HERE WE ARE AGAIN IN THE
AFTERMATH OF ANOTHER TERRIBLE,
INEXPLICABLE, SHOCKING AND
PAINFUL TRAGEDY, THIS TIME IN
LAS VEGAS.
WHICH HAPPENS TO BE MY HOME TOWN
AND CLETO'S HOMETOWN AND CLETO
SR.'S HOMETOWN.
AS YOU KNOW, 59 PEOPLE ARE DEAD.
HUNDREDS ARE WOUNDED IN WHAT
THEY SAY WAS THE DEADLIEST MASS
SHOOTING IN MODERN AMERICAN
HISTORY COMING ABOUT 1 1/2 YEARS
AFTER THE PREVIOUS DEADLIEST
MASS SHOOTING IN MODERN AMERICAN
HISTORY, IN ORLANDO, WHERE 49
PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES.
OF COURSE, WE PRAY FOR THE
VICTIMS AND FOR THEIR FAMILIES
AND FRIENDS, AND WE WONDER WHY,
EVEN THOUGH THERE'S PROBABLY NO
WAY TO EVER KNOW WHY A HUMAN
BEING WOULD DO SOMETHING LIKE
THIS TO OTHER HUMAN BEINGS WHO
ARE AT A CONCERT HAVING FUN AND
LISTENING TO MUSIC.
JASON ALDEAN WAS ON STAGE, LUKE
COMBS, WHO IS HERE WITH US
TONIGHT, HE PLAYED THE SHOW,
TOO.
OBVIOUSLY NO ONE COULD HAVE EVER
EXPECTED THAT SOMETHING TERRIBLE
WOULD HAPPEN, BUT IT DID.
A VERY SICK PERSON SMUGGLED 17
GUNS INTO HIS HOTEL ROOM AND
SMASHED OUT THE WINDOWS, STARTED
FIRING INDISCRIMINATELY FROM THE
32nd FLOOR INTO A CROWD OF
22,000 PEOPLE ACROSS THE STREET.
AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, THIS
MORNING WE HAVE CHILDREN WITHOUT
PARENTS AND FATHERS WITHOUT SONS
IS, MOTHERS WITHOUT DAUGHTERS.
WE LOST TWO POLICE OFFICERS.
WE LOST A NURSE FROM TENNESSEE,
A SPECIAL ED TEACHER FROM A
LOCAL SCHOOL HERE IN MANHATTAN
BEACH.
AND IT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT
IT MAKES YOU WANT TO THROW UP OR
GIVE UP.
IT'S TOO MUCH TO EVEN PROCESS,
ALL THESE DEVASTATED FAMILIES
WHO HAVE TO LIVE WITH THIS PAIN
FOREVER BECAUSE ONE PERSON WITH
VIOLENT AND INSANE VOICE IN HIS
HEAD MANAGED TO STOCKPILE A
COLLECTION OF HIGH-POWERED
RIFLES AND USED THEM TO SHOOT
PEOPLE.
THE GUY WAS AN ACCOUNTANT.
HE HAD NO CRIMINAL RECORD.
HIS BROTHER WHO LIVES IN FLORIDA
SEEMS TOTALLY SHOCKED, GENUINELY
DUMBFOUNDED.
HE SAID HE SAW NO SIGN OF ANY OF
THIS.
THE OWNER OF THE STORE THAT SOLD
THE KILLER SOME OF THE RIFLES
THAT HE PASSED THE GOVERNMENT
MANDATED BACKGROUND CHECK WHEN
HE WAS IN THE STORE AND HE
WASN'T ON ANY WATCHLIST.
DIDN'T SEEM TO BE A RELIGIOUS OR
POLITICAL EXTREMIST.
CAME OUT OF NOWHERE.
BECAUSE OF THAT, BECAUSE THERE
WEREN'T ANY OF THE USUAL SIGNS,
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN READING
COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE WHO SAY
THIS IS TERRIBLE, BUT THERE'S
NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
BUT I DISAGREE WITH THAT
INTENSELY BECAUSE, OF COURSE,
THERE'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO
ABOUT IT.
THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS WE CAN
DO ABOUT IT.
BUT WE DON'T, WHICH IS
INTERESTING BECAUSE WHEN SOMEONE
WITH A BEARD ATTACKS US, WE TAP
PHONES, WE INVOKE TRAVEL BANS,
WE BUILD WALLS TO TAKE EVERY
POSSIBLE PRECAUTION TO MAKE SURE
IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN BUT WHEN
AN AMERICAN BUYS A GUN AND KILL
OTHER AMERICANS, THEN THERE'S
NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
THE SECOND AMENDMENT, I GUESS,
OUR FOREFATHERS WANTED US TO
HAVE AK-47s IS THE ARGUMENT, I
ASSUME.
ORLANDO, NEWTOWN, AURORA, SAN
BERNARDINO, EVERY ONE OF THESE
SHOOTINGS THE MURDERER USED
AUTOMATIC OR SEMIAUTOMATIC
RIFLES WHICH ARE NOT WEAPONS YOU
USE FOR SELF-DEFENSE.
THEY'RE WEAPONS DESIGNED TO KILL
LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE
SHORTEST POSSIBLE ALT OF MOUNT O
TIME.
THIS GUY APPARENTLY HAD TEN OF
THEM IN HIS ROOM.
AT LEAST LEGALLY.
AT LEAST SOME WERE THERE
ILLEGALLY.
WHY WAS THIS ALLOWED?
I DON'T KNOW WHY OUR LEADERS
CONTINUE THIS TO HAPPEN.
FIVE PEOPLE SHOT SHOT IN
LAWRENCE, KANSAS, LAST NIGHT,
THREE OF THEM DIED.
IT DIDN'T MAKE A BLIP BECAUSE
THIS IS A REGULAR PART OF OUR
LIVES NOW.
YOU KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN?
WE'LL PRAY FOR LAS VEGAS.
SOME OF US WILL GET MOTIVATED.
SOME OF US WON'T GET MOTIVATED.
THE BILLS WILL BE WRITTEN, THE
NRA WILL SMOTHER IT WITH MONEY
AND WE'LL GET DISTRACTED AND
MOVE ON TO THE NEXT THING AND IT
WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND AGAIN.
AND LAST NIGHT, THE WHITE HOUSE
PRESS SECRETARY SARA SANDERSON
SAID THIS MORNING IT WAS NOT THE
TIME FOR POLITICAL DEBATE.
I DON'T KNOW.
WE HAVE 59 INNOCENT PEOPLE DEAD.
IT WASN'T THEIR TIME EITHER.
SO I THINK NOW IS THE TIME FOR
POLITICAL DEBATE.
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS VISITING LAS
VEGAS ON WEDNESDAY.
HE SPOKE THIS MORNING, SAID HE'S
PRAYING FOR THOSE WHO LOST THEIR
LIVES.
YOU KNOW, IN FEBRUARY HE ALSO
SIGNED A BILL THAT WOULD MAKE IT
EASIER FOR PEOPLE WITH SEVERE
MENTAL ILLNESS TO BUY GUNS
LEGALLY.
MITCH McCONNELL, SPEAKER OF THE
HOUSE, PAUL RYAN, A NUMBER OF
OTHER LAWMAKERS WHO WON'T DO
ANYTHING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THE
NRA HAS THEIR BALLS IN A MONEY
CLIP ALSO SENT THEIR THOUGHTS
AND PRAYERS TODAY.
WHICH IS GOOD.
THEY SHOULD BE PRAYING FOR GOD
TO FORGIVE THEM FOR LETTING THE
GUN LOBBY RUN THIS COUNTRY
BECAUSE IT IS SO CRAZY.
RIGHT NOW THERE ARE LOOPHOLES IN
THE LAW THAT LET PEOPLE AVOID
BACKGROUND CHECKS IF THEY BUY A
GUN PRIVATELY FROM ANOTHER
PARTY, THEY BUY IT ONLINE OR AT
A GUNSHOW.
SO I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING.
THESE ARE THE FACES OF THE
SENATORS WHO DAYS AFTER THE
SHOOTING IN ORLANDO VOTED
AGAINST THE BILL THAT WOULD HAVE
CLOSED THOSE LOOPHOLES.
THESE ARE THE 56 SENATORS WHO
DIDN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT
THAT.
90% OF DEMOCRATS -- I'M NOT
TALKING ABOUT POLITICIANS
HERE -- I'M TALKING ABOUT
PEOPLE.
AND 77% OF REPUBLICANS SUPPORT
BACKGROUND CHECKS AT GUN SHOWS.
89% OF REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS
ARE IF FAVOR OF RESTRICTING GUN
OWNERSHIP FOR THE MENTALLY ILL.
BUT NOT THIS GANG.
THEY VOTED AGAINST BOTH OF THOSE
THINGS.
SO WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, YOUR
THOUGHTS AND YOUR PRAYERS ARE
INSUFFICIENT.
AND BY THE WAY, THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES WILL BE VOTING
ON A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THIS
WEEK.
IT'S A BILL TO LEGALIZE THE SALE
OF SILENCERS FOR GUNS.
THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE WORKING ON.
WE HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH GUN
VIOLENCE IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND I GUESS THEY DON'T CARE.
IF I'M WRONG ON THAT, FINE, DO
SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
BECAUSE I'M SICK OF IT.
AND YOU KNOW, I WANT THIS TO BE
A COMEDY SHOW.
I HATE TALKING ABOUT STUFF LIKE
THIS.
I JUST WANT TO LAUGH ABOUT
THINGS EVERY NIGHT, BUT THAT --
IT SEEMS TO BECOMING
INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT LATELY.
IT FEELS LIKE SOMEONE HAS OPENED
A WINDOW INTO HELL.
AND WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT
TONIGHT ISN'T ABOUT GUN CONTROL.
IT'S ABOUT COMMON SENSE.
COMMON SENSE SAYS NO GOOD WILL
EVER COME FROM ALLOWING A PERSON
TO HAVE WEAPONS THAT CAN TAKE
DOWN 527 AMERICANS AT A CONCERT.
COMMON SENSE SAYS YOU DON'T LET
THOSE WHO SUFFER FROM MENTAL
ILLNESS BUY GUNS.
YOU KNOW, IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR
THE NRA FOUGHT TO MAKE SURE
PEOPLE ON THE NO-FLY LIST CAN
BUY GUNS.
THEY ARE ALLOWED TO GET ON A
PLANE, THEY'RE ALLOWED TO OWN A
VERY DANGEROUS GUN.
WHO THINKS THAT MAKES SENSE?
THEM, I GUESS.
THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED WITH THE
NRA.
MAYBE I'M NUTS, BUT I WOULD LIKE
TO THINK WE COULD PUT POLITICS
ASIDE, NO AMERICAN CITIZEN NEEDS
AN M-16 OR TEN OF THEM.
AND MAYBE THAT WAY WE DON'T DO
THIS AGAIN.
I MEAN, THAT SEEMS VERY
REASONABLE TO ME.
[ APPLAUSE ]
YOU KNOW, IN 1980, WE HAD A BIG
FIRE AT MGM, THE HOTEL IN LAS
VEGAS.
IT WAS HORRIBLE, RIGHT?
I MEAN, 85 PEOPLE DIED.
YOU COULD SEE THE FIRE.
I WAS 13 YEARS OLD.
I'LL NEVER FORGET.
A MAN JUMPED OUT THE WINDOW.
IT WAS A TERRIBLE THING TO SEE.
AND THEN A FEW MONTHS LATER
THERE WAS ANOTHER FIRE AT THE
HILTON AND FIVE PEOPLE DIED.
SO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DID?
THEY CHANGED THE LAWS.
THEY MADE MAJOR CHANGES TO THE
FIRE SAFETY CODES, AND IT HASN'T
HAPPENED AGAIN.
WHY WOULD WE APPROACH THIS
DIFFERENTLY?
IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE.
AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE
ALREADY.
SO TELL YOUR CONGRESSPEOPLE TO
DO SOMETHING.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO SEND
YOUR LOVE AND PRAYER.
WE DO.
WE SEND OUR LOVE AND SUPPORT AND
WHATEVER ELSE IS NEEDED TO LAS
VEGAS AND FAMILIES FROM ALL OVER
THE COUNTRY AND CANADA WHO HAD
THE WORST NIGHT OF THEIR LIVES
LAST NIGHT.
YOU KNOW, VEGAS IS A FUNNY TOWN.
IT'S EASY TO FORGET PEOPLE LIVE
THERE.
BUT THEY DO.
I MEAN, LOTS OF GOOD PEOPLE.
THESE PEOPLE SHOWED UP IN DROVES
TODAY TO DONATE BLOOD BECAUSE
IT'S THE ONLY THING THEY COULD
DO.
AND SO THEY DID IT.
BUT THERE IS MORE THAT WE CAN
DO, AND WE NEED TO DO IT.
AND THANK GOD FOR THE POLICE IN
LAS VEGAS WHO RISKED THEIR LIVES
TRYING TO LOCATE THE MAN WITH
THE GUN.
THANK GOD FOR THE DOCTORS AND
NURSES AND FIREFIGHTERS AND
PARAMEDICS WHO ROSE TO THE
OCCASION AS THEY ALWAYS SEEM TO
DO WHEN WE NEED THEM TO.
AND FOR THE CONCERT GOERS
THEMSELVES WHO HELPED EACH
OTHER, WHO THREW THEIR BODIES ON
TOP OF EACH OTHER, WHO DROVE
THEIR PRIVATE CARS FULL OF
PEOPLE WHO WERE BLEEDING TO THE
HOSPITAL.
YOU KNOW, DON'T FORGET THEM.
AND DON'T FORGET WHAT'S GOING ON
IN PUERTO RICO EITHER BECAUSE
JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT THE
LEAD STORY TODAY, THEY STILL
NEED HELP.
AND IF YOU WANT TO HELP EITHER
ONE OF THOSE CITIES, PUERTO
RICO'S NOT A CITY, OBVIOUSLY,
VEGAS OR PUERTO RICO, A GOOD WAY
TO DO THAT IS TO GIVE TO THE
AMERICAN RED CROSS.
THERE'S THE INFORMATION RIGHT
THERE ON THE SCREEN.
AND WE SEND ALL OUR LOVE TO OUR
FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN LAS VEGAS
AND TO EVERYONE AFFECTED BY THIS
TERRIBLE EVENT.
I'M SORRY FOR GETTING EMOTIONAL.
I'M NOT GREAT WITH THIS KIND OF
THING, BUT I JUST -- IT'S
IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW. 334 00:09:46,186 --> 00:00:00,000 [ APPLAUSE ]