ELSE. THE O’ROURKE CAMPAIGN SAID IT
HAD REFERRED THE THREAT TO THE
FBI.
FBI. AND JOINING ME NOW IS BETO
O’ROURKE, DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE
FOR PRESIDENT.
FOR PRESIDENT. AND CONGRESSMAN, THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, JOY.
GRATEFUL.
GRATEFUL. >> THANK YOU.
LET’S START WITH THAT THREAT.
CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON
WHAT WAS THE RESPONSE FROM THE
FBI OR HAS YOUR CAMPAIGN GOTTEN
A RESPONSE BACK TO THAT
THREATENING TWEET THAT WAS
DIRECTSED AT
DIRECTSED AT DIRECTED AT YOU?
>> IF WE HAVE, I HAVEN’T HEARD
OF IT YET.
I THINK THIS IS PRETTY ROUTINE
MATTER.
MATTER. IF WE’RE EVER THREATENED BY
ANYONE, WE TURN THAT OVER TO LAW
ENFORCEMENT AS I THINK THE
CAMPAIGN DID YESTERDAY EVENING.
BUT I THINK THAT HE MAKES OUR
CASE FOR US, THAT NO ONE SHOULD
HAVE A WEAPON DESIGNED FOR WAR
THAT’S USED TO KILL PEOPLE AS
EFFECTIVELY, AS EFFICIENTLY AND
AS GREAT A NUMBER AS POSSIBLE
BECAUSE IT CAN BE USED AS HE
TRIED TO DO LAST NIGHT AS A TOOL
OF INTIMIDATION, TO TRY TO
CHANGE OUR POLITICS BASED ON
VIOLENCE OR THREATENED VIOLENCE.
SO WITH MORE THAN 10 MILLION OF
THESE AR-15s OR AK-47s OUT
WAL-MART, 22 DEAD.
SEVEN DEAD IN ODESSA, MIDLAND,
MANY MORE KILLED IN COMMUNITIES
ALL ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, IT’S
TIME TO NOT ONLY STOP SELLING
THEM, BUT BRING THEM BACK HOME
OUT OF OUR STREETS, OUT OF OUR
COMMUNITIES, OUT OF OUR LIVES.
THAT MAKES US SAFER.
>> I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT
MECHANICALLY HOW THAT CAN BE
DONE.
DONE. DEYOU EXPLAIN ESSENTIALLY SAYING
THREATENING PEOPLE AND SAYING
COME AND GET MY GUNS, MAKING
IMPLIED THREATS OF USING THE
GUNS TO HURT PEOPLE OR KILL
PEOPLE AS A TACTIC?
>> YEAH, I WOULD NOT WANT TO
LEAVE YOUR VIEWERS WITH THE
IMPRESSION THAT THAT IS A
SENTIMENT WIDELY SHARED IN
TEXAS.
TEXAS. IN FACT, I’VE SPENT A LOT OF
TIME IN REPRESENTATIVE KING’S
DISTRICT, MET HIS CONSTITUENTS,
AND WHAT HE SAID LAST NIGHT, THE
WAY HE’S ACTED, HIS USE OF
FRARMS TO TRY TO INTIMIDATE
PEOPLE THAT’S NOT REFLECTIVE OF
GUN OWNERS, NONDEMOCRATS AND
DEMOCRATS WE ARE PROUD OF GUN
OWNERSHIP BUT RESPONSIBLE GUN
OWNERSHIP THAT WOULD NEVER
ENTAIL THREATENING SOMEBODY WITH
THAT FIREARM.
THAT FIREARM. AND SO USING GUNS TO HUNT OR FOR
SELF-DEFENSE MAKES A LOT OF
SENSE TO US HERE IN TEXAS.
BUT HAVING A WEAPON OF WAR AND
EVEN FROM THOSE TEXANS WHO OWN
AR 15s, THEY’VE TOLD ME THIS
THEMSELVES, DON’T NEED THIS.
IT WAS FUN TO USE.
I LIKE TAKING IT OUT TO THE
RANGE, BUT IF GIVING THIS BACK
OR CUTTING IT TO PIECES OR
SELLING IT TO THE GOVERNMENT
HELPS TO KEEP US SAFER, THEN BY
ALL MEANS LET’S DO IT BECAUSE
THEY’LL TELL ME I HAVE KIDS IN
SCHOOL AS WELL.
AND THEY ASK ME WHETHER IT’S A
MATTER OF WHEN OR IF A KILLER IS
GOING TO COME INTO THEIR SCHOOL
AND TAKE THE LIVES OF THEIR
FELLOW STUDENTS OR TAKE THEIR
KIDS LIFE.
KIDS LIFE. SO, LOOK, WE’RE EITHER GOING TO
LET THE NRA SET THE TERMS OF
THIS DEBATE.
THIS DEBATE. WE’RE GOING TO EITHER ALLOW
BRISTOL CAIN TO SET THE TERMS OF
THIS DEBATE OR LET THE PEOPLE
INCLUDING MARCH FOR OUR LIVES
WHICH IS COMING UP WITH PROPOSAL
TO BRING PEACE TO THIS COUNTRY
AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE
40,000 GUN DEATHS WE SEE EVERY
SINGLE YEAR.
SINGLE YEAR. THAT’S WHO I’M LISTENING TO AS
WELL AS PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THIS
COUNTRY WHO WANT TO SEE US
ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT GUN
VIOLENCE.
VIOLENCE. >> SO I’VE BEEN IN A WORMHOLE
PREPARING TO INTERVIEW YOU TODAY
ABOUT PREVIOUS SUCCESSFUL
EFFORTS IN THIS COUNTRY TO BAN
FIREARMS.
FIREARMS. YOU KNOW THAT YOU CANNOT HAVE A
TOMMY GUN ANYMORE OR A MACHINE
GUN ANYMORE BECAUSE THAT WAS
SUCCESSFULLY OUTLAWED THAT
ACTUALLY USED A TAX ON THOSE
WEAPONS THAT DIDN’T EVEN TOUCH
THE SECOND AMENDMENT ISSUES.
SO THE IDEA OF TAXING THEM, AND
THEN IF YOU HAVE ONE THAT YOU
DID WANT PAY THE TAXES FOR,
THAT’S A WAY TO DO IT.
HOW MECHANICALLY, HOW ACTUALLY
WOULD YOU IMPLEMENT THE POLICY
THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO SEE
HAPPEN?
HAPPEN? >> I’M PROPOSING A MANDATORY BUY
BACK.
BACK. SO EVERYONE WHO OWNS A WEAPON OF
WAR WOULD SELL THAT BACK TO THE
GOVERNMENT, AND WE WOULD
ESTABLISH A FAIR MARKET PRICE TO
COMPENSATE THOSE GUN OWNERS FOR
THE GUNS THAT THEY WOULD BE
SELLING TO THE GOVERNMENT.
THEY WOULD NO LONGER BE IN THEIR
HOMES, NO LONGER END UP IN OUR
STREETS.
STREETS. SO THAT IS THE PREFERRED COURSE,
BUT I ALSO FULLY INTEND UPON
LISTENING TO EVERYONE, GUN
OWNERS AND NONGUN OWNERS ALIKE
ON THIS ISSUE.
IF THERE’S A BETTER WAY TO GET
THEM OFF THE STREETS OR ENSURE
THEY’RE NEVER USED AGAINST US,
I’M ALL EARS.
BUT AFTER LISTENING TO PEOPLE
INCLUDING OWNERS OF AR-15s, THIS
MAKES THE MOST SENSE TO ME.
NOW, IT WILL OBVIOUSLY REQUIRE
US TO WORK WITH CONGRESS AND THE
CONSTITUENCIES OF THOSE MEMBERS
OF CONGRESS WHO I’VE BEEN GOING
OUT AND TALKING TO AND LISTENING
TO AND WHO ARE THERE, AND YOU
MENTIONED THAT PUBLIC POLLING IS
ALREADY BEGINNING TO REFLECT A
SEISMIC SHIFT ON THIS ISSUE IN
AMERICA.
AMERICA. IT JUST NEEDS TO BE REFLECTED IN
OUR REPRESENTATION IN CONGRESS.
IT NEEDS TO BE REFLECTED IN THE
PERSON WHO’SINATE WHITE HOUSE.
SO I KNOW WE CAN LEAD THAT
EFFORT.
EFFORT. I KNOW AMERICA IS READY, AND I
KNOW WE HAVE SO MUCH LEADERSHIP
OUT THERE WITH MOMS DEMAND AND
MARCH FOR OUR LIVES AND OTHERS
WHO ARE MAKING SURE THIS COUNTRY
IS READY FOOFINALLYTO FINALLY MO
ISSUE AFTER DECADES OF INACTION.
>> I’M GLAD YOU MADE THE BRISTOL
CAINS ARE A MINORITY IN THE
WORLD BUT THEY ARE THERE, PEOPLE
THERE ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR NOT WHO
WOULD SAY COME AND GET THEM,
THAT ATTITUDE.
THAT ATTITUDE. IF YOU HAD A MANDATORY BUY BACK
POLICY HOW WOULD LAW ENFORCEMENT
BE PROTECTED FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE
ESSENTIALLY ADMITTING THAT THE
THEY THEY WOULD PROTECT THEIR
ABILITY TO OWN THESE WEAPONS IS
TO USE THEM?
>> YOU KNOW, MY FAITH, MY
CONFIDENCE IS IN THE PEOPLE OF
THIS COUNTRY.
THIS COUNTRY. AND GOING TO A GUN SHOW IN
CONWAY, ARKANSAS, AND LISTENING
TO THE OWNERS OF AR-15s AND THE
VENDORS OF AR 15s, MANY OF WHOM
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE DID NOT AGREE
WITH MY PROPOSAL BUT EACH OF
WHOM WAS WILLING TO HAVE THE
CONVERSATION, SOME OF WHOM SAID,
LOOK, I HAVE AN AR-15, DON’T
NEED IT, WOULD GLADLY SELL IT
BACK OR DESTROY IT.
ALL OF THEM SEEM LIKE THEY WOULD
FOLLOW THE LAW.
WE ARE A NATION OF LAWS.
IT’S PART OF WHAT DEFINES US AND
DISTINGUISHES US FROM THE REST
OF THE WORLD.
SO I BELIEVE THAT AMERICA WILL
COMPLY WITH THE LAW, AND I
BELIEVE THAT THERE WILL BE A DUE
PROCESS IN DEVISING A LAW IN A
FIRST PLACE WHERE WE LISTEN TO
STAKEHOLDERS ALL CONCERNED AND
AFFECTED BUT DO NOT ALLOW THE
DELAYS THAT WE’VE SEEN THAT HAVE
LESTED DECADES TO STOP US FROM
FINALLY ACTING ON THIS.
SO I DON’T WANT TO GIVE IN TO
THE HYPE OR SOME OF THE SCARE
TACTICS THAT HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED
TO STOP US FROM EVEN CONSIDERING
THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
MUCH LIKE WE DON’T GO
DOOR-TO-DOOR TO ENFORCE ANY LAW
IN THE UNITED STATES.
IN FACT, I DON’T THINK WE DO
THAT FOR ANY LAW IN THE UNITED
STATES.
STATES. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE WOULD
DO.
DO. OTHERS HAVE SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS
IS SOMETHING WE WOULD FEAR IF
THERE WERE A MANDATORY BUY BACK
PROGRAM.
PROGRAM. NO, WE EXPECT PEOPLE TO FOLLOW
THE LAW AND THAT’S CERTAINLY
WHAT I BELIEVE WOULD HAPPEN.
>> SPEAKING OF FEAR I WANT TO
TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE MEMBERS
OF YOUR OWN PARTY WHO ARE
UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE FACT YOU
REALLY HAVE CHANGED THE
CONVERSATION ON GUN REFORM IN A
VERY BLUNT WAY.
I WANT TO PLAY YOU SENATOR CHRIS
COONS WHO WAS ON EARLIER ON CNN
TODAY TALKING ABOUT YOUR
PROPOSAL.
PROPOSAL. TAKE A LISTEN.
>> ARE YOU SUPPORTIVE OF A
MANDATORY BUY-BACK PROGRAM FOR
ALL OF THOSE WEAPONS, ALL OF
THOSE ASSAULT RIFLES ON
AMERICA’S STREETS RIGHT NOW?
>> I AM NOT.
AND I, FRANKLY, THINK THAT THAT
CLIP WILL BE PLAYED FOR YEARS AT
SECOND AMENDMENT RALLIES WITH
ORGANIZATIONS THAT TRY TO SCARE
PEOPLE BY SAYING DEMOCRATS ARE
COMING FOR YOUR GUNS.
>> YOU WORRIED ABOUT THAT?
>> NO.
>> NO. AND CHRIS SHOULDN’T BE WORRIED
ABOUT IT EITHER.
AND LOOK, FIRST OF ALL, I WISH
HIM ALL THE LUCK IN THE WORLD IN
BEING ABLE TO PASS MANDATORY
UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS IN
THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
AND I KNOW THEY’VE BEEN WORKING
ON IT EVER SINCE AT LEAST 2013
AFTER SANDY HOOK TO NO AVAIL
THUS FAR.
THUS FAR. BUT IF HE BEGINESS BYS BY ALLOWI
NRA TO SET THE TERMS OF THE
DEBATE THEN WE MAY HAVE LOST
THIS EVEN BEFORE WE’VE BEGUN.
LET’S INSTEAD OF BEING WORRIED
ABOUT INNRA OR THE RESPONSE TO
THIS VERY SOUND POLICY PROPOSAL,
LET’S INSTEAD BE WORRIED ABOUT
THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE KIDS
BEING SHOT BY RA-15s AND AK-47s
IN THIS COUNTRY.
KIDS AFRAID OF GOING TO SCHOOL
AFTER THIS WEEKEND ON MONDAY NOT
KNOWING IF THEY THEMSELVES WILL
FACE A GUN.
PEOPLE FEAR GOING INTO WAL-MART
BECAUSE THEY FEAR THEY HAVE HAVE
A TARGET ON THEIR BACK BECAUSE
SOMEONE WAS ABLE TO LEGALLY
PURCHASE AN AK-47 AND DRIVE THAT
GUN 600 MILES AND OPEN FIRE ON
PEOPLE INNOCENTLY SHOPPING ON
THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL IN EL
PASO, TEXAS.
PASO, TEXAS. BEFORE THEN ONE OF THE SAFEST
CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA.
AMERICA. THAT’S WHAT WE SHOULD BE AFRAID
OF IN RESPONDING TO RIGHT NOW.
AND THOSE PEOPLE, THE FAMILY
MEMBERS WHO HAVE LOST SOMEONE
VERY DEAR TO THEM, THEY ARE THE
ONES WHO COMCOMPEL ME.
IT IS THEIR JUDGMENT THAT I
FEAR.
FEAR. NOT THE NRA, NOT INPOLLING OFTHE
THIS.
THIS. THAT’S WHAT I’M TRYING TO DO AS