Tennessee Democrat Rep. Steve Cohen blamed opposition to gun control on voters’ affinities for “guns and the Bible” on Wednesday in an MSNBC appearance.

“I got the vitriol from on the Twitter from all these people who opposed that cartoon,” said Cohen, who tweeted a cartoon that appeared to blame the National Rifle Association for the Navy Yard shooting spree on Tuesday. ”They are hardcore Republicans. This I think means more to them than — I think their guns are right there next to their Bibles. I’m not sure which they find more important to them.”

Cohen’s remarks bear a strong resemblance to comments made by President Barack Obama in 2008 at a California fundraiser, where he explained that economic downturns pushed “bitter” Pennsylvania voters to “cling to guns or religion” — a point co-host David Corn quickly made.