MSNBC ceased running its progressive "Lean Forward" ads last year as it shifted toward a more hard news approach in its daytime hours, but the network appeared to return to its left-leaning roots Thursday.
A new spot airing Thursday on MSNBC showed a June 14 clip of reporter Craig Melvin interviewing Rev. Dr. Betty Deas Clark of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church about pushes for gun control and to close "the terror loophole." A young white supremacist named Dylann Roof killed nine African-Americans at the Emanuel AME church last year, apparently with the hope of sparking a race war.
The spot opened with a black card stating, "This."
"50 people mowed down by one man," Melvin said, referring to the Orlando nightclub massacre. "Do you think it changes this time?"
"Well, I have to hope," Clark said. "I ask strongly that lawmakers would close the terror loophole, that this might be the last time we have an interview such as this."
"We'll leave it there, Reverend Clark," Melvin said. "Thank you so much as always for your time, and thanks for all that you’re doing down in Charleston."
With heart-rending piano music playing in the background, Clark asked for and got a hug from Melvin.
The ad concludes: "MSNBC. This is who we are."
MSNBC previously embraced its progressive mantle fully, running ads featuring its personalities pushing for various liberal measures and outright cheerleading for the Democratic Party. As its ratings crumbled, the network reverted to a more traditional format, but the network has been fairly blunt in its support for gun control legislation.