Meghan McCain pressed Democratic New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker five times to talk about gun buybacks, and every time he dodged the question and changed the subject.
Booker appeared Wednesday on ABC’s “The View” to discuss his presidential campaign, and McCain jumped right in on the New Jersey Senator’s gun control ideas.
WATCH:
McCain began by comparing Booker’s support of gun buybacks to similar plans proposed by another Democratic 2020 hopeful, former Texas Congressman Beto O’Rourke. (RELATED: ‘Running For MSNBC Host’: Meghan McCain Blasts Beto O’Rourke’s Debate Performance)
“You do support mandatory gun buybacks,” McCain said.
“When I heard you and Beto saying that, to me, that’s like a left wing fever dream, and I want to know how you think you’re going to go to red states and go to my brother’s house and get his AR-15s because he’s not giving it back.”
“I’m not where Beto is,” Booker protested.
“Good. Because he’s crazy,” McCain shot back. (RELATED: ‘Excuse Me, I’m Not Finished’: Meghan McCain Draws Straight Line From Democrats’ New Witness To Tulsi Gabbard)
Booker quickly turned the conversation to civility and tone, suggesting that everyone should just be nicer to each other.
“He has no problem doing it to me. He was very nasty to me about this,” McCain replied.
Booker continued, “You and I both know that just because somebody does something to us, doesn’t mean you —”
“I’m not running for president, with all due respect, and the way he talks about me inciting violence on this, I take very seriously,” McCain shot back, referencing O’Rourke’s claims that she was inciting violence when she suggested Americans wouldn’t just roll over and give their guns back.
“You’re a voice I respect and admire,” Booker said, adding, “This is an important issue. What we say about other people says more about us than it does about them.”
“What about the buybacks?” McCain tried again.
Booker quickly segued to a story about a campaign stop in Iowa.
“I was running to get on a stage in Iowa, and this big guy sees me, and he goes, I want you to punch Donald Trump in the face. I don’t hesitate. I go, ‘dude, that’s a felony.'”
“With all due respect, buybacks,” McCain said for the third time.
“It’s directly related to gun buybacks. These are not —” Booker tried to make the connection.
“Just tell me semantically, how you’re going to get my brother’s gun back,” McCain repeated.
Booker explained that machine gun bans had been effective and mentioned the success of buyback programs in Australia and New Zealand.
“So you’re going to go to my brother’s house?” McCain asked again.
“Buyback is you volunteer,” Joy Behar cut in.
“My brother won’t do it,” McCain repeated.
Booker went back to talking about the reasons he felt that gun control was necessary, ignoring the question and pressing instead the need for more comprehensive background checks.
McCain called Booker out one last time for not really answering the question, saying, “There’s a big difference saying you’re for background checks and mandatory gun buybacks, and it sounds one way in this room, and I’m telling you how it sounds in Arizona.”