From the October 2 edition of Fox News' Happening Now:
Fox Anchor Blames Obama For GOP's Unwillingness To Pass New Gun Laws
Jon Scott: Obama Should Talk Less About Guns And More About Unemployment And Fatherless Homes To “Alleviate” Mass Shootings
Written by Media Matters Staff
Published
SCOTT: But, Lynn, you know, when you listened to [President Obama's] remarks yesterday, he kind of seemed to blame everything on the Congress. There isn't a lot that -- I mean, the Harry Truman expression the buck stops here doesn't often seem to land on his desk. There are other issues involved, as Judy points out. I mean, there is 8 percent unemployment in that particular corner of Oregon where this shooting took place. This kid apparently came from a fatherless home again. There are a lot of things that the president could be stressing beyond gun control that might, might alleviate the problem.
LYNN SWEET, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Well, actually, Jon, he has. During one of the past killings, after the ones, I think, in Sandy Hook there were a raft of executive orders that did try to get to the root causes, particularly with young men, of why -- who are the ones who are doing these shootings, [inaudible] some other things to address, but don't try to change the subject here, Jon, and get away from what might be one of many solutions which is putting some curbs on access to guns. I don't think you really, you know, what you're trying to do is pivot to a conversation that should be held and, indeed, has been held. But I don't think it alleviates responsibility of trying to do something at the point where trouble can happen, and that is when people who shouldn't have them have guns.
SCOTT: Well, I'm not trying to avoid the issue, Judy, I'm just saying -- and, again, this is for Judy -- but I'm just saying there are a lot of complex issues involved in this problem, and the president says that it's all about guns.
JUDITH MILLER, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: No, he doesn't say that. I agree with Lynn. He has dealt with and talked about a lot of the other issues. But -- and there are issues such as I know this was a “gun-free zone” in this community in Oregon, but a security guard not having a weapon to defend people in that gun-free zone? That's inexplicable to me, as inexplicable as it is having Marines or Navy personnel or military people at recruiting stations without guns. But, look, guns kill people. Access to guns is too easy in this country. There is kind of a consensus on that in every poll. And yet every time we put this issue to the Congress, it gets slapped down. And I understand why the president is frustrated. How many of these killings are we going to have before the American people actually mobilize to do something? That's the question he's asking. I don't think that's politicizing the issue. I think this gun control issue has become politicized. He's on one side, the NRA is on the other. And what we have to do is point out that it is politicized and urge people to kind of look at the statistics and come to a common sense verdict about what to do about this.
Previously:
On Cue, The Press Blames Obama For GOP's Radical (Gun Debate) Behavior
Conservative Media Use Oregon Community College Shooting To Revive “Gun-Free Zone” Canard
On Fox & Friends, Giuliani Uses Oregon Mass Shooting To Advocate For Stop-And-Frisk