POINT, WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
KEVIN CORKE, REPORTING LIVE FROM
WASHINGTON, THANK YOU.
JOINING US NOW FOR MARILYN,
SENATOR BEN CARDIN, WELCOME BACK
TO "FOX NEWS SUNDAY"."
>> Senator Cardin: SANDRA,
IT’S GOOD TO BE WITH YOU,
THANK YOU.
>> Sandra: LET’S START WITH
PROSPECTS FOR REFORM.
CAN DEMOCRATS DELIVER TEN
REPUBLICAN SENATORS ON ANY GUN
REFORM LEGISLATION?
YOUR TAKE.
>> Senator Cardin: THE JURY IS
OUT ON THAT.
WE’VE TRIED ON SONY DIFFERENT
ISSUES AND HAVE NOT BEEN
SUCCESSFUL EVEN TO START DEBATE,
WHETHER WE DEAL WITH GUN SAFETY
ISSUES OR WE DEAL WITH
IMMIGRATION OR WE DEAL EVEN WITH
SMALL BUSINESS.
WE’VE BEEN NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET
TEN SENATORS TO EVEN START
DEBATES.
IF WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT
TO SEE.
I THINK THE URGENCY IS THERE.
I WAS LISTENING TO
SENATOR CORNYN, I REALLY DO
THINK THERE IS A REAL URGENCY
THAT WE CAN SHOW THAT WE CAN ACT
ACT.
I’M CONFIDENT IF WE CAN GET A
BILL ON THE FLOOR AND THE GUN
ISSUES AND CAN PASS IT, IT WILL
BE THE RIGHT SIGNAL TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
IT PROBABLY WON’T GO AS FAR AS I
WOULD LIKE TO SEE US GO, BUT IT
WILL AT LEAST SHOW THAT CONGRESS
CAN ACT.
>> Sandra: EVEN SOME
REPUBLICANS WHO HAVE SIGNALED
OPENNESS TO REFORMS ALSO POINT
OUT HOW COMPLICATED THIS REALLY
IS.
HERE IS SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM
ON THAT.
>> THIS MAN HAD NO CRIMINAL
RECORD.
HE SHOT HIS GRANDMOTHER IN THE
FACE, HE LAWFULLY PURCHASED A
GUN.
I DON’T KNOW HOW -- I CAN’T TELL
PEOPLE THAT I CAN THINK OF A LAW
THAT WOULD HAVE STOPPED THIS
PARTICULAR SHOOTING.
ARE THERE OTHER THINGS WE CAN
DO?
YEAH.
LET’S SEE IF WE CAN.
>> Sandra: YOUR RESPONSE TO
THAT, SENATOR?
>> Senator Cardin: I THINK WE
CAN DO SOME THINGS THAT WILL
SAVE LIVES.
I THINK THE RED FLAGS BACKGROUND
CHECKS, THESE ISSUES WILL SAVE
SOME LIVES.
I LIKE TO GO FURTHER THAN THAT,
INVESTING IN MENTAL HEALTH IS
GOOD ALSO.
BUT THE MILITARY STYLE WEAPONS,
I THINK GETTING THEM OFF THE
STREET WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IN
SAVING LIVES.
WILL IT SAVE OUR LIVES?
NO, BUT AMERICA IS AN OUTLIER IN
GUN VIOLENCE.
WE ARE IN A CLASS BY OURSELVES.
WE HAVE TO ASK WHY.
ONE OF THE REASONS IS THE FACT
THAT IT’S SO EASY TO GET THESE
MILITARY STYLE WEAPONS.
PARTICULARLY AN 18 EURO BEING
ABLE TO BUY THAT TYPE OF WEAPON,
I THINK IT RAISES QUESTIONS
ABOUT AMERICA AND OUR LAWS
COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE
NATION -- WORLD.
>> Sandra: SENATOR -- SENATE
MINORITY LEADER
MITCH McCONNELL, SIR, HAS
BLESSED SOME GUN REFORM
NEGOTIATIONS, BUT IN THE PAST,
HE’S BEEN OPEN TO CONVERSATIONS,
YET ULTIMATELY DOESN’T SUPPORT
REFORM BILLS.
LISTEN.
>> I DON’T WANT TO OVERSTATE MY
OPTIMISM THOUGH.
CHARLIE BROWN.
ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT UP UNTIL NOW
THE FOOTBALL HAS BEEN PULLED OUT
FROM UNDER ME EVERY SINGLE TIME.
MAYBE THIS TIME IS DIFFERENT.
>> Sandra: SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT
THE CHANCES HERE, IS McCONNELL
JUST GOING TO PULL THE FOOTBALL
OUT FROM UNDERNEATH DEMOCRATS
AGAIN?
>> Senator Cardin: WELL, WE
HOPE THAT THESE BIPARTISAN
NEGOTIATIONS WILL LEAD TO A
CRITICAL MASS OF REPUBLICANS
THAT WILL BE ABLE TO DELIVER AT
LEAST TEN VOTES SO THAT WE CAN
HAVE A DEBATE ON THE FLOOR OF
THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
THE UNITED STATES SENATE IS
KNOWN AS THE GREAT DELIBERATIVE
BODY, BUT IF WE CAN’T EVEN GET A
BILL ON THE FLOOR TO DEBATE,
WHERE ARE WE?
I MEAN, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT
THE AMERICAN PUBLIC EXPECTS US
TO ACT.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
CONGRESS NEEDS TO ACT, NEEDS TO
TAKE ACTION THAT CAN HELP AVOID
THESE TYPES OF TRAGEDIES.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN BEING
GUNNED DOWN?
WE’VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING.
AND CLEARLY THE GUN SAFETY
ISSUES ARE ONE, MENTAL HEALTH IS
ANOTHER.
THERE’S A LOT OF AREAS THAT WE
CAN MAKE PROGRESS AND WE NEED TO
DEBATE THAT AND COME TOGETHER AS
A BODY IN ORDER TO KEEP OUR
CHILDREN SAFER.
>> Sandra: THIS IS ALSO
HAPPENING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
TEXAS GUBERNATORIAL RACE.
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS MOMENT WHEN
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE
BETO O’ROURKE CONFRONTED TEXAS
GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT.
>> EXCUSE ME.
>> SIT DOWN.
>> YOU’RE OUT OF LINE AND IN
EMBARRASSMENT.
>> SIT DOWN AND DON’T PLAY THIS
STUFF.
>> YOU ARE DOING NOTHING.
>> NO, HE NEEDS TO GET HIS LEAP
OUT OF HERE.
>> THIS IS TOTALLY PREDICTABLE.
>> SIR, YOU’RE OUT OF LINE.
>> Sandra: SENATOR CARDIN,
OILY DEMOCRATS ARE FRUSTRATED,
THE COUNTRY IS FRUSTRATED, BUT
DOES THAT SORT OF CONFRONTATION
HELP MATTERS?
>> Senator Cardin: AT THIS
MOMENT, I’M HOPEFUL THAT
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS WILL
COME TOGETHER AND RECOGNIZE THE
SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN, THE
SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS TO
COME FIRST.
SO THAT’S WHERE WE HOPE THAT
THIS BIPARTISAN GROUP WILL BE
ABLE TO COME TOGETHER WITH SOME
LEGISLATIVE ACTION THAT WILL
GIVE THE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE THAT
WE ARE TRYING TO DEAL WITH THIS
ISSUE.
>> Sandra: BUT WERE YOU
SPECIFICALLY, SIR -- WERE YOU
OKAY WITH A CONFRONTATION?
>> Senator Cardin: I DIDN’T
SEE THE VIDEO, I CAN’T SEE IT
BECAUSE OF WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW.
I’M FOR US BEING HONEST WITH
EACH OTHER AND LISTENING TO EACH
OTHER AND MAKING IT CLEAR THAT
OUR FRUSTRATION IS THERE,
AMERICA IS AN OUTLIER, WE NEED
TO RECOGNIZE THAT, WE NEED TO
MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES SAFER, AND
WE GOT TO MAKE OUR SCHOOLS SAFE.
IF THAT’S AN AREA WHERE PARENTS
SEND THEIR CHILDREN, EXPECTED TO
BE A PLACE OF SAFETY.
I KNOW THERE’S A LOT OF
FRUSTRATION, A LOT OF ANGER, A
LOT OF FEAR THAT’S OUT THERE.
LET’S COME TOGETHER AND DO
SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
>> Sandra: OKAY, SO THE
PRESIDENT WILL BE IN TEXAS
TODAY, HEADING THERE RIGHT NOW,
AND IS PRESSING FOR ACTION.
BUT HERE’S WHITE HOUSE PRESS
SECRETARY, LISTEN.
>> WE LEAVE THE MECHANICS TO
SENATOR SCHUMER, WE WANT TO SEE
ACTION.
THAT IS WHAT WE ARE CALLING FOR
-- BUT AGAIN, WE LEAVE IT TO THE
LEADERSHIP, THE DEMOCRATIC
LEADERSHIP, TO FIGURE OUT HOW
THEY’RE GOING TO MOVE THIS
FORWARD.
>> Sandra: IS THAT ENOUGH FOR
YOU OR SHOULD THE WHITE HOUSE BE
DOING MORE ON ITS OWN TO GET
SOMETHING DONE HERE?
>> Senator Cardin: I THINK AT
THIS MOMENT WE NEED TO HAVE AT
LEAST TEN REPUBLICAN SENATORS
THAT WILL ALLOW US TO MOVE
FORWARD ON THE SENATE DEBATE.
SENATOR SCHUMER IS OUR POINT
PERSON ON THAT.
HE’S THE ONE THAT’S DELEGATED TO
GET THAT TYPE OF SUPPORT,
WORKING WITH
SENATOR McCONNELL.
IF OBVIOUSLY THE PRESIDENT IS
GOING TO BE ENGAGED.
HE’S BEEN VERY ENGAGED,
PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS BEEN VERY
MUCH ENGAGED IN
SENATOR LIBERATIONS, I’M SURE HE
WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
>> Sandra: CONGRESS AND
REMAINS DEADLOCKED ON POLICE
REFORM AND HAS BEEN FOR YEARS
BUT THIS WEEK THE PRESIDENT USED
HIS POWERS TO SIGN AN EXECUTOR
ORDER FOCUSED ON FEDERAL
LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHICH INCLUDE
THE CREATION OF A DATABASE TO
HELP TRACK POLICE OFFICER
MISCONDUCT.
SOME POLICE GROUPS CELEBRATED
THE ORDER AS A REPRINT FOR
FURTHER CONGRESSIONAL ACTION
WHILE OTHERS ARE DISMISSING IT
AS POLITICAL THEATER AND
FALTERED AT FORT OPAQUENESS.
IT ALL COMES AT A TIME OF
SPIKING CRIME COAST-TO-COAST IN
HIS COUNTRY AND AS REPUBLICANS
HAMMER YOUR PARTY FOR BEING SOFT
ON CRIME AND NOT DOING ENOUGH TO
SUPPORT OUR POLICE.
SO, SENATOR, IS THIS GOING TO
BRING REAL CHANGE OR WAS THIS
JUST ASA SYMBOLIC PHOTO?
>> Senator Cardin: I THINK
WITH THE PRESIDENT IT IS VERY
IMPORTANT TO GET THE DATA SO WE
KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE’RE TALKING
ABOUT, SHARING THAT INFORMATION,
PROVIDING RESOURCES TO TRAIN
POLICE OFFICERS ON SENSITIVITIES
OF COMMUNITIES.
I THINK ALL THAT ARE IMPORTANT
BEST PRACTICES, ESTABLISHING
BEST PRACTICES IN THE USE OF
FORCE.
ALL THAT ARE IMPORTANT
INVESTMENTS.
WHAT I PREFER THE UNITED STATES
SENATE TO TAKE THIS ISSUE UP AND
PAY US SENSIBLE REFORM?
ABSOLUTELY, BUT ONCE AGAIN WE
COULD NOT GET 60 VOTES, COULDN’T
GET THE REPUBLICANS TO JOIN US
ON THE SENATE FOR DISCUSSION OF
THIS, BUT I THINK WITH THE
PRESIDENT IT IS THE EXACT
MESSAGE AND I’M GLAD TO SEE IT’S
RECEIVING A WARM RESPONSE FROM
OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
>> Sandra: I WANT TO FINISH
OFF WITH AN ISSUE EVERY AMERICAN
CARES ABOUT IN THIS MOMENT, THAT
IS INFLATION.
MILLIONS ARE HITTING THE ROAD
FOR THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND, SIR,
AND THEY ARE PAYING RECORD HIGH
GAS PRICES.
TRUCKERS ARE FEELING THE PAIN,
GROCERY BILLS ARE SKY-HIGH.
WHAT IS THE PLAN, SIR, TO BRING
THESE PRICES DOWN?
>> Senator Cardin: SANDRA, I
AGREE.
WE HAVE -- AMERICAN FAMILIES ARE
CONFRONTING PRICE INCREASES,
THEY’RE HAVING A HARD TIME
DEALING WITH THEIR FAMILY
BUDGETS, ENERGY COSTS ARE WAY
TOO HIGH, THE PRESIDENT IS
TAKING SOME STEPS TO EASE THAT
BUT THE RELEASE OF OUR RESERVES,
WE RECOGNIZE THE INTERNATIONAL
CIRCUMSTANCES WAS A WAR IN
UKRAINE AND ENERGY PRICES ARE
NOT DETERMINED HERE IN THE
UNITED STATES, BUT WE NEED TO DO
MORE ABOUT IT.
OUR GAME PLAN IS TO DEAL WITH
THE CALL CENTERS AFFECTING
AMERICAN FAMILIES, DEALING WITH
THE COST OF HEALTH CARE,
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, HOPING TO
HAVE ACTION IN THOSE AREAS COME
AS A DEAL WITH THE COST OF
CHILD CARE.
THE PRESIDENT HAS A PLAN ON
THAT.
WE HOPE WE WILL HAVE COOPERATION
FROM THE REPUBLICANS AND WE CAN
GET SOME ISSUES THAT REALLY
AFFECT THE AVERAGE AMERICAN
FAMILY’S BUDGET BURIED
>> Sandra: AS SKY-HIGH GAS
PRICES REMAIN AND IS INFLICTING
A LOT OF PAIN ON AMERICAN
FAMILIES, SO THIS IS CLEARLY
GOING TO SHAPE UP AS ONE OF THE
BIGGEST ISSUES COME NOVEMBER
ELECTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING
US, SENATOR CARDIN, ALWAYS GOOD