“I want to like you,” said Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter was killed in a mass shooting at her high school last week. But he couldn’t. Not yet. Not after what he had heard.
“Your comments this week and those of our president have been pathetically weak,” Guttenberg continued, staring Rubio down as the crowd around him rose to applaud.
The Republican senator from Florida stood silent and expressionless as the weight of the moment washed over them both. For an instant, raw emotion was on display live on national television even as no words were spoken. An agonizing week crystallized in 20 long seconds.
“Look at me and tell me guns were the factor in the hunting of our kids in this school this week,” Guttenberg told him forcefully, gesturing with his left hand for emphasis. “And, look at me and tell me you accept it, and you will work with us to do something about guns.”
Rubio, who throughout his career has been a scripted and risk-averse politician, had thrust himself into a volatile and deeply personal discussion. Then, he took another unexpected step. He endorsed raising the age requirement for buying a rifle. Later, he said he was “reconsidering” his opposition to placing new limits on high-capacity magazines.
source: washingtonpost
