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>> WE ARE GOING TO BE VERY
STRONG ON BACKGROUND CHECKS.
VERY STRONG BACKGROUND CHECKS,
VERY STRONG EMPHASIS ON THE
MENTAL HEALTH OF SOMEBODY, AND
WE ARE GOING TO DO PLENTY OF
OTHER THINGS.
WERE COMING IN FOR MOST OF THE
STATES, GOING TO HAVE A VERY
SERIOUS TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING
ON WITH SCHOOL SAFETY.
VERY IMPORTANT.
WE'RE GOING TO COVER EVERY
ASPECT OF IT.
THERE ARE MANY IDEAS I HAVE COME
UP MANY IDEAS OF OTHERS HAVE,
AND WERE GOING TO PICK OUT THE
STRONGEST IDEAS, THE MOST
IMPORTANT IDEAS, THE IDEAS THAT
ARE GOING TO WORK, AND WERE
GOING TO GET THEM DONE.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE TALK LIKE
IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST.
>> Bret: KUDOS TO
PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS
ADMINISTRATION FOR LETTING THE
CAMERAS IN AND CONTINUING THE
CONVERSATION.
AN INTERACTION WITH FAMILY
MEMBERS, STUDENTS WHO SURVIVED
THAT SHOOTING IN FLORIDA,
PREVIOUS SHOOTINGS, FAMILY
MEMBERS, PRINCIPALS OF SCHOOLS
DEALING WITH SCHOOL SECURITY,
AND THERE WAS A LOT OF EMOTION
IN THOSE COUPLE OF HOURS.
>> I LOST A BEST FRIEND WHO WAS
PRACTICALLY A BROTHER, AND I'M
HERE TO USE MY VOICE BECAUSE I
KNOW HE CAN'T.
>> IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
FIX IT.
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ONE SCHOOL
SHOOTING AND WE SHOULD HAVE
FIXED IT!
AND I'M PISSED BECAUSE MY
DAUGHTER I'M NOT GOING TO SEE
AGAIN!
SHE'S NOT HERE.
SHE IS NOT HERE.
>> Bret: AMAZING EMOTION.
AND NOW THE FIGHT FOR SOLUTIONS.
LET'S BRING IN OUR PANEL.
BYRON YORK, CHIEF POLITICAL
CORRESPONDENT OF THE
"WASHINGTON EXAMINER."
AMY WALTHER, AND JONATHAN SWANN,
NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER.
STRUCK BY JUST THE WHOLE EVENT
AND THE FACT THAT WE WERE
LISTENING IN ON THIS EXCHANGE,
IT'D COVER ALL SIDES, IT CLEARLY
WAS NOT ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER,
IT REMINDED ME OF THAT CABINET
MEETING WHERE YOU SAW THE OPEN
EXCHANGE OF LAWMAKERS, THIS TIME
THE ADDED EMOTIONAL FACTOR OF
PARENTS WHO HAD JUST LOST A
LOVED ONE THIS PAST WEEK.
>> IT DID, AND THE PRESIDENT DID
A GOOD THING BY LETTING THESE
PEOPLE TELL THEIR STORIES.
THERE WERE A VARIETY OF
SUGGESTIONS, AND A VARIETY OF
EXPERIENCES THAT PEOPLE HAD HAD
WITH VIOLENCE, AND I THINK THE
PRESIDENT CLEARLY WANTS TO BE
SEEN AS GETTING AHEAD OF THIS
ISSUE, ACTUALLY CONSIDERING
TAKING SOME ACTION ON THIS.
THAT'S WHY HE DID THIS TODAY,
THAT'S WHY HE DID THE THING
YESTERDAY.
I'M NOT SURE HE ACTUALLY HAS THE
AUTHORITY TO DO IT, BUT HE DID
IT ANYWAY.
AND WHAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN AS
WHAT EXACTLY WOULD HE BE BEHIND
IN TERMS OF WHAT ACTION.
HE SEEMS CLEARLY TO BE IN FAVOR,
OR THINKING ABOUT FAVORING
RAISING THE AGE FOR BUYING A
LONG GONE GUN TO 21 AS IT I
LONG GONE GUN TO 21 AS IT S
LONG GONE GUN TO 21 AS IT F
LONG GONE GUN TO 21 AS IT R
LONG GONE GUN TO 21 AS IT A
HANDGUN.
I THINK THE BIG DEBATE WILL BE
ABOUT ASSAULT WEAPONS.
THAT IS ALWAYS BUT THIS COMES
DOWN TO.
>> Bret: THE PRESIDENT
TWEETING ON BACKGROUND CHECKS
LAST NIGHT, "WHETHER WE ARE
REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT, WE MUST
NOW FOCUS ON STRENGTHENING
BACKGROUND CHECKS."
HE ALSO HAD THIS TODAY.
>> ONE POSSIBLE SOLUTION, WHICH
MAY NOT BE VERY POPULAR, WOULD
BE TO HAVE PEOPLE IN THE SCHOOL,
TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS WHO
HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO HAVE A
FIREARM SAFELY LOCKED IN THE
CLASSROOM WHO ARE GIVEN TRAINING
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, TO HAVE
THEM RAISE THEM THEIR HANDS
THEM RAISE THEM THEIR HANDA
THEM RAISE THEM THEIR HANDD
VOLUNTEER FOR THE TRAINING.
WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS STARTS,
THE FIRST RESPONDERS ARE ALREADY
ON CAMPUS.
>> Bret: THERE WAS SOME
PUSHBACK IN THAT ROOM, AMY,
ABOUT THAT.
WE ARE LEARNING TONIGHT, JUST
MOMENTS AGO, THAT ARMED
SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES ARE GOING TO
BE PATROLLING THE AREA AROUND
THE SCHOOL DOWN THERE WHERE THIS
INCIDENT HAPPENED AS OF TOMORROW
OR THIS WEEK.
>> THIS IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE ON
AN ISSUE LIKE THIS, AND AS WE
SAW, EVEN ON IMMIGRATION, IF YOU
ASK A BROAD QUESTION, DO SUPPORT
BACKGROUND CHECKS, YOU GET
ALMOST UNIVERSAL SUPPORT.
DO YOU SUPPORT ALLOWING THESE
DACA RECIPIENTS TO STAY IN THE
COUNTRY, ALMOST UNIVERSAL.
THEN YOU GET INTO THE DETAILS,
SIMPLY A BILL THAT TALKED ABOUT
BACKGROUND CHECKS WITH NOTHING
ELSE ADDED, IF REPUBLICANS ADDED
IN SOMETHING ABOUT ALLOWING
TEACHERS OR OTHER VOLUNTEERS TO
BE ARMED, THERE WASN'T ANOTHER
BILL THIS IDEA THAT REPUBLICANS
HAD TOO ABOUT CONCEALED CARRY
ISSUE, THAT IS GOING TO DESTROY
ANY ABILITY TO GET DEMOCRATS ON
BOARD.
IF DEMOCRATS PUSH TO BAR ON
LIMITING ACCESS TO ASSAULT
RIFLES, THAT'S GOING TO PUSH IT.
NOBODY SEEMS CAPABLE OF SAYING,
WE ARE GOING TO SOLVE THIS ONE
PROBLEM.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO SOLVE ALL OF
IT.
YOU'RE GOING TO DO THIS ONE
THING, PASS IT AND START IT.
>> Bret: WHAT WAS COMPELLING
ON THE ARGUMENT FOR ARMING
PEOPLE INSIDE THE SCHOOL,
WHETHER IT IS TEACHERS OR SOME
TRAINED PERSON, LIKE AN AIR
MARSHAL THAT YOU DON'T KNOW IS
IN THERE, THAT THE FATHER WHO
LOST THE DAUGHTER WHO SAID,
AFTER 9/11, WE FIGURED IT OUT,
WE, AS A COUNTRY, CHANGE THINGS
AND WE FIGURED IT OUT, BUT AFTER
COLUMBINE, WE DIDN'T FIGURE IT
OUT, AND SCHOOL SHOOTING AFTER
SCHOOL SHOOTING, WE HAVEN'T
FIGURED IT OUT.
>> IT IS BECAUSE THE LEFT AND
THE RIGHT HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS
ABOUT WHAT GUN-CONTROL MEANS.
THERE WAS THIS DEBATE IN THE
'90s, EARLY '90s, THE LEFT
WAS SAYING, WE WANT A LIST OF
EVERYONE WHO OWNS A GUN, AND THE
RIGHT WAS SAYING, WE WANT A LIST
OF THE BAD PEOPLE WE WANT TO
PREVENT FROM HAVING GUNS, AND
NOW IT'S THE SAME DEBATE.
THE LEFT WANTS TO REDUCE THE
NUMBER OF FIREARMS AND PUT
LIMITS ON THEM, AGAIN, VERY
LITTLE OVERLAP ON THIS ISSUE
REAL QUICK.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE
PRESIDENT INSTINCTIVELY IS IN
FAVOR OF.
BUT HE IS ALSO ALL OVER THE MAP,
SAYING KIDS SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED
TO HAVE GUNS, WE SHOULD RAISE
THE AGE TO 21, THAT'S NEVER
GOING TO FLY, NEVER GOING TO FLY
WITH THE NRA.
>> Bret: HE IS PUSHING IT AND
GETS THE NRA TO THE TABLE, SAYS
WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING.
>> THEY WILL NEVER SUPPORT THAT.
IF THEY GOT BEHIND THAT, HE
COULD GET POINTS, BUT YOU AIN'T
GETTING THAT THING THROUGH THE
HOUSE.
>> Bret: SPEAKING OF THE
HOUSE, NANCY PELOSI AND
PAUL RYAN ON THE BACKGROUND
CHECK BILL.
>> ALL WE HAVE BEEN ASKING OF
THE SPEAKER IS TO GIVE US A
VOTE.
WE BELIEVE THERE IS BIPARTISAN
SUPPORT FOR IMPROVING THE
BACKGROUND CHECK BILL.
>> WE HAD HEARINGS ON THE GAPS
IN THE BACKGROUND CHECK SYSTEM,
AND THEY LEAD TO A CONCLUSION
THERE WERE GAPS THAT NEED TO BE
FIXED AND THE LEGISLATION THAT
HAS PASSED THE HOUSE.
WE PASSED LEGISLATION CLEANING
UP THE INSTANT CHECK BACKGROUND
CHECK SYSTEM.
THAT BILL, WITH OTHERS, IS
SITTING OVER IN THE
UNITED STATES SENATE.
>> Bret: ALL RIGHT, BYRON.
THERE IS A LOT OF EMOTION HERE,
A LOT OF PASSION.
IT DOES SEEM LIKE A DIFFERENT
CONVERSATION.
BUT IN REALITY, WHAT ARE WE
GOING TO SEE?
>> I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS A
DIFFERENT CONVERSATION.
TRUMP HAS TO SET HIMSELF APART
FROM THIS DYSFUNCTIONAL HISTORY
OF THIS.
PERSONALLY, LOOKING AT IT, IF
THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING AFTER
NEWTOWN, SOMEONE WENT IN AND
MURDERED 20 FIRST GRADERS.
IF THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING AFTER
NEWTOWN, WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO
DO NOW?
>> Bret: YOU HAVE A REPUBLICAN
PRESIDENT WHO HAS THE BACKING OF
THE NRA.
>> AFTER NEWTOWN, THERE WAS A
VOTE ON BANNING ASSAULT WEAPONS,
DEMOCRATS CONTROLLED THE SENATE
55-45, AT 16 DEMOCRATS VOTED
AGAINST END, THERE WAS A
BYPRODUCT OF CONSENSUS, EVEN ON
PUMP STOCKS, AFTER LAS VEGAS, TO
DO SOMETHING, THEY DIDN'T DO IT.
>> REQUIRE BACKGROUND CHECKS,
THAT MANDATORY BACKGROUND CHECK,
WE SAW THE CLINTON ASSAULT
WEAPONS BAN, THE ON JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT LISTENING, THAT
DIDN'T WORK THEN STOPPING SCHOOL
SHOOTINGS, AS AN ELECTORAL
ISSUE, IS NOT GOING TO DRIVE
THIS?
>> THAT IS AN INTERESTING
QUESTION GIVEN THE EMOTIONALITY
AROUND THIS BUT ALSO THE
ACTIVISM BY YOUNGER VOTERS, IS
THIS GOING TO ACTIVATE, IT IS
REALLY UNCLEAR.
JUST HISTORICALLY, PEOPLE WHO
OWN GUNS, THEY TEND TO BE MORE
ACTIVE.
THEY HAVE TWEETED ABOUT IT OR
ENGAGE SOMEHOW, OR ARE WE GOING
TO SEE A CHANGE SOMEHOW, .
>> I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO
THIS QUESTION, YOU ARE PROBABLY
THE ONLY ONE WHO DOES.
>> THAT WAS THE DECISIVE FACTOR.
>> Bret: -- THAT CONGRESS R
>> Bret: -- THAT CONGRESS I
>> Bret: -- THAT CONGRESS E
>> Bret: -- THAT CONGRESS ,
WHAT WAS HER NAME?
>> CAROLYN?
>> MAHONEY?
>> McCARTNEY.
>> THAT WAS REALLY SMART.
>> THAT QUESTION, YOU COULD DO
CHAPTER AND VERSE, PICK THE
STATE, PICK THE YEAR, THE
CONCEALED CARRY PERMITS IN THIS
COUNTRY, THEY CARE ABOUT IT, IT
IS AN ISSUE.
>> Bret: I'VE GOT TO RUN.
DOES SOMETHING HAPPEN
LEGISLATIVELY?
>> I THINK SOMETHING HAPPENS,