Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA15) has already been talking about a potential 2020 presidential bid. Swalwell will be 40 on inauguration day 2020. Should he win the democratic nomination and eventually the Presidency, he would become the youngest person ever to be elected to the office. The current record holder is JFK who took the oath at the age of 43. Theodore Roosevelt became President at the age of 42, but he was not elected at that point. He assumed office after President McKinley was assassinated.
In preparation for a potential White House bid, Swalwell has been outlining his policy positions. Most recently, he published an op-ed in USA Today outlining his views on gun control.
The lede reads...
"Ban assault weapons and buy them back. It might cost $15 billion, but we can afford it. Consider it an investment in our most important right, the right to live."
Of course, the article immediately made the rounds in conservative circles, and InfoWars blogger Joe Biggs had this to say in response...
So basically @RepSwalwell wants a war. Because that’s what you would get. You’re outta your fucking mind if you thi… https://t.co/C77n9UKTrW— Joe Biggs (@Joe Biggs)1542399064.0
And Swalwell responded...
@Rambobiggs And it would be a short war my friend. The government has nukes. Too many of them. But they’re legit. I… https://t.co/j4bfKAvuLV— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@Rep. Eric Swalwell)1542399722.0
To which Biggs said...
@RepSwalwell So our government would nuke its own country in order to take guns? Wow— Joe Biggs (@Joe Biggs)1542400051.0
But Swalwell quickly pointed out that he was referring to the erroneous anti-gun control position that says they're needed to fight back if the government becomes tyrannical.
Don’t be so dramatic. No one is nuking anyone or threatening that. I’m telling you this is not the 18th Century. Th… https://t.co/GKu9C318W4— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@Rep. Eric Swalwell)1542402178.0
Swalwell's point is that open and unrestricted gun sales won't help anyone fight the government if it becomes tyrannical because the government's military resources far outpace guns. In effect, that argument in favor of lax gun restrictions should be thrown right out the window.
But still, former Republican congressman Joe Walsh couldn't resist jumping in the fray.
"If you don't turn over your guns, we'll nuke you" is definitely a reasonable argument to make. https://t.co/4YFDxi1CPf— Joe Walsh (@Joe Walsh)1542405183.0
To which Swalwell was quick to respond...
@WalshFreedom Joe, it’s sarcasm. He said he’s going to war with America if gun legislation was passed. I told him h… https://t.co/FLOZUYfGzL— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@Rep. Eric Swalwell)1542405255.0
Walsh pulled back slightly on the forcefulness, however still blasted Swalwell's proposed policy.
Eric, I get that your use of "nukes" was sarcasm, and, yep, twitter doesn't do nuance. But understand how many of… https://t.co/loiCTV8fsK— Joe Walsh (@Joe Walsh)1542406324.0
And despite the fact that Walsh acknowledged that Swalwell was being sarcastic, he still went on the air on his radio show and talked about the second amendment being the most important one. He went on to say that this is especially true after a 'sitting congressman sarcastically threatened to nuke fellow Americans over it.'
We think we can take a guess at one of the questions Rep. Swalwell will be asked in the Democratic primary debates.
H/T: Independent, Twitter