She sat next to the president resembling in that moment, depending on the political persuasion of the observer, either a child before Christmas or a gargoyle.
With clasped hands, shoulders hunched in excitement, and a smile about as wide as her face, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., literally rocked back and forth when President Trump suggested adding her assault weapons ban to a gun control package. The glee was as unmistakable as it was uncontainable.
Feinstein’s reaction when Trump says she should add assault weapons ban to Manchin-Toomey pic.twitter.com/7dlKxwa1KO
— Ryan Struyk (@ryanstruyk) February 28, 2018
Why shouldn’t she smile? A Republican president just gave her the best chance at comprehensive gun control — something that hasn’t happened in two decades and didn’t even happen under Obama.
During a policy roundtable that more resembled an episode of “The Apprentice,” the president wadded up conservative Second Amendment orthodoxy and started spitballing. Trump took shots at the National Rifle Association, due process, and the rule of law. Shell-shocked Republicans like Sen. John Cornyn of Texas could only describe the performance as “surreal.”
My colleagues had different reactions. Siraj Hashmi said not to worry because the president doesn’t really mean what he says. Emily Jashinsky described the episode as “the politics of practicality.” Neither thinks that Washington will come for your guns.
Both are correct. While Trump revels in non-ideological pragmatism, the GOP establishment hasn’t grown accustomed to that luxury. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., are in the business of keeping majorities, meaning they are fully aware of the power and influence of the NRA.
Asked whether Republicans would back an arbitrary proposal to increase age requirements for buying so-called assault weapons, Republican Conference Chairman Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., spoke for the conference. “There aren’t the votes for that,” Thune told The Hill. And there aren’t votes for the assault weapon ban and the rest of Trump’s spitballs.
Feinstein can smile and hope, but her fever dreams won’t come true. Trump might say one thing, but the Congress will do another.
In short, the swamp will save the Second Amendment.
