Beto O'Rourke stands pat on his past comments of taking away AK-47s and AR-15s
During a Democratic primary debate on ABC, O'Rourke made headlines with the following declaration: 'Hell yes, we're going to take your AR-15, your AK-47, and we're not going to allow it to be used against your fellow Americans anymore.'
Advertisement
Three days later, O'Rourke appeared on NBC News' 'Meet the Press,' where then-host Chuck Todd pointed out that there was 'a lot of hand-wringing' about the then-presidential contender's full-throated call for confiscating such rifles.
Appearing on the podcast 'Hasan Minhaj Doesn't Know' on Wednesday, O'Rourke was asked whether he regretted making the 'extremely unpopular' statement.
'No,' he told Minhaj. 'We talked a little bit about this earlier, but you know, 23 people in my community had just been killed because it is perfectly legal in this country to buy an AK-47.'
4 Beto O'Rourke make the comments on Hasan Minhaj's 'Hasan Minhaj Doesn't Know' podcast.
Hasan Minhaj Doesn't Know / YouTube
Advertisement
4 Law enforcement agents ready their weapons during the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022.
AP
The former Texas representative argued that AK-47s were 'designed and engineered for use on a battlefield,' and that such weapons use 'high-impact, high-velocity rounds' that are far more deadly than other ammunition.
O'Rourke also made the case for implementing red flag laws for firearms, claiming that they could have prevented the tragic mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, in 2019.
'That shooter, when the gun came in, his mom called the cops in Allen, Texas, and said, 'Hey, I don't know what's going on. I don't think my son's okay. He just bought an AK-47. Can you help me?'' he explained. 'And the cop said, 'Nothing we can do. Perfectly legal. You're on your own. Good luck and goodbye.''
Advertisement
4 Democrat Beto O'Rourke speaks alongside elected officials gathered for a rally ahead of a public hearing on the proposed congressional redistricting on Saturday, July 26, 2025 in Houston.
Houston Chronicle via Getty Images
4 Reggie Daniels pays his respects a memorial at Robb Elementary School, Thursday, June 9, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas, created to honor the victims killed in the recent school shooting.
AP
'You know, some people may think my saying that is crazy. I think what is even crazier is that after what happened in El Paso, it happened again in Midland-Odessa in Texas. After it happened in Midland-Odessa, it happened in Uvalde.'
Following the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, in 2022, O'Rourke gave a fiery speech about gun control after being escorted out of a news conference where he confronted Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, over the tragedy.
Advertisement
Minhaj asked O'Rourke whether his sentiment that day reflected the 'median voter in Texas,' or the 'median comment' in his social media comment section, because 'clearly, the people of Texas… don't want this change.'
The former Texas representative did not directly answer Minhaj's question, but noted that he has been working on finding 'common ground' with Republican voters in his state on the issue of gun control.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
19 minutes ago
- New York Post
Stop anti-Trump judges, it's still the economy, stupid and other commentary
From the right: Stop Anti-Trump Judges 'The judiciary's credibility will continue to suffer until elected lawmakers set reliable restraints to thwart Judge [James] Boasberg's next intrigue,' fume The Washington Times' editors. The DC Circuit judge months back took issue with ICE deporting illegal migrants determined to be Tren de Aragua members, and even 'ordered the government to 'turn the planes around' while they were over international waters.' Then, after the Supreme Court in April 'concluded this inferior magistrate had no right to weigh in at all,' he nonetheless 'said he would levy criminal penalties on the administration lawyers who purportedly disobeyed' him. Last week, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals rebuked him, slamming that threat as an abuse of discretion. But 'the judiciary rarely punishes its own wayward members'; it's up to Congress to do something about these out-of-control judges. Liberal: It's Still the Economy, Stupid New data from The Economist/YouGov finds that 'Americans remain deeply pessimistic about the U.S. economy,' warns the Liberal Patriot's John Halpin. We have 'more than 70 percent of Democrats and half of independents' foreseeing 'higher inflation in the next six months,' while 40% of Republicans 'expect inflation to be lower.' Bottom line: 'Like President Biden before him, President Trump and his administration have not yet shown or convinced most Americans (even many of their own partisan voters) that they have a grip on the overall economy and rising costs.' And: 'Until the green shoots on jobs and prices turn into firm growth, expect Americans to remain dour on the economy and willing to punish those in power, of either party.' Harvard prof: Teachers Must Fight AI Overuse His students have 'told me that after relying on AI to draft their papers and emails, their ability to write, speak and conduct basic inquiry is slipping away,' Alex Green reports at The Wall Street Journal. Profs who don't resist 'the rampant overuse of AI' bear the blame. 'Students must gain the ability to synthesize information. They must be able to listen, read, speak and write — so they can express strategic and tactical thinking.' That's what they're losing. 'The human possession of these skills will never become irrelevant if we value life, society and governance. For students to grow into professionals who have those skills, they must first develop them.' But what it'll take for teachers 'to defend that right . . . I do not know.' Foreign desk: The End Is Near for Maduro 'Nicolás Maduro, the dictator of Venezuela, is on the ropes,' cheers Arturo McFields at The Hill. The feds set an unprecedented '$50 million reward' for his capture, and the Pentagon is preparing options for the 'use of military force against drug cartels' with the Maduro-linked Cartel de los Soles already 'designated as a foreign terrorist organization.' Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Venezuela's narco-terrorist state is 'no longer a law enforcement issue' but 'a national security issue.' Good: 'After nearly 25 years of the Chavista regime, the situation in Venezuela is worsening every day. International collaboration is needed to end a tragedy that represents a clear and present danger to Latin America and the U.S.' Libertarian: How to Save Social Security Most Americans 'don't understand how' Social Security works, but happily 'the public gets that there is a problem, and some are open to changes,' notes Reason's J.D. Tuccille. Sadly, some 55% 'think Social Security is supposed to 'largely replace seniors' income after they retire,' '; in fact, it's meant 'to make sure seniors don't fall into poverty.' Most people would be better off diverting 'the money they currently surrender as payroll taxes to retirement savings plans like the 401(k),' and 'younger Americans may be open to the idea,' as they are more likely than Boomers to support cutting benefits over raising taxes. A Social Security program 'that's rightly recognized as a safety net is on its way to replacement by private planning.' — Compiled by The Post Editorial Board
San Francisco Chronicle
19 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
US Naval Academy gets first Marine superintendent
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Lt. Gen. Michael Borgschulte became the first Marine Corps officer to be superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy in its 180-year history on Friday. Borgschulte was deputy commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs in Quantico, Virginia, before being nominated to be the 66th superintendent of the military academy in Annapolis. Borgschulte, who graduated from the academy in 1991, said he would safeguard its proud traditions while preparing future generations of officers for the challenges of an increasingly complex world. 'The academy exists not to pursue academic rankings or institutional accolades — yes, we have those — but to fulfill a sacred mission, and that's to develop the next generation of Navy and Marine Corps officers who will protect and defend the freedoms we as Americans so often take for granted,' Borgschulte said during a ceremony marking the change in command. John Phelan, the secretary of the Navy, called Borgshulte 'a decorated naval aviator and a veteran of three combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan who's led sailors and marines at all levels.' 'He is someone who his fellow marines describe as a military hybrid of modern tactics and ancient attitudes,' Phelan continued, adding that he oversaw the highest recruitment and retention in Marine Corps history and will further cultivate 'a culture of winning and warfighting here at the academy.' 'Get ready, midshipmen. It's time to buckle your chinstraps,' Phelan said. Borgschulte replaces Vice Adm. Yvette Davids, who in January 2024 became the first woman to be superintendent. Davids is moving to the Pentagon to be deputy chief of naval operations for Operations, Plans, Strategy and Warfighting Development. Phelan said Davids fulfilled her role with distinction and she is the best person for the Pentagon post. 'Vice Adm. Davids' experience, operational record and strategic mind made her the natural fit for the job and will serve her and the Navy well in this future role,' Phelan said.
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Oklahoma starts giving tests to teachers from NY and Calif. to weed out ‘woke indoctrinators'
Educators from liberal states like New York and California who want to teach in Oklahoma will now have to take a test to prove they aren't 'woke indoctrinators' before they are allowed in Sooner State classrooms, the state's school chief said Friday. Ryan Walters, Oklahoma's superintendent for public instruction, told The Post that arriving teachers will need to pass a multiple-choice quiz that includes questions on the 'biological differences between males and females,' Christianity and American history. 'Here in Oklahoma, our academics are going to be grounded in fact,' the school leader declared. Advertisement Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters. AP 'We've seen states like New York and California go so radical with gender theory and Marxist indoctrination, they are warping the minds of young people … We need our teachers to agree to not be woke indoctrinators in the classroom.' The 50-question test was developed by conservative media company PragerU and newly minted Oklahomans need to pass it in order to obtain a teaching license, according to CNN. Advertisement One question asks applicants which chromosome pairs determine biological sex, according to a sample of questions obtained by The Post. Other questions ask what the first three words in the Constitution are and why freedom of religion is important to America's identity. Additional questions probe how many US senators there are, what the two parts of Congress are, and why some states have more US representatives than others. 'We're also going to be teaching the foundations of American history… So we can continue to be the greatest country in the world. We want our students to be patriots,' Walter told The Post. Advertisement 'You're not gonna lie to kids about the influences Christianity had on American history,' he added. 'We want you to teach history appropriately.' State Flag flies over Oklahoma State Capitol, Oklahoma City. Universal Images Group via Getty Images The Sooner State has seen an influx of about 500 new teachers from a signing bonus program that aimed to draw in the 'highest quality' educators — but Walters cautioned that any 'radical woke gender theory that goes against biology and science' won't be tolerated. 'We've begun to be concerned with what we're seeing from teachers moving from blue states,' he said. Advertisement Only new teachers from New York and California need to take the test so far, CNN reported, but newcomers from up to eight more states might also be assessed. Walter didn't know the number of new teachers who had moved from the two coastal states, but an aide told CNN it was a 'fairly large' number of applicants seeking teachers' licenses. Walters, a staunch conservative, hasn't been shy about his stances and policies that have been lambasted by critics on the left. He put in place mandates to teach students the Bible as a 'necessary historical document,' which got kudos from President Trump at the time.
