On Monday, a shooter entered a Boulder, Colorado grocery store and murdered 10 people, including a police officer. It was the seventh mass shooting in the United States in seven days.
The devastating shooting comes as the Senate considers a pair of gun law reform bills passed by the House of Representatives earlier this month.
Republican Senators are scrambling to argue against the bills, which would mandate background checks for all gun buyers and extend the period the FBI can perform these background checks.
Among those Senators is Republican John Kennedy of Louisiana, who recently sparked backlash for comparing mass shooters to drunk drivers.
Kennedy once again doubled down on that position, adding that the United States needs more "idiot control" and less gun control.
Watch below.
Senator Kennedy: We need more idiot control https://t.co/OuZ3nA1prH— Acyn (@Acyn) 1616540822.0
Kennedy said in a Fox News interview:
"You don't stop drunk drivers by getting rid of all sober drivers, which is what many of my Democrat friends wanna do with respect to the Second Amendment. In my judgment, we do not need more gun control, we need more idiot control."
In order to operate a car in the United States, one is required to obtain a drivers' license, which can only be secured with a written test and an in-person driving test. This license must be renewed every few years and can be revoked for reckless behavior. The car must also be registered and insured.
Republicans like Kennedy have opposed similar restrictions, such as universal background checks, on lethal weapons.
As for needing more "idiot control"—people actually agreed with him for all the wrong reasons.
How do we control Senator Kennedy, then? #RepublicansDontCare https://t.co/aPha308iwL— Tara Dublin Got the J&J Vax #GetVaccinated (@Tara Dublin Got the J&J Vax #GetVaccinated) 1616546003.0
Self-own of the week: https://t.co/mlgUkTIhtg— Roshan Rinaldi (@Roshan Rinaldi) 1616548039.0
I hope Senator Cornpone from my state is including himself? https://t.co/soUJlOfBcq https://t.co/gUffP6FQeb— UnCommon Vulgarian (@UnCommon Vulgarian) 1616564121.0
We do need more idiot control - in the United States Senate. https://t.co/MeZ98EJoc7— Tim Fullerton (@Tim Fullerton) 1616548999.0
Well—there’s a perfect argument for universal background checks & waiting periods if I’ve ever heard one,… https://t.co/SmsSptXOuA— Buffy Wicks (@Buffy Wicks) 1616549099.0
Sure do! Senator Kennedy is still in Congress, after all. https://t.co/ZipAaiXUnC— Angry Staffer (@Angry Staffer) 1616541168.0
And the cars analogy that he repeated in the Fox interview? It's not swaying people.
Oh my God...THIS MAN IS AN IDIOT The purpose of a car is transportation. The purpose of a gun is to kill. To driv… https://t.co/g269nfRliu— Randi Rhodes (@Randi Rhodes) 1616541549.0
He keeps running out this drunk driver argument. Cars are registered and insured. Drivers are tested and licens… https://t.co/B2vCRG4rU0— Jason P. (@Jason P.) 1616542297.0
Exhibit A: Sen. Kennedy arguing against gun control by comparing guns to cars, which owners must register, and whic… https://t.co/Jb443pzb7W— Brian Brian (@Brian Brian) 1616589783.0
Kennedy isn't expected to change his position any time soon.