>> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY!
WELCOME BACK TO THE SHOW.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MY FIRST GUEST TONIGHT IS THE JUNIOR
SENATOR FROM NEW YORK.
PLEASE WELCOME SENATOR KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND!
♪ ♪ ♪
>> Stephen: NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
>> MY PRIVILEGE.
THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: WELL, YOU'RE A SENATOR.
I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE FACING THE
COUNTRY RIGHT NOW, THAT YOU GUYS IN THE LEGISLATURE HAVE TO DEAL
WITH.
BUT, FIRST, YOU'RE A FELLOW CATH LIN.
IT'S LENT.
MAY I ASK WHAT YOU HAVE GIVEN UP FOR LENT?
>> SWEARING.
( LAUGHTER ) >> Stephen: GET THE (BLEEP)
OUT.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> YES.
>> Stephen: REALLY?
>> YES, YES, IT'S TRUE.
>> Stephen: HOW'S IT WORKING OUT?
>> NOT WELL.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: WHAT-- SEE, WHAT-- WHEN DOES IT MOST FLARE UP?
>> DAILY.
>> Stephen: DAILY.
>> TRUMP TWEETS.
IT COMES OUT ALL THE TIME.
>> Stephen: I GAVE UP HARD LIQUOR.
I GAVE UP SPIRITS.
>> HOW'S THAT GOING?
>> Stephen: I'M CURSING A LOT.
( LAUGHTER ) OKAY, LET'S TALK ABOUT-- LET'S
TALK ABOUT GUN CONTROL FOR A MOMENT.
>> UH-HUH.
>> Stephen: ONCE AGAIN, A SCHOOL, A CLOSE COMMUNITY IS
SHATTERED BY THIS SENSELESS ACT OF VIOLENCE THAT IS FACILITATED
BY SEMIAUTOMATIC WEAPONS.
YOU'VE BEEN IN D.C. SINCE 2007.
WHY CAN'T THERE BE ANY MEANINGFUL REFORM-- OR EVEN
MEANINGLESS REFORM?
THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO ACTION.
>> FIRST, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT MY HEART IS BROKEN.
I MEAN, THIS IS UNFATHOMABLE HOW MANY DEATHS WE'VE HAD TO SEE
OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AND CONGRESS HAS DONE NOTHING.
THE SILENCE IS LITERALLY DEAFENING.
AND THEY DON'T GET ANYTHING DONE BECAUSE THE N.R.A. HAS A
CHOKEHOLD ON CONGRESS.
THE N.R.A. IS CONCERNED ONLY WITH GUN SALES.
IT IS LITERALLY ALL ABOUT MONEY.
IT IS ALL ABOUT GREED.
HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SECOND AMENDMENT.
AND WE'VE SEEN DEATH AFTER DEATH AFTER DEATH, AND IT HAS TO STOP,
AND ALL OF US -- >> Stephen: WHEN ARE THEY--
ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BEHOLDEN TO THE N.R.A., WHAT IS THE--
WHAT IS HELD OVER THEM?
IS IT THE MONEY THE N.R.A. GIVES THEM OH, IS IT FIRING UP-- THOSE
CONCERNED OR SINGLE-ISSUE VOTERS ON THE SECOND AMENDMENT DURING
THE PRIMARIES?
WHAT IS THE-- I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE STICK IS HERE?
>> THEY HAVE SO MUCH POWER THAT NOTHING WAS DONE AFTER AURORA.
NOTHING WAS DONE AFTER SANDY HOOK.
NOTHING WAS DONE AFTER CHARLESTON.
NOTHING WAS DONE AFTER LAS VEGAS.
AND NOTHING IS DONE NOW.
THAT IS THE POWER.
IT'S THE POWER OF MONEY.
IT'S THE POWER OF COMMUNICATIONS.
IT'S THE FEAR THEY INSTILL IN MEMBERS.
AND IT'S WRONG.
IT'S MORALLY WRONG.
>> Stephen: NOW IS IT-- IS IT--
( APPLAUSE ) IS THIS STRICTLY A REPUBLICAN
PROBLEM, OR ARE THERE DEMOCRATS WHO ARE BEHOLDEN TO THE N.R.A.
AS WELL?
>> I THINK IT'S A PROBLEM.
AND I CAN TELL YOU WHAT THE SOLUTION IS.
THE SOLUTION IS THEY NEED TO LISTEN TO THESE KIDS.
THEY'RE NOT STARTING A MOVEMENT AND TAKING THIS INTO THEIR OWN
HANDS AND SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER.
BECAUSE FOR ME, WHEN I NINE YEARS AGO SAT DOWN WITH A MOM
AND A DAD WHO JUST LAST THEIR DAUGHTER, THEIR TEENAGED
DAUGHTER TO A STRAY BULLET, AND I MET WITH HER CLASSMATES AND
THE ANGER AND FEAR AND RESENTMENT IN THEIR COMMUNITY
BECAUSE CONGRESS DOES NOTHING MADE MEANTIME TO CHANGE.
AND SO THE SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM, STEPHEN, IS IT
LISTENING TO THOSE KIDS, AND HEARING THEIR PAIN, THEIR
FRUSTRATION, THEIR ANGER.
AND DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
>> Stephen: IS THAT WHAT YOU-- AT ONE TIME--
( APPLAUSE ) AT ONE TIME, YOU HAD AN "A"
RATING FROM THE N.R.A.
AND NOW YOU HAVE AN "F."
WAS THAT THE MOMENT THAT CHANGED--
( APPLAUSE ) CHANGED YOUR MIND?
>> VERY MUCH SO.
I CAME FROM A HUNTING FAMILY, BUT I CAN TELL YOU, STEPHEN, THE
MINUTE YOU MEET A MOM OR DAD WHO'S LOST THEIR CHILD-- YOU
KNOW, I RECENTLY MET A MOM WHO LOST HER FOUR-YEAR-OLD SON ON A
PARK BENCH IN BROOKLYN.
THAT'S IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT'S OUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT THERE.
SO WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
AND I THINK THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION HAS A CHANCE OF
CHANGING, BECAUSE OF THESE KIDS.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LIKE EMMA GONZALEZ TELLING HER STORY,
SPEAKING SO FORCEFULLY, IT COULD CHANGE.
AND TO SHAME ANY MEMBER OF CONGRESS THAT TAKES MONEY FROM
THE N.R.A. AND CALLING THEM OUT AND HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
( APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: THIS HAPPENS NOT
INFREQUENTLY.
IT WILL BE SOMETHING LIKE WHETHER IT'S DACA OR UNIVERSAL
BACKGROUND CHECKS, WHERE THE VAST MAJORITY OF BOTH PARTIES
AND INDIVIDUAL POLLS BELIEVE THAT SOMETHING SHOULD HAPPEN,
AND NOTHING HAPPENS IN WARWICK.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
AND PEOPLE THROW UP THEIR HANDS IN DESPAIR AND LOSE THE FORCE OF
ACTION BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE NOTHING CAN BE DONE.
YOU'RE IN WASHINGTON.
YOU'RE IN THE SENATE.
IS WASHINGTON OWNED BY CORPORATIONS, AS WE ALL
CYNICALLY FEAR?
>> WELL, YEAH, I BELIEVE THAT-- FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE DARK MONEY
IN POLITICS.
WE HAVE UNLIMITED CORPORATE SPENDING WITH NO NO
ACCOUNTABILITY, NO TRANSPARENCY.
SO WE HAVE TO GET MONEY OUT OF POLITIC S.
>> Stephen: WHAT CORPORATIONS GIVE TO YOU?
>> I'VE JUST BANNED CORPORATE PAC CHECKS, ACTUALLY, BECAUSE I
THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT --
>> Stephen: YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE NO CORPORATE MONEY.
>> NO CORPORATE MONEY.
>> Stephen: IS ANYONE JOINING YOU ON THIS BANDWAGON.
I BELIEVE PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY.
CORY BOOKER DID RIGHT AWAY, AND OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING IT,
SEVERAL OF MY COLLEAGUES.
AND THE REASON WHY I THINK WE HAVE TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE ON THIS
IS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO START TAKING THE MONEY OUT OF POLITICS
BECAUSE IT UNDERMINES OUR DEMOCRACY.
MONEY IS NOT SPEECH.
I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE SUPREME COURT SAYING MONEY IS
SPEECH AND CORPORATIONS HAVE THE SAME FREE SPEECH RIGHTS AS
AMERICANS.
THAT IS NOT TRUE.
IT IS FALSE.
WE NEED PUBLICLY FUNDED ELECTIONS. YOU NEED TO GET THE
SOFT CORRUPTION OUT.
YOU NEED TO GET THE HARD CORRUPTION OUT.
AND YOU NEED TO TAKE AWAY THE VOICE AND THE OUTSIDE INFLUENCE
THAT CORPORATIONS HAVE OVER MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.
AND THE N.R.A. IS ONE OF THE WORST OFFENDERS.
( APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: WELL, ON FRIDAY,
ON FRIDAY, WE HEARD ABOUT THE-- MUELLER'S 13 MORE INDICTMENTS OF
INDIVIDUALS AND THREE OF ORGANIZATIONS IN RUSSIA.
AND THE-- AND THE NEWS CONTINUES THAT RUSSIA IS GOING TO TRY TO
MEDDLE IN THE 2018 ELECTION AS WELL.
YOU'RE UP FOR RE-ELECTION IN 2018, AREN'T YOU?
>> UH-HUH.
>> Stephen: HOW CAN WE TRUST THE RESULTS?
>> WELL, WE NEED TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY.
IT IS OUTRAGEOUS THAT WE NOW HAVE ALL THESE INDICTMENTS
PROVING THAT RUSSIA MEDDLED IN OUR ELECTIONS, INTENTIONALLY
TRYING TO CHANGE VOTERS' MINDS, USING SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS.
THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS DID NOT SEE IT COMING, HAD NO
PROTOCOLS IN PLACE TO PREVENT IT.
WE NOW NEED TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
WE NOW NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, NOT ONLY
THE STATE ELECTION OFFICIALS, BUT THESE SOCIAL MEDIA
PLATFORMS.
>> Stephen: ARE THEY GOING TO BE VOLUNTARY OR REGULATION.
>> AND FEDERAL LAW-- WE NEED TO HAVE REGULATION.
WE NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO STOP THIS OUTSIDE FOREIGN MONEY
COMING INTO ELECTIONS, WHICH IS ILLEGAL.
AND THE FACT THAT OUR PRESIDENT HAS DONE NOTHING, LITERALLY
NOTHING IS OUTRAGEOUS.
IT'S A FAILURE OF LEADERSHIP.
( APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: BEFORE-- WE'VE GOT
TO GO HERE IN JUST A MINUTE.
BEFORE WE GO, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT #MeToo FOR JUST A
SECOND.
YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED THE "#MeToo SENATOR."
YOU WERE THE FIRST TO SAY AL FRANKEN SHOULD LEAVE THE SENATE.
HAVE YOU TALKED TO AL?
>> YES, HE SERVED A FEW MORE WEEKS BEFORE HE RESIGNED.
>> Stephen: HE BEGRUDGINGLY STEPPED DOWN, CLEARLY NOT HAPPY
ABOUT IT, SAYING WHAT HE HAD BEEN ACCUSED OF, HE HAD NOT
DONE.
WHAT-- HOW DID YOU EXPLAIN TO HIM THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT
HE STEP DOWN?
BECAUSE A LOT OF PROGRESSIVES WERE ANGRY AT YOU FOR LEADING
THAT, FOR LOSING A VOICE LIKE SENATOR FRANKEN'S IN THE SENATE
OVER SOMETHING THAT HADN'T GONE THROUGH THE ETHICS
INVESTIGATION.
WHAT-- WHAT DID YOU SAY TO HIM?
OR HOW WOULD YOU SAY IT RIGHT NOW?
>> WELL, THE WAY I LOOKED AT THIS, THERE WERE EIGHT
ALLEGATIONS, CREDIBLE ALLEGATIONS.
I BELIEVED THE WOMEN, AND TOW ME, ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH.
I HAVE TWO YOUNG SONS, ONE WHO IS NINE AND ONE HOIS 14 AND HOW
DO I DESCRIBE TO THEM IT'S OKAY TO SQUEEZE A WOMAN HERE AND GRAB
A WOMAN THERE BUT NOT OKAY TO GRAB A WOMAN THERE.
THAT WAS NOT A CERCH AS A MOTHER WAS APPROPRIATE TO BE HAVING
WITH A 14-YEAR-OLD BOY.
NONE OF IT IS OKAY, STEPHEN.
NONE OF IT IS OKAY.
>> Stephen: NO, I UNDERSTAND.
>> NONE OF IT IS OKAY.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY IT'S WRONG EVEN WHEN IT'S SOMEBODY
YOU LIKE, SOMEBODY YOU CARE ABOUT, SOMEBODY YOU CONSIDER A
FRIEND.
YOU HAVE TO SPEAK OUT.
YOU HAVE TO SAY, "IT'S NOT OKAY."
AND IT'S PAINFUL, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S YOUR FRIEND.
BUT YOU CAN'T SAY, "IT'S OKAY AS LONG AS YOU'RE MY FRIEND."
THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH IT.
AND I HAD TO BE HEARD.
I HAD TO SAY HOW I FELT ABOUT TBECAUSE I CAN'T ABE GOOD MOTHER
AND I CAN'T BE A GOOD LEADER ON THESE ISSUES IF I DON'T SPEAK
THAT VERY HARD TRUTH.
( APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: SENATOR, THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
IT WAS LOVELY TO TALK TO YOU AGAIN.
>> THANK YOU, STEPHEN.
>> Stephen: SENATOR KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND EVERYBODY!
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH CHRIS GETHARD.