Sanders Takes A Swipe At O'Mally On Gun Control: Baltimore Isn't Very Safe

[RandySF]

en. Bernie Sanders checked after Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley touted his record gun control in the state, reminding the governor that Baltimore is hardly “one of the safest cities in America.”

O’Malley was responding to a question about his record on gun control during Saturday’s Democratic presidential debate, saying he passed comprehensive gun safety legislation that included provisions mandating background checks and a ban on assault weapons.

“We got it done in my state by leading with principle, and that’s what we need to do as a country,” the Maryland governor finished.

Sanders cut in to check O’Malley’s framing on the reforms, saying: “With all due respect, I think it’s fair to say Baltimore is not now one of the safest cities in America.”


http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/bernie-sanders-martin-omalley-baltimore

[Kalidurga]

1. That was mean

I admit it. We need broad sweeping cultural reforms. A single person can't accomplish that. No matter how much legislation they pass to limit the damage of guns.

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. Perhaps mean, but certainly accurate

O'Malley record as governor is fair gain.

[Kalidurga]

9. I think anyone's record is fair game.

That was still kinda mean though.

[nc4bo]

2. Jobs back to the inner cities. Jobs not guns!

[dsc]

3. It was disgusting

and right out of the NRA playbook. It is the biggest reason I have a problem with Sanders, his gun record is admittedly not all the NRA wants but his rhetoric is just about all the NRA wants.

[RandySF]

4. Exactly

[AtomicKitten]

22. Yet O'M accepted $40,000 from the NRA in 2012.

https://theintercept.com/2015/10/13/martin-omalley-accepted-campaign-cash-from-the-nra/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/omalley-nra-donation_561e9db8e4b050c6c4a3dfec

https://politicalwire.com/2015/10/15/omalley-took-campaign-cash-from-nra-too/

[DemocratSinceBirth]

6. If MOM and SBS want to duke it out DSB will hold their coats.

EOM

[Freddie Stubbs]

13. Let them fight each other while Hillary waltzes to the nomination

[NurseJackie]

7. He's got to peel-away votes from any place he can.

But even if he gets ALL of O'Malley's votes and ALL of the "undecided" votes, I think it's not going to be enough to win the nomination.

[JaneyVee]

8. Is Bernie saying Baltimore needs more guns?

[dsc]

10. yeah pretty much

just like the NRA does.

[Freddie Stubbs]

11. He's saying that O'Malley's policies haven't helped to improve Baltimore

[workinclasszero]

17. Wow

The NRA loves that, no doubt.

Music to their ears. SMH

[bigwillq]

12. Nothing but the truth from Bernie Sanders (nt)

[NCTraveler]

14. Here is what Sanders, Obama, and many others don't get.

Baltimore doesn't stand a chance when people from overwhelmingly white communities decide guns aren't their problem. It is one of the most selfish and irresponsible positions anyone today can take. Sanders made it clear, the problem with guns are in inner cities, not his rural state. What he doesn't get is that when these places determine the problem isn't theirs, yet their guns make it into inner cities, they are actually promoting the violence. Truly low on Sanders part here.

[elleng]

21. Right you are!

[bigtree]

15. Sanders reverting to the gun lobby's propaganda

...again.

This is a familiar argument he's making to Marylanders. It's standard conservative fare in my state to point to crime in Baltimore as proof that one of the most strict gun safety bills in the nation enacted under Gov. O'Malley hasn't made a difference.

But, it's sophistry for gun safety legislation opponents (as Sanders has been in the past) to point to state difficulties achieving results when there's a virtual sieve of guns flowing into these states which have enacted reforms from neighboring states which haven't. That's why O'Malley and others have been fighting for national legislation and a uniform policy of gun control.

As for O'Malley's tenure and crime record as Mayor of Baltimore (which ended over a decade ago)...

Fact Check:

One of O'Malley's favorite stump speech lines is about the drop in crime rates in Baltimore when he was the city's mayor. Frequently in speeches, interviews and even his Reddit Ask Me Anything Q&A, he touts that for a 10-year period after he became mayor, the city achieved the "biggest reduction" in crimes (which he sometimes specifies as Part 1 crimes) in any major city in America.

O'Malley served as mayor of Baltimore from 1999 through 2006, and was Maryland governor from 2007 to 2015.

O'Malley is referring to 1999-2009 data from the FBI, which tracks crimes reported to law enforcement agencies. Part 1 crimes are serious crimes that are likely to be reported to police, and are divided into violent and property crimes. These crimes include criminal homicide, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, arson and motor vehicle theft.

At The Fact Checker, we often are critical of politicians bragging about successes during their term — such as job gains and drops in crime — that can result from numerous factors out of their control. But O'Malley uses a specific measurement of FBI data, and his claim about Part 1 crime rates from 1999-2009 check out. It is to his credit that he references this wonky measurement most of the time in his statements, when most politicians would be tempted to drop that caveat.

FBI data confirm his calculation. The overall crime rate (the number of crimes per 100,000 people) fell by 48 percent during that decade, more than any other large police agency in the country. Specifically for violent crimes, the Baltimore City Police Department saw the third highest drop (behind Los Angeles and New York City) during the period.

[workinclasszero]

18. So is Bernie advocating..

MOAR GUNZ??

[elleng]

19. Sure is

sophistry for gun safety legislation opponents (as Sanders has been in the past) to point to state difficulties achieving results when there's a virtual sieve of guns flowing into these states which have enacted reforms from neighboring states which haven't. That's why O'Malley and others have been fighting for national legislation and a uniform policy of gun control!

[Darb]

16. Bernie sounds like a Gumper.

What gives? It is easy to support rural gun owners without using douchebagger NRA dishonest talking points.

Come on, Bern.

[elleng]

20. That's why O'Malley and others have been fighting for national legislation

and a uniform policy of gun control, GOT IT???

[Vattel]

23. Wow, what a bunch of bullshit responses.

Bernie is not advocating for more guns. That is obvious. Those up thread suggesting that he is are sliming him.

[Cali_Democrat]

24. Why is Bernie using NRA talking points? nt