Fox News Hosts Predictably Attack President Obama For “Politicizing” Oregon Shooting

Shortly after news hit Thursday that another mass shooting had occurred on an American school campus, the 142nd such event since Sandy Hook in December 2012, President Obama delivered an impassioned plea calling on Congress to finally pass “common-sense gun laws.” The President, visibly angry, stated that this was the 15th time he had addressed the nation after a horrific shooting, and it wouldn’t be the last. He also said that he was going to politicize the tragedy to push for more gun control and “our thoughts and prayers aren’t enough.”

Well, you could already guess how that went over with conservative pundits and right-wing news hosts. Beginning Thursday evening and stretching out all day Friday, pretty much every Fox News program featured at least one segment in which the host criticized Obama and whined about him “politicizing” the tragic shooting at Umpqua Community College. As one would expect, the complaints ranged from the President pushing his left-wing agenda to him not focusing on the ‘real’ issues, like mental health, unemployment, fatherless homes and inner-city gun violence.

In what anchor Jon Scott described as a “fair and balanced debate” on Friday’s broadcast of Happening Now, Lynn Sweet and Judith Miller — yes, THAT Judith Miller — were brought on to discuss the President’s remarks. Beginning the discussion by labeling POTUS “the complainer in chief,” Scott stated that Obama is to blame for the Republican-led Congress not passing gun control laws and also said that he should focus more on other issues.

“But, Lynn, you know, when you listened to his 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.”

Below is video of the segment, courtesy of Media Matters:

Later on in the day, The Five’s Eric Bolling pissed and moaned about Obama accurately stating that more Americans have died via gun violence than terrorism. Bolling claimed that terrorism is far more of a threat to Americans than mass shootings — that isn’t what the President said but oh well — and then brought up Baltimore and Chicago, which I guess is the conservative go-to pivot as right-wingers believe that shuts liberals up or something.

“Does politicizing mean lie about it? Because that’s exactly what President Obama did right there. He just said “We need to compare terror, versus gun violence.” That’s not what this is about. This is — You want to do a comparison, President Obama, do terror against mass shootings. If you do the number of people killed in terror attacks, we know 3,000 happened in one day. And a mass shooting is what, five to seven, ballpark or so? And it happens what, every couple of weeks or so? There’s no question the terror outweighs the mass shooting. So, it’s unfair to say all gun violence. I mean, you want to point at gun violence, that’s — you can you compare gun violence to mass shootings, and say the gun violence includes cities like Chicago. Or cities like Baltimore where there are elevated number of murders and deaths at the other end of a gun, versus other cities. And find out what the reason that is the case.”

Below is video of the segment, courtesy of Media Matters:

Of course, you knew professional Obama-hater Sean Hannity would have to get in the mix, and he did not disappoint. During an interview with wannabe Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, the blockheaded Border Patrol Agent cosplayer said that Obama’s remarks reached a new low for his administration.

“America is in mourning after yesterday’s tragic shooting at a community college in Oregon. Now, tonight much is still unknown about the deranged gunman who murdered nine people in cold blood. However, according to multiple accounts, the shooter targeted his victims because of their Christian faith. Now, unfortunately, in the moments following the shooting, after knowing few details about yesterday’s tragedy, the president decided to turn political and lecture America once again about gun control.

…

Without knowing a thing, he rushes to politicize and is proud of it. Here with reaction, 2016 Republican presidential candidate, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is with us. Governor, I would argue in a presidency with many rhetorical low points — you know, social Darwinism, Republican want dirty air and water — or vice president Biden, “they’re going to put you all back in chains,” throwing granny over the cliff. All of those things, this is a new low, even for this president to me. Without knowing a thing, without knowing the names of the victims even at the time.”

Below is video of the segment, courtesy of Fox News:

Obviously, these weren’t the only examples of Fox News full-on assault on the President for having the temerity to push gun control after yet another mass shooting in our country. And you can bet that the bitching will continue for a while, especially if Obama presses forward with getting something, anything, passed.