CNN host faces criticism after strange comment about armed rape survivor

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CNN anchor Chris Cuomo gives 2020 Dems a pep talk

As the field of Democratic candidates grows to 23, CNN anchor Chris Cuomo offered some advice on how they can defeat President Donald Trump in the 2020 election.

CNN host Chris Cuomo seemed to raise eyebrows on Twitter Wednesday when he tweeted an enigmatic comment about one of the National Rifle Association's (NRA) promotional videos.

The video showed Kimberly Corban, an armed mother who acquired firearms after her rape in college. "I'm a mother of two, and if that predator or anyone else tries to harm me or my family, they have to come through my firearm first," she said, before praising the NRA's efforts to protect gun rights.

When Cuomo tweeted the video, he posted a comment suggesting that Corban's story was unique to the United States. "Only in America," he tweeted.

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It's unclear what exactly Cuomo meant but he has criticized politicians for inaction after mass shootings. His tweet also seemed to echo gun control advocates who argued that because of lax gun control policies, only the United States experienced so many shootings.

On Twitter, Corban responded by asking if he wanted to talk about the tweet.

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Others derided the CNN host for making an apparent slight towards Corban.

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Others responded by agreeing with the literal meaning of Cuomo's tweet -- that only in America could women defend themselves so effectively with firearms.

Cuomo began responding to some of those criticizing his comment Wednesday evening, saying that detractors had his intentions wrong.

"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," he wrote to Meghan McCain.

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Back in February, Cuomo pushed universal background checks and took an apparent shot at Republicans. He was discussing a hearing on gun violence in which Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., brought up the southern border wall. “You guys have never done a damn thing until it became a tool of opportunity for you to talk about immigration,” Cuomo told Gaetz.

“These mass shootings keep happening and you do nothing except go on TV and say, ‘We’re not a law away,'" he said.