Despite recent months of intense anti-gun activism, on Tuesday, MSNBC anchors Stephanie Ruhle and Ali Velshi were aghast that the National Rifle Association actually broke a fundraising record in the month of March. The pair implored their left-wing viewers to “pay attention” and that they “shouldn’t kid” themselves about the effectiveness of their protests.
“And we want to point out a stark reality of the gun debate. Despite mass demonstrations for gun control, of course, like the March for Our Lives and multiple mass shootings this past year, the NRA has reached a fundraising record,” Ruhle fretted. She further noted: “The gun lobby raised $2.4 million in March, the highest in 15 years. Nearly 2 million of that came from small donors who gave less than $200 each.”
Ruhle explained how that financial support translated into strong political support for the gun rights organization: “So remember that, all of those small donors who gave less than $200, each one of them has a right to vote, and I assure you, they go out there and do it.” Velshi admitted: “If they’re going to send a $200 check to the NRA, they’re gonna vote.”
Pleading for gun control advocates to step up their game, Ruhle proclaimed: “So it’s not to say that we’re not inspired and excited by all these kids standing up and marching, but when we hear things like, ‘Look how many Instagram followers and Twitter followers they have,’ that doesn’t matter.” Velshi chimed in: “That’s real dollars going to the NRA.”
Ruhle agreed: “The NRA has real dollars and that’s action. Pay attention.” Velshi added: “We shouldn’t kid ourselves about that.”
The two hosts themselves have been at the forefront of MSNBC’s campaign against gun rights and the NRA:
MSNBC’s Ruhle Lobbies Hard for Gun Control, Urges Trump to Sell Out His Base
Ruhle Hints 2A Supporters Are 'Jerks,' Only 'Lousy Loser' Hunters Need AR-15
MSNBC Plugs Website That Helps Investors Boycott Pro-Gun Stocks
MSNBC Activists Smear NRA: ‘Not a Sponsor of Safer Schools and Safer Streets’
Perhaps that accounted for why they were so upset to hear that the pro-Second Amendment group was doing so well.
The only broadcast network morning show to notice the NRA’s fundraising record on Tuesday was CBS This Morning, with co-host John Dickerson informing viewers:
The Miami Herald reports the National Rifle Association just broke a 15-year fund-raising record. Its political victory fund-raised $2.4 million for the month of March. That’s the most raised in one month since June, 2003. It was the NRA's full first month of political fund-raising since the Parkland school shooting. Nearly $2 million came from small donors who gave less than $200 each.
Despite the gun control advocacy on all three networks, neither NBC’s Today show and ABC’s Good Morning America bothered to cover the news.
Here is a transcript of the April 23 exchange between Ruhle and Velshi on MSNBC:
11:14 AM ET
STEPHANIE RUHLE: And we want to point out a stark reality of the gun debate. Despite mass demonstrations for gun control, of course, like the March for Our Lives and multiple mass shootings this past year, the NRA has reached a fundraising record. The gun lobby raised $2.4 million in March, the highest in 15 years. Nearly 2 million of that came from small donors who gave less than $200 each. So remember that, all of those small donors who gave less than $200, each one of them has a right to vote, and I assure you, they go out there and do it.
ALI VELSHI: If they’re going to send a $200 check to the NRA, they’re gonna vote.
RUHLE: So it’s not to say that we’re not inspired and excited by all these kids standing up and marching, but when we hear things like, “Look how many Instagram followers and Twitter followers they have,” that doesn’t matter.
VELSHI: That’s real dollars going to the NRA.
RUHLE: The NRA has real dollars and that’s action. Pay attention.
VELSHI: We shouldn’t kid ourselves about that.
