‘This is a joke’: CNN’s Chris Cuomo blasts lawmakers for backing down on gun safety

During Monday's "New Day" opener on CNN, political commentator David Gregory called attempts by Congress to stop school shootings "a highway to nowhere." CNN host Chris Cuomo went a bit further, saying the only way Republicans would do anything is out of "consequence," not out of "conscience."

"Everybody who follows this issue and understands politics knows we were going up here, David," Cuomo began. "Politicians on this issue don't do it out of conscience, they do it out of consequence."

He argued that the teen survivors of Parkland, Florida, are "compelling," and that's what is different.

"We are not used to seeing a group of victims who can act intelligently and make arguments like they did," he continued. "It is true then, it is true today. Nothing will change unless (politicians) get punished for fighting change. And those who push for change get rewarded for pushing change. They are not even going to cover all sales. This is a joke."

He went on to say that it's now up to Democrats to keep the ball rolling toward regulations on weapons, but that is an uphill battle without the votes.

"But we know how that goes, David. we don't have the votes," he said. "We can parade the kids out. They will be on this morning, upset, making their case. This was never about putting it on their shoulders. It is always about leadership in Washington. They are falling short. Where am I wrong?"

Gregory agreed, saying the gun lobby will always be there.

"They will be fighting their fight, working in the grassroots because this is an issue of liberty," Gregory said of the National Rifle Association. "They make it about liberty, government overreach and touch all the buttons that their voters are sympathetic to."

"In fact, they are going to win and get more guns," Cuomo predicted. "They are going to win and get more guns. Because they are going to put guns in places we don't have them now. Schools are gun-free zones. There will be more guns, not less, after this."

Gregory argued that it doesn't matter what President Donald Trump says in meetings, there's no leadership and he won't be able to ever claim credit for anything.

"'Sometimes you have to fight the NRA,' (Trump) said," Cuomo quoted. "'If that you are against you, they're against you.'"

Gregory called it nothing but theater.

"All that matters is how much pressure will he put on Republican leaders in an election year to follow through on any of these matters, including federal money for gun training and schools for raising the age and so forth," Gregory continued. "What kind of pressure is he going to put on Congress for any of that?"

Watch the discussion below: