Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) repeated a gun control talking point repeatedly as CNN anchor Don Lemon sought what Democrats are “not getting” about crime.

During Friday’s This Morning on CNN, co-host Lemon pressed the New York governor several times on the issue of crime, noting that it has been a big issue in polling and that her opponent Lee Zeldin has been able to make it a close race in large part by campaigning on the issue.

In response to Lemon’s questioning, Hochul brought up gun control several times as a panacea, and as a stick to imply it’s Republicans who aren’t “getting” the issue.

Lemon continued to cite statistics and challenged Hochul on criticism Zeldin’s lack of specifics.

Here’s how the Friday exchange went down:

LEMON: I did not miss the fact that you said you took the subway over and that you’re campaigning at a subway stop and that is where we have been seeing a lot of crime, right, on the news. If you look at the issue of crime has been really front and center for voters. Here in New York City people think that crime is number one. Twenty-eight percent, this according to a Quinnipiac Poll, inflation is 20 percent.

The crime rate overall [is] down but there are issues when it comes to violent crimes, there are issues when it comes to murder. They’re down in some places in the city, up in many places in the city and in the state as well. What are Democrats not getting about crime? Why are Republicans winning on this whole crime issue? That has been the thing that has fueled [your GOP opponent] Lee Zeldin’s campaign.

HOCHUL: Because they’re being dishonest about it. They’re not having a conversation about real solutions. What we have done is taken 8,000 illegal guns off the streets. We made sure that no 18-year-old can get their hands on an AR-15. We’ve made sure that our red flag laws are tough and there are background checks whereas Lee Zeldin has opposed every part of that, even voting against the first significant gun safety legislation in three decades in Washington. He didn’t even show up to help support our police officers with funding for them in Washington. So they can say all they want but the facts are on the other side. We’ve done a lot to get guns off the street —

LEMON: But in the state, violent crime — violent crime is up 7.8 percent in the state. I mean, it is down, you know, a point from 2020 and 2021. But it is up 7.8 percent. That is concerning and especially if you look in New York City and we look at the news and we see this randomly what is happening in our subways and on our streets, people are really nervous about it. And I know you’re saying they’re being disingenuous about it. But that is a real, real factor, governor. You can’t deny that.

HOCHUL: No, I’m not denying that. I’m just saying the way the Republicans’ ad campaign is. And if they’re going to say they’re tough on crime but soft on guns, that doesn’t add up and I want the voters to know that. But we have leaned hard into working with [New York City] Mayor [Eric] Adams on getting more cops and cameras and care for people who are severely mentally ill who have been on the subway.

So I was not talking about this in an election environment. We did this back in January and have a sustained approach to bringing state resources to help local law enforcement. Which is something I’m proud…that hasn’t happened before. The governor and mayor of New York never cooperated the way we are now. It’s going to take some time.

And I know the voters understand this but nationwide crime has been a problem. Our numbers are better in New York City. Violent crime is up but we look at murders and shootings and they’re down about 3 percent, but that’s not going to give anyone any comfort. It says “we still have a problem, I understand that. But let’s talk about real answers and not just give everybody all these platitudes.”

Watch above via CNN.

The post Hochul Repeats Gun Control Talking Point Over and Over as Don Lemon Confronts Her on Crime first appeared on Mediaite.

from Mediaite https://ift.tt/w83VoUr