Watch: CNN host corners Texas GOP lawmaker for working tirelessly to protect embryos but not 10-year-old kids

A CNN host recently asked a Texas Republican lawmaker a compelling question as she challenged his stance on protecting children.

Following the mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, CNN's Alisyn Camerota wondered why Texas Republicans do not have the same tenacity to protect living children as they've had to pass legislation to protect embryos. On Wednesday, May 26, Camerota spoke with Rep. James White (R-Texas) where she asked about Republicans' plans for a viable solution to prevent such tragedies from happening again.

“And the reason I ask is because we’ve all seen how quickly and creatively Texas ― your local legislature ― can act when it wants to, say, protect the unborn embryo,” she said, according to HuffPost.

“Why not act with that alacrity to protect living, breathing 10-year-olds in this school behind me?” she continued. “Use that same blueprint that you used for your abortion law. Make there be waiting periods, make them have to come back to the scene more than once. Make them have to answer questions. Why can’t you protect living 10-year-olds?”

“Let me tell you why we have not taken that approach consistent with the legislation you brought up as it relates to innocent unborn life in the womb,” White replied. “Because we have this thing called the Constitution.”

“These young men for some reason have some very disturbed emotional state," White said, adding, “we need to look at our mental health system.”

However, CNN’s Victor Blackwell chimed in to correct White as he noted that there had been no report of mental illness regarding the Uvalde shooter and even quoted remarks from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R).

“There’s no evidence there’s a mental health issue here sir,” Blackwell said. “The governor has said there is no known connection to mental health illness.”

White, again, pivoted and argued that “'deranged' is a state of mental health.”

He added, “We always look at the firearms. But at the end of the day, we’re gonna look at the people who do these acts, we’re gonna convict them, and we’re gonna punish them."

Camerota quickly shot back to remind White that the shooter could not be held accountable as he was killed. “Sir, you can’t convict him,” Camerota. said. “He was killed. Along with 19 children in the school behind me.”

Watch the video above.