Florida Sen. Marco Rubio had some tough questions put to him Wednesday by survivors of the Stoneman Douglas school shooting, and Twitter was loving it.
The survivors of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, and their parents took part in a CNN town hall discussion about gun control with Rubio and Sen. Bill Nelson. Stoneman Douglas students had some tough questions for Rubio, a Republican who has taken campaign contributions from the National Rifle Association, in particular.
Twitter users watching the town hall were particularly enthused by one question from Stoneman Douglas Junior Cameron Kasky, who asked Rubio to pledge he wouldn’t take any more money from the NRA. Rubio refused to make the promise.
On Twitter, plenty of viewers dragged Rubio for what many saw as a refusal to stand up to the NRA. They also praised the Stoneman Douglas survivors and their parents for standing up for their beliefs even in the face of the tragedy they’d faced.
https://twitter.com/B52Malmet/status/966507068772573185
AMBER ALERT issued for Marco Rubio's spine. #CNNTownHall #StudentsStandUp
— Marie Connor (@thistallawkgirl) February 22, 2018
Cameron: Will you stop taking money from the NRA?
Marco Rubio:#CNNTownHall pic.twitter.com/tTYIz0Bxyo
— Natalie Grace Alford (@NatalieGABand) February 22, 2018
It is so rare to see a televised event with politicians where there is a real sense that the audience has power, that the questioners have power. And they are making that heard loudly.
— Lois Beckett (@loisbeckett) February 22, 2018
Rubio says: "you would literally have to ban every semi-automatic rifle" as if it were a bad thing….
Instead, crowd goes wild. Oops. pic.twitter.com/cWi6uzK0gW
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) February 22, 2018
Never watched a CNN townhall where I have jumped up and down in my living room screaming "drag him" .
— HawaiiDelilah™ 🥥🌴🌊 (@HawaiiDelilah) February 22, 2018
https://twitter.com/rmayemsinger/status/966508317844500480
most american chyron ever #CNNTownHall pic.twitter.com/RIgYvgGvvg
— . (@swordsjew) February 22, 2018
https://twitter.com/paolamendoza/status/966498619766509568
These kids are KILLING IT. They are taking no prisoners and showing no mercy. They have more balls than some of our politicians ever will. I am so, SO proud of the work they are doing. Keep it up, guys! #GunSenseNow #CNNTownHall
— Mel (@mels_1213) February 22, 2018
https://twitter.com/MollyMcCloskey/status/966513213113323520
These kids at the #CNNTownHall are asking tougher questions than any journalist has in 30 years.
CHANGE IS HERE.— ☘Penny☘ (@Pennyzwyz) February 22, 2018
The NRA won't be giving Marco Rubio an A+ rating tomorrow. #CNNTownHall #NRA #ThoughtsAndPrayersDoNothing #ParklandStudentsSpeak
— Equitable Reset 🗽🇺🇸🇲🇽🇵🇸🇺🇦🕊 (@MarioNevarez) February 22, 2018
Also present at the town hall meeting was NRA spokesperson Dana Loesch, who was present to defend the NRA’s position on gun rights, gun control and the Second Amendment. Survivors and their parents had tough questions for Loesch as well, and members of the audience shouted at her repeatedly, including yelling, “You’re a murderer!”
https://twitter.com/alex__hooper/status/966516870902960128