I don’t know what it is about Chris Cuomo. He seems to blunder into these self-inflicted problems on a regular basis, though they don’t ever seem to matter to anyone at CNN. What happened today is just the latest example. The NRA published a one-minute video featuring a woman named Kim Corban who describes being overpowered in her college door room and raped. As a result of that experience, she is now very much pro-gun. The clip ends with her saying, “I’m a mother of two, and if a predator or anyone else tries to harm me or my family, they have to come through my firearm first.”

"I'm a mother of two, and if a predator or anyone else tries to harm me or my family, they have to come through my firearm first." —Kim Corban #WednesdayWisdom pic.twitter.com/c2tWBeOi18 — NRATV (@NRATV) May 29, 2019

Given Corban’s experience, her reasons for wanting a gun seem pretty self-explanatory. But along comes Chris Cuomo who drops in with this seemingly unsympathetic comment: “Only in America.”

Only in America https://t.co/rPfsxGU8Gh — Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) May 29, 2019

If you’re scratching your head, so was I when I saw this earlier. What exactly does he mean? Does he think she’s out of line in some way? And if so, how? What is the argument that finds this rape survivor an example of American gun culture gone wrong? Really, I’d love to hear it. But of course, Cuomo didn’t explain. He just let it sit there for a few hours.

My guess is that he saw the quote and the fact this was coming from the NRA and thought this was an example of militant pro-gun language or something. I’d bet he didn’t watch the clip and didn’t know this woman had been raped when he made the comment. If you look at the response, you’ll see lots of people tried to point this out, probably also assuming he’d missed it.

She's a rape survivor. — David Martosko (@dmartosko) May 29, 2019

You should probably take a moment and google who Kim Corban is, Chaplinksy. — Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) May 29, 2019

A rape survivor who is empowered to protect herself and her family? Yes, sadly, only in America. — Lyndsey Fifield (@lyndseyfifield) May 29, 2019

You might want explain this tweet a little better to those of us who’ve actually had to face predators in our own homes and defend ourselves without a big strong man like yourself? — Janice Dean (@JaniceDean) May 29, 2019

Kim Corban is a rape survivor who is now choosing to tell her story & arm and protect herself. I think a real question is why so many men in the media always treat conservative women like our values, life experiences and perspective is some kind of joke. Like we are valued less. https://t.co/ky9QImMOeI — Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) May 29, 2019

But of course, Cuomo didn’t want to admit that he hadn’t watched the clip before commenting and therefore didn’t get the real point of the quote. Instead, he tried to change the subject:

1/2 You are right. No offense intended. Too short on twitter. “Only in America” are we still debating the legitimate right to protect oneself like you and many others vs sensible way to keep guns from wrong people. Only here can we not address the issues around school shootings https://t.co/74s8RxcHgo — Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) May 29, 2019

What does any of that have to do with the statement/video from Kim Corban? How was anyone reading “Only in America” supposed to intuit he was talking about school shootings? This sounds like complete nonsense to me. He did work in an apology for confusing everyone without really admitting that his comment made no sense:

I am sorry for confusion. I take the issue and the stories of violence seriously. Muscles don’t stop bullets, as you know. Again, I have always been clear about the right to own and what needs to be improved. Apologize if you were misled. https://t.co/74s8RxcHgo — Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) May 29, 2019

Read what I tweeted. You have my intentions wrong. A survivor story and the right to bear arms is not where we are stuck…We can’t get past this deadlock on all or none to make reasonable changes to help reduce deadly violence. Happy to talk if you have more questions https://t.co/y0VIsW4VYC — Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) May 29, 2019

Again, what in the hell does “Only in America” mean about this woman’s video? And then, Cuomo offered a lecture on knee-jerk partisanship. He’s upset that people won’t accept his revised statement from hours later in place of the original one that still makes no sense:

You know I didn’t mean that. I am a gun owner. Thus I see a legit right to bear and that is clear in law. Why pretend I am some heartless hater? I expanded what I said and there is no reason to twist it here. I know that’s what Twitter is but it solves nothing https://t.co/px17cI5Qvr — Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) May 29, 2019

No one knows what you meant, Chris! No one. Just admit you didn’t watch the clip.

Of course I apologized for this negative attention that was not intended. You asked a question and I answered. That’s what should happen. This place and sadly this issue brings out the worst in too many. No need. Not helpful. https://t.co/4igqSG8dTL — Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) May 29, 2019

Yeah, it’s crazy how some partisans will see a tweet they don’t understand and just make a random comment. Twitter would be better if people didn’t do that. Thanks for the object lesson.