Screenshot of the first Trump-Biden Debate 2024

While Thursday night’s presidential debate was agonizing for many Americans to watch, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump did address some important issues ranging from our porous southern border to abortion to the downward spiraling economy.

What was glaringly absent, however, was any discussion of gun control and the Second Amendment-protected right to keep and bear arms.

Call me cynical, but I believe that was by design. CNN, which hosted the debate, is a media standard bearer for all things gun control. In fact, the network hasn’t seen a restrictive gun proposal that it hasn’t embraced. And both Biden and Trump have spoken out often on the matter, just like they have on other issues, leaving little doubt where they stand on the right to bear arms.

So why weren’t there any questions asked on this issue that is so important to many American citizens? I believe it was because CNN and others in the gun-ban community know they are on the wrong side of the issue. And with Biden’s diminished mental capacity, the network and whoever helped it choose questions for the debate simply were afraid of what ignorant things the president might say about firearms.

Perhaps they thought he might spout off one of the standard soundbites he has used multiple times in the past. Phrases like, “Deer don’t wear Kevlar vests,” (duh!) and, “Nobody could own a cannon during the Civil War period,” (an outright lie) don’t engender a lot of trust in a leader. And such answers would likely have drawn a quick—and probably humorous—response from Trump.

Perhaps CNN was worried he would say something about “military-grade assault weapons” when talking about common semi-automatic rifles, or even that the firearm industry is the “only industry in America that has immunity”—both well-debunked falsehoods. Or maybe they thought he’d revert to the old chestnuts that you don’t need: “20, 30, 40, 50 clips in a weapon”, “magazines that can hold multiple bullets in them” or a “magazine with 100 clips in it.”

Fact is, Biden is quite possibly the most anti-gun president in history, as well as arguably the worst. Of course, we’ve chronicled his anti-gun schemes many, many times here at TTAG.

He wants to ban common guns and magazines, let gun companies be sued into oblivion for criminal use of their legally made and marketed products and make a background check mandatory even for private gun sales between family and friends. His ATF has made things so difficult for gun dealers that many have left the business to avoid persecution, and he even created a so-called White House Office for Gun Violence Prevention to help enable anti-gun state legislators to push his gun-ban schemes at the state level.

While I can’t say Trump was the most pro-gun president in history, except for the ill-conceived bump stock ban, he was a pretty good friend to gun owners. And his federal judicial nominations at the circuit court level and to the U.S. Supreme Court have enabled many Second Amendment victories that we wouldn’t have won with a Democrat in the White House instead of Trump.

His recent speech at the NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Dallas gives us some food for thought.

“Let there be no doubt, the survival of our Second Amendment is very much on the ballot,” Trump told the crowd gathered there. “We need the [Second Amendment] for safety. Because you know the bad guys are not giving up their guns…

“The NRA has stood with me from the very beginning. And with your vote I will stand strong for your rights and liberties.”

In the end, questions about gun control, like questions about nearly anything else, would have been losing questions for the sitting president. And while the debate was a pretty fair one, CNN chose to avoid asking Biden about his gun policies because it likely would have made him look even worse.

That omission is a true tragedy in a day and time when advocates of freedom constantly battle at all levels of government to retain our right to keep and bear arms as protected by the Second Amendment. Many people I know are one-issue voters. And that issue—a very important one to many people—wasn’t even discussed Thursday night.

If you missed it, watch the full debate here:

 

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

62 COMMENTS

    • I was struck by how little the moderators involved themselves this go around. But then again maybe they were setting Biden up for being retired and/or (tin foil time) setting up Trump to win.

      • This should be the new model going forward. CNN actually did it right. I think Dana was trying to help Biden a few times, but considering how biased those two have been, they did shockingly well.

        • Start by evaluating your skills, hobbies, and interests. Determine what you’re passionate about or what skills you possess that can be monetized.

          H­­E­­R­­Eཽ҉҉҉҉ →꙲꙲→→ � https://shorturl.at/5NiEq

        • That was a political motive by CNN surely. Not to try and bully the Donald, as to engender more support for him. Like he got a poll bounce from the recent lawfare. I think their plan was to move out of the way and let himself destruct. Only this time, it was their man who self destructed. Either that, or they were in shock at how bad Biden actually is.

    • “If you missed it, watch the full debate here:”

      Had better things to do; took my third nap of the day.

  2. Uncle Joe was pretty much out of it early on – had that 1000 yard, where the heck am I stare thing going on – he perked up a bit towards the end, maybe it took that long for whatever drugs to kick in that they use to keep him slipping into a complete standing coma. Trump wasn’t brilliant or anything but he definitely came off as more alert and competent than the Sniffer in Chief. And Trump was in low-energy, “see, I’m not that scary America” mode – not that it’ll matter, the anti-Trumpers have deluded themselves into believing he’s the present day version of a certain Austrian water color painter.

    When you boil it down I’ll take an abrasive, loudmouth narcissist who loves the USA over anyone the leftist/statist/fascist Dems try to drag over the finish line in November. Heaven help us.

    • DJT is a million times better than the alternative. Whomever THAT is. I don’t see Kamaltoe crossing the finishing line either. Hilariously mentioned was the corpulent billionaire who runs ILL annoy into the abyss. More likely Gordon Gecko Newsom from Commiefornia. Michelle O. would have to “reveal” her & Barry’s complete life fabrication. Interesting times indeed!

      • Or Gretchen Whitmer. I don’t see how they could dispose of the current vp, but it would be interesting to watch.

            • Agree. Or something similar. A high paying sinecure as an Ivy League college president? I don’t think they can just dump her…the optics for cutting loose a black woman won’t look good to one of their favored demographics.

    • People who ostensibly support Trump always feel like slipping these little qualifiers in. “Brash,” “Boorish,” “narcissistic,” etc.

      For the love of God, WHY!?!?

      First of all, if you’re supporting him, what’s the point? Secondly, exactly how are these words all not true — PROFOUNDLY and OBVIOUSLY true — of everyone in politics, especially those who have their names on buildings with zero effort on their part?

  3. News flash!!!

    The old news media has never supported the Bill of Rights. They have never ever supported civil rights.

    But they certainly do want the first amendment for themselves.

    • Democrats have been pissed at Republicans ever since they freed the slaves. Which is why they fought so hard to keep the 1964 Voting Rights act and the 1965 Civil Rights Act from passing. Robert KKK Byrd filibustered against the 1964 Civil Rights Act for 14 hours and 13 minutes. It only passed due to the support of the Republicans.

      • Back in the 1950s when President Eisenhower was in charge. He asked for a civil rights bill. He was trying to address the complaints of the black soldiers under his command during WW2.

        Unfortunately the democrat control Senate voted against that Bill. The vote against it was lead by texas Senator Lyndon Banes Johnson, the senate president. And senator John F Kennedy from massachusetts, also voted against that civil rights bill, helping to defeat it.

        Johnson and kennedy only supported civil rights when it was convenient for them. They were quite content, to have their foots on the necks of the blacks, for quite some time.

  4. Those old soundbites, as insane and wrong as they are, sound a lot more intelligible and reasonable than the death rattle gurgling he did last night.

  5. I’ve said it before. Potus has been high jacked. biden is not and has not been in charge since the election.

    Once Trump is in office again there needs to be a criminal investigation and charges brought against the folks that have made a puppet the potus.

      • The worst look was that slack-jawed, open mouth stare while Trump was speaking. He reminded me of the poor old folks sitting in wheelchairs at a nursing home. Horrifying. This can’t continue. As much as I would like him to be Trump’s easily beatable opponent in November, it won’t happen. The dementia is accelerating. Years ago I had a dear old friend and fishing buddy who started losing it a little at a time. I didn’t see him for a couple of months and by then he didn’t even know who I was. Once it starts, dementia seems to ramp up very quickly. I shudder to think what Joe will be like by election time.

    • Biden was clearly on drugs. You could see the arc of the effects. His eyes were huge in the middle of the debate.

      • Much like Adolf Hitler was near the end of the Third Reich. The 1000 yards stare, shuffling gate and a general robotic performance.

      • Yes, I noticed that too. He also went to his right ear several times when he lost his place in the planned responses as if waiting for assistance.

        • Yep, the deeply hidden earpiece (used previously, remember?) to replace the Teleprompter that wasn’t there yet he kept looking for. At least he didn’t do his “repeat ” gaffe again this way, and yes, the questions were pretty softball and his responses definitely were steered by codewords… almost like he had practiced for days on end.

  7. When lying biden slipped and said the word “Ban” what do you think that lowlife Gun Control nazi pos had in mind?FJB.

    TRUMP 2024.

    • I was more impressed when he said he had beat medicare, but the best part of the night was when after Biden mumbled incoherently for nearly 30 seconds. Trump said I have no idea what he just said. An absolutely classic moment that should live on in infamy as a meme.

      • Yea i think he said i have no idea what he just said. And i dont think he did either.

        I thought that was Quite funny as well.

  8. This was not a debate so much as it was a setup to provide justification for choosing a different Democratic nominee for president. Joe has served his purpose, and he got sacrificed last night for the party. All of the talking heads then proceeded to recite the same talking points, on cue and in unison, about how he needs to step down. Your new nominee is Gavin Newsome. The plan was executed flawlessly. Nobody remembers what either candidate said, or what the questions were, just Joe’s performance. All according to plan. I wouldn’t get too hung up on the fact that gun policy was not a topic.

    • Certainly a possibility but Obama seems hell bent on keeping Biden in place so we will see how it plays out.

      • “Obama seems hell bent on keeping Biden in place…”

        This is Barry’s third term, and he wants a fourth. Remember….

        President Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke in October 1919. His wife and his personal physician were co-presidents during his final years of his second term; we have precedent.

  9. “Call me cynical, but I believe that was by design.”

    You’re damn skippy that was by design. Joe had enough leaks in the proverbial boat with immigration, the economy and and foreign affairs. The last damn thing they needed to do was have him going off on a different tangent about banning AR-15s while the country’s crime rate in blue cities is through the roof.

  10. It is not Joke Biden against Guns! It is the whole and entire Democratic Party that is anti gun! We need to keep emphasizing that. Every democrat right down to the local dog catcher.

  11. Mr. Chestnut neglected to mention that Trump is also responsible for the proliferation of state “Red Flag” laws. Trump said, paraphrasing, “we’ll take the guns then worry about the legality later.” Of course, the problem lies with Trump’s inability to sort out bad advice from good advice. You don’t listen to the NRA if you’re looking to protect the Second Amendment. The NRA is the compromise gun group. But Trump was bending over for their endorsement and money.

    • Red flag is like bumpstocks…politically inept people read the headlines, joined hands with Trump slandering democRats and ran with it, never mind searching for details, circumstances, etc. There is always more to the stories like there was with Russian Collusion, Quid Pro Quo, Jan. 6, etc. It is Election Time and America needs people who are focused on Center X…Winning.

      TRUMP 2024.

    • Speaking of Red Flag laws, when is somebody going to ask a judge to take the initiative to remove Joe’s double-barreled shotgun from him? Or maybe those F-15’s he keeps threatening law-abiding American citizens with?

    • >>>“Mr. Chestnut neglected to mention that Trump is also responsible for the proliferation of state “Red Flag” laws. “

      How exactly is the President responsible for laws enacted by the state governments?

    • the third rail is just fucking skippy as long as you dont try the other two customarily used rails with it.

  13. Considering I don’t trust any politician, including DJT, any farther than I could through my 2200LB draft horses, I do consider Trump slightly more in favor of support of our Constitutional rights than I do any Dementiacrat.
    DJT has and will favor whatever policy he thinks will get him elected and whatever he thinks he can get away with in congress.
    And never forget that neither Biden nor Trump nor any other POTUS can actually write or pass legislation, but the congress critters and Senators have that task. So be aware of and careful about who or what you vote for in those races as well. Same thing in voting for state offices.
    As for any of these long time elected officials, if they haven’t accomplished anything after their second term in office, they need to be voted out and replaced with someone else who will actually get something accomplished. How many long serving politicians have done nothing but vote along party lines or sit and collect a paycheck and kickbacks/bribes/graft but try to convince low information voters to re-elect them for doing nothing?

    • It did not need to be brought up.

      This might be a website centered around guns and the 2nd Amendment but that so-called debate was exactly what it needed to be. For both sides.

  15. You forgot the VEPR ban during Trump also.

    Regardless, it’s a binary choice, so I’m voting DJT for the third time.

  16. As a person in office , they take a oath to up hold the Constitution, so if you are against us keeping our guns then you are Anti-American and do not care about this Nation. Go after the Gangs that are using guns more and more, and stop letting them out of Jail and many time s you do not even put them in jail, Democrats call it bail reform, i call it destroying our laws.

  18. I thought he did better than I expected. I thought it was going to be a nuclear meltdown but as it was, it was just catastrophic. Yes he did terrible but I thought it would be much much worse.
    I think that hidden ear piece helped the senile old fart.

Comments are closed.