Martha MacCallum Praises McConaughey Briefing, Signals Support for Gun Waiting Periods and Higher Age Limit

Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum lauded actor Matthew McConaughey after he delivered remarks about guns at Tuesday’s White House press briefing.

McConaughey was born in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 children and two teachers were shot to death two weeks ago by a gunman who bought the weapons when he turned 18 a week before. Less than two weeks prior to the shooting, another 18-year-old gunman killed 10 Black people in a racist rampage in Buffalo, New York. Both used AR-15-style rifles.

McConaughey told reporters,

We need to restore our family values, we need to restore our American values, and we need responsible gun ownership. Responsible gun ownership. We need background checks. We need to raise the minimum age to purchase an AR-15 rifle to 21. We need a waiting period for those rifles, we need red flag laws and consequences for those who abuse them. These are reasonable practical, tactical regulations to our nation, states, communities, schools and homes. Responsible gun owners are fed up with the Second Amendment being abused and hijacked by some deranged individuals.

MacCallum reacted to those remarks by calling them “very strong words.”

“I think he touched a nerve,” she said. “I hope we still live in a world where touching a nerve can actually move something, can move the needle just five months from an election.”

Bill Hemmer noted the ongoing bipartisan talks on guns in the Senate.

“The indication earlier today and last night was that, ‘We need more time,'” he said. “Maybe they get something done here. But it is far from certain even at this point, Martha, what can be done to get lawmakers to come together to pass something to have 60 votes in the senate and then get approval in the House.”

MacCallum suggested that some of the proposals McConaughey advanced are worth implementing:

The 21 issue, I think is a huge one. I mean, when I look back at the ages of all of these shooters, I think there’s maybe one or two exceptions, but 90% of them – I think it’s safe to say – are under the age of 21.

You talk about a waiting period. A waiting period is something that Americans seem to agree on in this country. Nobody is talking about taking away the rights of gun owners, just making it a little bit older, like we do for drinking and other things in this country. And making that waiting period… from 18 to 21. That’s a cooling off period that might have changed the trajectory in the children’s lives that you covered, because I remember when you came back from Sandy Hook, Bill. And it was a very, very, very rough time.

Hemmer later added, “I don’t know in the end if it will move the lawmakers in Washington, but it was a smart move today to bring him in.”

“It was,” she replied.

Watch above via Fox News.