>>> WELCOME BACK TO "MORNING JOE."
JOE." MORE THAN 200 MAYORS HAVE SIGNED
A LETTER CALLING ON THE SENATE
TO RETURN FROM THE SUMMER BREAK
TO PASS THE BACKGROUND CHECK
BILLS APPROVED IN THE U.S. HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES.
OF REPRESENTATIVES. ALSO WITH US, MY FRIEND, THE
PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ACTION
NETWORK, REVEREND AL SHARPTON.
MAYOR LIGHTFOOT, I ASKED YOU,
YOU KNOW, IT’S KIND OF AMAZING
TO ME, THERE WAS A CONFERENCE
CALL THE OTHER DAY AMONG HOUSE
DEMOCRATS WHERE THERE WAS SOME
KIND OF A SPLIT BETWEEN THEM
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY
SHOULD DO.
SHOULD DO. SHOULD THEY COME BACK INTO
SESSION, SHOULD THEY TRY TO
PRESSURE THE SENATE TO COME BACK
INTO SESSION?
INTO SESSION? THE IDEA THE DEMOCRATS AREN’T
UNIFIED ON THIS FRONT STRIKES ME
AS AMAZING.
AS AMAZING. >> ALL WE NEED TO SAY IS GILROY,
EL PASO, DAYTON,
CHARLOTTESVILLE, EVERY MAJOR
TOWN ACROSS THE UNITED STATES IS
AFFECTED BY GUN VIOLENCE.
IT’S TIME FOR THE SENATE TO COME
BACK IN AND DO ITS JOB.
GIVE US A CLEAN BILL, NO POISON
PILLS, GET THE ONDONE.
>> DO YOU THINK MAYOR LIGHTFOOT,
IT WAS RAISED ON THIS SHOW
EARLIER TODAY THAT, YOU KNOW,
THE BACKGROUND CHECK BILL,
ALTHOUGH IT WOULD BE A FIRST
STEP, THERE ARE AN AWFUL LOT OF
THESE SHOOTINGS THAT WOULD NOT
BE STOPPED BY THAT IF IT WERE IN
THE LAW AND, IN FACT, WE NEED TO
GO MUCH FURTHER, AT LEAST AS FAR
AS TO THE ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN IF
WE’RE GOING TO MAKE A REAL DENT
IN THE PROBLEM.
>> GIVEN THE INACTION, LET’S
TAKE THE FIRST STEP.
THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A
PATCHWORK OF STATE LAWS THAT
HAVE BACKGROUND CHECKS, SOME DO,
SOME DON’T, WE HAVE TO HAVE A
UNIFORM SYSTEM.
UNIFORM SYSTEM. LET’S START WITH UNIVERSAL
BACKGROUND CHECKS.
BACKGROUND CHECKS. >> I’VE DISCOVERED THIS IS A
REAL COMPLEX PROBLEM IN TERMS OF
DEALING WITH THE GUN VIOLENCE
THAT YOU NOW ARE IN CHARGE OF
THE CITY.
THE CITY. AND YOU COMBINE THAT WITH THE
POLICE BRUTALITY CASE, A CASE
YOU CHALLENGE YOUR PREDECESSOR
ON.
ON. AND I THINK AMONG ANY MAYOR, YOU
HAVE THE BALANCE OF DEALING WITH
THE BROKEN COMMUNITY POLICE
RELATIONS AND DEALING WITH THE
GUN PROBLEM.
GUN PROBLEM. IS THAT PART OF WHY YOU TOOK ON
IVANKA TRUMP KIND OF MISCASTING
WHAT HAPPENED IN CHICAGO LAST
WEEKEND IN COMPARISON TO EL PASO
AND DAYTON, OHIO?
>> FIRST OF ALL, IF YOU REALLY
WANT TO HELP, PICK UP THE PHONE
AND CALL ME.
ASK ME WHAT YOU CAN DO FROM THE
PLATFORM THAT YOU HAVE TO REALLY
BENEFIT CITY THAT’S ARE IN NEED.
THAT’S THE NUMBER ONE THING.
DON’T GOVERN BY TWEET AND DON’T
GET THE FACTS WRONG.
THAT’S WHY I REALLY TOOK ISSUE
WITH WHAT SHE DID.
WE HAVE ESTABLISHED A LINE OF
COMMUNICATION.
COMMUNICATION. HER STAFF IS IN CONTACT WITH US
ON A REGULAR BASIS.
IF YOU REALLY WANT TO MAKE A
DIFFERENCE, YOU DON’T DO IT VIA
TWEET, VIA FACEBOOK, YOU GET
DOWN AND YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THE
FACTS ARE AND THEN YOU OFFER A
PATH FORWARD.
PATH FORWARD. >> MAYOR LIGHTFOOT, SENATE
MINORITY LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER
SAID HE DOESN’T WANT TO TAKE UP
THE BILL THAT HAS RED FLAG LAWS
ON IT.
ON IT. RED FLAG IS CURRENTLY IN 17
STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
IS THAT PLAYING POLITICS?
>> I THINK IF WE HAVE THIS
MOMENT WHERE THE REPUBLICANS ARE
SAYING THEY’RE WILLING TO
ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD, WHERE
MITCH McCONNELL ISN’T BEING A
COMPLETE OBSTRUCTIONIST, WE HAVE
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT
MOMENT.
MOMENT. AND I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR
SENATOR SCHUMER, BUT NOW IS THE
TIME TO GET SOMETHING DONE.
WHAT WE ALL NEED TO ASK
OURSELVES IS HOW MANY MORE
PEOPLE HAVE TO DIED BEFORE THE
CONGRESS PUTS ASIDE PARTISAN
BICKERING, THEIR OWN DESIRE TO
PERPETUATE POWER, HOW DO WE
EXPLAIN THAT TO THE YOUNG
CHILDREN, THE YOUNG MOTHERS AND
GRANDMOTHERS THAT ARE AFFECTED
EVERY DAY BY GUN VIOLENCE.
>> HOW MANY PEOPLE NEED TO DIE
UNTIL SOMETHING IS DONE.
YOU HAD LEADER McCONNELL ON THE
RADIO YESTERDAY SAYING I WANT
BIPARTISANING LEGISLATION IN
PLACE TO KNOW SOMETHING IS
ACTUALLY GOING TO GET PASSED.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO EVEN HAVE
BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION IN PLACE
THAT COULD GET PASSED ON
SOMETHING AS CONTROVERSIAL AS
GUN REFORM?
GUN REFORM? >> OF COURSE IT IS.
THE HOUSE HAS PASSED LEGISLATION
THAT I THINK A NUMBER OF
SENATORS WOULD PASS AND SEND TO
THIS PRESIDENT.
THIS PRESIDENT. SO, YEAH, OF COURSE IT’S
POSSIBLE.
POSSIBLE. BUT THE POLITICIANS IN
WASHINGTON HAVE TO PILT ASIDE
THEIR POLITICS TO GET SOMETHING
DONE.
DONE. WE NEED THE UNITED STATES
CONGRESS TO STEP UP AND DO ITS
JOB.
JOB. >> HEY THERE, MAYOR.
THIS IS CAREEN JOHN PIERRE.
I WANT TO LEAN ACTION BIT MORE
ON MITCH McCONNELL.
YOU SAID HE WAS AN
OBSTRUCTIONIST.
OBSTRUCTIONIST. IF YOU WERE IN FRONT OF MITCH
McCONNELL RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE
HE’S REALLY HOLDING THIS UP.
AS YOU KNOW, HE CAN BRING BACK
THE SENATE, YOU KNOW, AND THE
RECESS, BRING THEM BACK, HAVE
THIS VOTE.
THIS VOTE. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO HIM SO
THAT HE CAN LISTEN TO YOU AND
HIS CONSTITUENTS AND NOT THE
NRA?
NRA? >> I WOULD TELL HIM TO THINK
ABOUT THE CHILDREN WHO ARE
SUFFERING AND GIVER ME SOME TOOL
TO EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT THE
PARTISAN SHIP AND THE
OBSTRUCTION SHOULD TAKE
PRECEDENCE OVER THEIR LIVES.
HE NEEDS TO STRAP IT ON, GET IN
THE GAME, BRING THE SENATE BACK
AND LET’S GET SOMETHING DONE.
>> MAYOR LIGHTFOOT, I WANT TO
ASK YOU THIS, JUST TO WIDEN THIS
CONVERSATION A LITTLE BIT AND
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
PRESIDENT TRUMP.
PRESIDENT TRUMP. YOU KNOW, WE’VE GONE RAPIDLY IN
THE COURSE OF ON THIS WEEK, IT
SEEMS TO ME, FROM DEMOCRATS
SAYING -- LAYING A LOT OF THE
BLAME ON WHAT HAPPENED IN EL
PASO AND IN DAYTON AT DONALD
TRUMP’S DOORSTEP TO SAYING,
FIRST, THAT HE IS A FRIEND OF
WHITE NATIONALISTS TO SAYING HE
IS, IN FACT, A WHITE
NATIONALIST.
NATIONALIST. THEN FROM SAYING HE IS A FRIEND
OF WHEAT SPRIEMISTS TO NOW
SAYING HE IS A WHEAT
SUPREMACIST.
SUPREMACIST. WE’VE HAD SIX DEMOCRATIC
CANDIDATES WHO HAVE NOW COME OUT
AND SAID DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES, IS A WHITE
SUPREMACIST.
SUPREMACIST. SO I WANT TO ASK YOU WHETHER YOU
AGREE WITH THAT AND IF YOU AGREE
WITH IT, WHAT IS TO BE DONE WITH
IT FOR COMMUNITIES BY AND FOR
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, BIG CITIES
LIKE YOURS IN WHICH
AFRICAN-AMERICANS ARE SUCH AN
IMPORTANT PART?
IMPORTANT PART? >> WELL, THIS CONTINUING OBJECT
SUGGESTION WITH WHAT DONALD
TRUMP IS, WHAT HE SAYS, WHAT HE
DOES, AS A MAYOR OF A BIG CITY
WITH A LOT OF CHALLENGES, IT
DOESN’T GET THE JOB DONE FOR MY
RESIDENTS.
RESIDENTS. I HAVE TO FOCUS ON THE NEEDS OF
MY PEOPLE.
MY PEOPLE. THE FOLKS WHO ARE WORKING CLASS
WHO GET UP EVERY SINGLE DAY AND
ARE STILL WORRIED ABOUT WHETHER
OR NOT THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE A
PAYCHECK TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE
OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR
CHILDREN.
CHILDREN. THE NICETIES OF THE DEBATE,
THAT’S A LUXURY THAT PEOPLE IN
CITIES LIKE CHICAGO CAN’T
AFFORD.
AFFORD. WE WANT TO WORRY ABOUT GOOD
SCHOOLS, A SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD,
MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT MATTER
FRONT AND CENTER.
AND I’VE SAID THIS TO EVERY
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE WHO HAS
COME KNOCKING ON MY DOOR.
TALK TO THE PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES
ARE IN THE BALANCE EVERY SINGLE
DAY.
DAY. IF YOU DO THAT, YOU’RE GOING TO
HAVE A WINNING FORMULA.
BUT IF YOU CONSTANTLY CHASE
AFTER EVERY SINGLE TWEET, EVERY
SINGLE THING THAT HE DOES ON
SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU’RE MISSING THE
POINT.
POINT. >> THE MAYOR I THINK DID NOT
ANSWER MY DIRECT QUESTION AND
I’M NOT BEING CRITICAL OF HER.
I THINK WHAT SHE’S SAYING IS
LABELS DON’T MATTER.
I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN PART OF
THIS DEBATE FOR A LONG TIME AND
YOU JUST NOW OFF CAMERA --
NO, I --
NO, I -- >> YOU’RE MARVELING OVER THE
SPEED BY WHICH THIS DEBATE HAS
MOVED ON THE SUBJECT OF DONALD
TRUMP THE AND RACE.
WE ARE NOW IN A PLACE WHERE IT’S
BECOMING MAINSTREAM FOR
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES WHO CALL
HIM A WHITE SUPREMACIST.
WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT THAT?
>> WELL, I THINK THE SPEEDS IS
WHAT ALARMING.
WHAT ALARMING. NOT THE FACT THAT --
>> ALARMING?
>> ALARMING? >> LARMING IN THE SENSE THAT TWO
MONTHS AGO, IT WAS CONTROVERSIAL
THAT I RAISED REPARATIONS AT MY
CONVENTION TO DEMOCRATIC
PRESIDENTS.
PRESIDENTS. NOW THEY’RE CALLING HIM A WHITE
SUPREMACIST.
SUPREMACIST. IF I HAD SAID THAT A YEAR AGO,
THEY WOULD HAVE SAID THERE’S
SHARPTON AGAIN.
SHARPTON AGAIN. I DON’T THINK IT’S INACCURATE.
BUT I UNDERSTAND THE MAYOR.
THERE ARE THOSE THAT HAVE TO
FUNCTION AND GET THINGS DONE AND
WHATEVER NAME CALLING IS DONE,
SHE SHOULD NOT ENGAGE IN IT.
I THINK WHAT WE REALLY HAVE TO
DEAL WITH HERE, THOUGH, AND I’D
LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS TO THE
MAYOR, IS THAT WHEN WE DEAL WITH
BANNING OF AUTOMATIC WEAPONS,
THIS IS, IN MY JUDGMENT, A PRO
POLICE MOVE.
POLICE MOVE. LET’S NOT FORGET, POLICE ARE
RUNNING INTO ACTIVE SHOOTING
SPACES, RISKING THEIR LIVES.
PEOPLE THAT DEBATE ME ON WHEN I
CALL ON JUSTICE FOR POLICE THAT
HAVE STEPPED OVER THE LINE, THIS
IS THE 5th ANNIVERSARY TODAY OF
MICHAEL BROWN BEING KILLED IN
FERGUSON.
FERGUSON. YOU’VE DEALT WITH LAKWON
McDONALD.
McDONALD. PEOPLE LIABLE US WRONGLY AS
ANTI-POLICE.
ANTI-POLICE. BUT THE MOST PRO POLICE AMONG US
ARE THE ONES SAYING BAN THESE
WEAPONS BECAUSE IT IS THE POLICE
YOU ARE SENDING INTO THESE
SITUATIONS THAT ARE RISKING
THEIR VERY LIVES.
POLICE ARE AMONG THE MANY
BENEFICIARIES OF BANNING ASSAULT
WEAPONS IN YOUR CITY AND AROUND
THE COUNTRY, MADAM MAYOR.
>> YOU’RE 100% RIGHT.
THAT’S WHY POLICE UNIONS ALL
ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE
CHAMPIONED THE CAUSE OF BANNING
ASSAULT WEAPONS.
ASSAULT WEAPONS. JUST ONE WEEK AGO IN CHICAGO,
INVESTIGATING A SHOOTER, OUR
POLICE OFFICERS STOPPED THE CAR,
TOOK THESE UNBELIEVABLE ASSAULT
WEAPONS WITH A 200 BARREL LOADER
AS WELL AS ARMOR PIERCING
BULLETS OFF OF TWO PEOPLE WHO
WANTED TO DO HARM.
THE ONLY REASON YOU HAVE ARMOR
PIERCING BULLETS IS YOU’RE GOING
AFTER POLICE OFFICERS.
RIGHT NOW, I THINK YOU’VE GOT IT
100% RIGHT.
100% RIGHT. WE NEED TO BAN ASSAULT WEAPONS.
>> MAYOR, CHICAGO HAD A TOUGH
WEEKEND.
WEEKEND. THE COUNTRY HAD A TOUGH WEEKEND.
>> SOMEBODY COMING FROM THE
OUTSIDE WHO DOESN’T UNDERSTAND
THE NUANCE AND TEXTURE OF OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD IS GOING TO BE OF
LIMITED OR NO HELP OR WORSE,
GOING TO MAKE CONDITIONS WORSE.
WE ARE WORKING ON BUILDING
RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN
RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN COMMUNITIES AND THE POLICE THAT
THEY SERVE.
THEY SERVE. WE HAVE A PLAN AND A STRATEGY
THAT IS MAKING PROGRESS.
WHAT WE NEED IS FEDERAL LAWS
THAT DO UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND
CHECKS SO WE CAN STOP GUNS FROM
FLOATING OVER THE BORDER FROM
INDIANA, WISCONSIN AND MICHIGAN.
THAT’S WHERE THE PRESIDENT COULD
HAVE IMPACT.
HAVE IMPACT. >> MAYOR OF CHICAGO, LORI
LIGHTFOOT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
BEING ON AND GIVING US YOUR
WISDOM.
WISDOM. REALLY, REALLY HELPFUL.
IT HAS A WEEK OF TOUGH STORIES
SO WE CAN ALL PROBABLY USE