, Newsweek & Daily Beast’s Howard Kurtz railed against the media’s obsession with suspected killer James Holmes. “I don’t care about this guy,” Kurtz said. “I don’t want to turn him into a celebrity; I don’t want to turn him into some national object of fascination.” “I don’t want psychological studies of him because anybody who shoots up a movie theater with men women and children [in it] is crazy.” Despite journalists’ driving mission to answer questions, Kurtz said, sometimes they should leave them unresolved: “Maybe some questions can’t be answered.”
Aurora Mayor: ‘Aurora’s a Great Place to Be.’
The mayor of Aurora said that Friday’s massacre “hurt the community,” but professed that “Aurora’s a great place to be.” On This Week, Mayor Steve Hogan told George Stephanopoulos that the murders were “cold-blooded” and “calculated,” but that the community is working together to rise from the trauma. “We can’t let this guy win,” he said, “we have to start healing and we have to start creating a better Aurora today.”
John McCain: Gun Control Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Less Gun Violence
On State of the Union, John McCain continued his criticism of President Obama’s Syria policy, but also weighed in on the Aurora shootings. The Arizona senator—who represents the same state as former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in January 2011—said that a connection between increased gun control and decreased gun violence “would have to be proved” before he considered backing more legislation, including a ban on assault weapons.
