Maria Bartiromo took time out from adoring Donald Trump to hype a “high end” line of bulletproof back-to-school items this morning as a stylish solution to school shootings. She even had the poor taste to play the song “Bulletproof” as the segment opened.
“Back-to-school backpacks taking on all new meaning this morning,” Bartiromo said by way of introduction. She could have been reading from a PR release as she continued: “MC Armor is the company behind high-end bulletproof backpacks and clothing that are revamping the protective equipment market. It is anticipated to reach more than $5 billion in the next seven years. That would be the revenue in this business.”
With that, Bartiromo introduced Carolina Ballesteros Casas, of MC Armor. Then, while Bartiromo claimed to be horrified, she also helped Ballesteros Casas present her merchandise as trendy fashion:
BARTIROMO: You design these bulletproof backpacks specifically for the United States.
BALLESTEROS CASAS: Yes, exactly. We have different categories of lines of product. We have the gold collection, black collection, is fashion with ballistics, and we have the backpacks for kids.
Bartiromo oohed and ahhed as Ballesteros Casas explained how the backpack “stops the bullet,” as Bartiromo put it. “And also it can be worn as a shield,” Ballesteros Casas helpfully added.
BARTIROMO: Oh my goodness. It’s incredible that this has come to this though, that we need bulletproof clothing. Some of these things are quite fashion forward. Tell us about, for example something like this, which I feel it in here.
[…]
It’s heavier, but this looks like a very fashionable jacket.
[…]
Tell us about this.
BALLESTEROS CASAS: This is the black collection. We wear it with Miguel Caballero’s brand, we wear it - 13 presidents in Latin America, we have prime ministers wearing this. So it’s very lightweight. You can see it’s wearable. It’s fashionable, but wearable, but protection.
While she was at it, Bartiromo “asked” “What about business people? You also do this in suits, right?” Yes, the company does. Bartiromo held up a tank top apparently meant to be worn under a suit. “This is very wearable!” Bartiromo exclaimed enthusiastically. She did not enthuse over the affordability, however. The tank top/undershirt costs $1,500.
According to the lower-third banner, Ballesteros Casas’ company also makes bulletproof Bibles. But Bartiromo never went into that.
Watch Bartiromo’s tastelessness below, from Fox Business Network’s August 20, 2018 Mornings with Maria, via Media Matters.
Forgetting the stupidity of the entire concept, unmentioned by Carolina and Maria is the cost which adds new meaning to back to school specials. For example, they have a vest on sale on their web site just in time for the start of school. The price? $749! And, no, I’m not cheating by cherry-picking a costly item. Other Gold Collection vests are over $900! A Black Collection jacket is over $2,000!
The serious side of the business move – ignored by Maria – is the history of MC Armor. It’s a company headquartered in Columbia where drug violence is notorious. However, with violence down in Columbia where else to expand? Oh, naturally the United States where the NRA has turned the country into human hunting ground.
As Carolina told the Daily News: “There are more than 5,000 gun shows every year [in America] — they’re like flea markets — and you see young kids carrying rifles and people pushing shopping carts full of guns,”
Vomit! 🤑