‘Are Americans exceptionally insane?’: Conservative lashes out at resistance to gun laws

During an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” conservative commentator and Bulwark founder Charlie Sykes expressed dismay over the weekend mass shooting in Allen Texas and suggested there is something deeply wrong with the United States.

After a visibly angry co-panelist Johnathan Lemire listed off the body counts of multiple mass shootings in Texas since 2015, the equally disturbed Sykes offered up a bitter take on “American exceptionalism,” after host Joe Scarborough interjected, “Charlie, just in case people are going, yeah, okay, so these people got shot, Texas is a big state, let’s underline it again: the number one killer of children in America, and I guarantee you in the state of Texas, is guns.”

“This is breathtaking,” Sykes began. “I have to say that the Reverend Al Sharpton and Jonathan have triggered me. When we choose the guns over the children, that’s a sign of deep sickness.”

“Jonathan’s point about this is American exceptionalism, we are exceptional in this respect,” he continued. “And, you know, on the question of mental illness, and, Joe, you’ve been raising this issue, are Americans exceptionally insane? Are we exceptionally more prone to this kind of violence or is there something else going on here?”

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‘This American carnage, it’s become absolutely routine,” he added. “I think you’re right to highlight the policies in Texas. I mean, it’s not just the policies, it is also the attitude and the reaction and the kinds of spin that Governor [Greg] Abbott puts on this. The way that we have created this culture that celebrates, that celebrates the gun despite, you know, the horrific injuries, but also celebrates this crassness, this indifference to violence or this willingness to accept it.”

Watch the video below or at this link.


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Laughter erupts as James Comer blanks in House hearing: ‘I wasn’t paying attention’



A hearing room for the House Oversight Committee erupted into laughter Wednesday after the committee chair, Rep. James Comer (R-KY), blanked on a question asked by a Democratic committee member.

Wednesday’s hearing saw the committee fiercely debate whether to hold Bill and Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress for defying a congressional subpoena to testify about their connections to Jeffrey Epstein and his accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell. Challenging the measure was Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), who pressed Comer on whether the committee had already been informed that the Clintons were willing to testify on the record.

“It's my understanding that you guys have received correspondence by phone, email and a written letter from the attorneys from the Clintons offering to [testify] on the record, with you, with the staff... is that correct?” Stansbury asked.

“I didn't... I wasn't paying attention to your question,” Comer admitted, sparking an eruption of laughter in the room, including from Stansbury, who moved to ask her question again, albeit more slowly.

“Okay – we're pursuant to a motion you brought for contempt, and the claim is that you have made reasonable accommodations and that [the Clintons] have not been responsive,” Stansbury repeated.

“But they have transmitted correspondence to all of the members of the committee – including yourself – including a letter from their attorneys stating that they have offered by phone, by email to meet with you, on the record, to give sworn statements. Is that correct?”

Comer’s first reaction was to speak of how the Clintons had been given “five months” to appear before Congress before being pressed by Stansbury again: “yes or no,” she asked.

“You all are trying to create a false narrative!” Comer fired back. “You've had five months, you should have gotten to the Clintons before the contempt vote!”

Stansbury asked once more for Comer to answer her question, but was met with silence as Comer’s aides could be seen speaking with him quietly.

“Just to be clear for the public, his staff are advising the chairman to not answer that question,” Stansbury alleged.

Comer fired back at Stansbury once more.

“No, the staff said they couldn't understand what the hell you were saying because you blabbered for three minutes!” Comer said.

The Clintons have, in fact, refused to testify before Congress, and despite having been issued congressional subpoenas. Both have challenged Comer’s authority to demand they testify, and have accused the lawmaker’s request of being politically motivated.


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