>>> WE ARE IN VERY MEANINGFUL DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DEMOCRATS,
AND I THINK THE REPUBLICANS ARE
VERY UNIFIED.
VERY UNIFIED. WE ARE VERY STRONG ON OUR SECOND
AMENDMENT.
AMENDMENT. THE DEMOCRATS ARE NOT STRONG AT
ALL IN THE SECOND AMENDMENT.
I WOULD SAY THEY’RE WEAK ON THE
SECOND AMENDMENT AND WE HAVE TO
BE CAREFUL OF THAT.
YOU KNOW, THEY CALL IT THE
SLIPPERY SLOPE AND ALL OF A
SUDDEN EVERYTHING GETS TAKEN
AWAY.
AWAY. >> WELCOME BACK.
THAT WAS PRESIDENT TRUMP TODAY
WITH SOME FAMILIAR TALKING
POINTS ON THE ISSUE OF GUN LAWS,
LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AFTER HE
SAID HE DISAGREED WITH THE
SLIPPERY SLOPE LOGIC.
TODAY IS JUST THE LATEST IN
PRESIDENT TRUMP’S APPARENT
WALK-BACK ON GUN CONTROL.
HIS SHIFT IS ALSO OFFERING AN
OUT TO REPUBLICANS WARY OF
UNBELIEVABLE LEGISLATION.
UNBELIEVABLE LEGISLATION. TODAY POLITICO REPORTED THIS
ABOUT RON JOHNSON, QUOTE, I
REALLY DON’T SEE THE DYNAMIC
HAVING REALLY CHANGED THERE
MUCH, JOHNSON SAID OF AN EFFORT
TO STRENGTHEN BACKGROUND CHECKS
DURING GUN SALES, WHICH
GENERALLY POLLS AT AROUND 90%.
I DON’T ANTICIPATE WE’RE GOING
TO PASS A FEDERAL RED FLAG LAW.
DEMOCRATIC SENATOR CHRIS COONS
JOINS ME AND CALLED OUT THE
PRESIDENT FOR A FAILURE OF
LEADERSHIP ON GUNS.
SENATOR, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THE
PRESIDENT AND WHAT HE IS SAYING
NOW VERSUS WHAT HE SAID A WEEK
AGO?
AGO? DO YOU BELIEVE HE’S SHIFTED HIS
POSITION?
POSITION? DO YOU BELIEVE THAT FROM HIS
STANDPOINT BACKGROUND CHECKS ARE
NOW OFF THE TABLE?
>> WELL, STEVE, THIS IS PART OF
THE CHALLENGE OF NEGOTIATING
WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP ON ANY
DIFFICULT OR CONTROVERSIAL
ISSUE.
ISSUE. AS WE’VE SEEN SEVERAL TIMES IN
THE LAST TWO YEAR, THERE WILL BE
A MAJOR CIDENT, A MASS
SHOOTING, A MASS CASUALTY,
GUN-RELATED EVENT, AND HE WILL
INITIALLY SOUND VERY TOUGH, VERY
DETERMINED, VERY BRAVE ABOUT
WHETHER IT’S BUMP STOCKS AFTER
THE LAS VEGAS SHOOTING ORBACH
BACKS AFTER THE MORE RECENT
SHOOTING SAYING WE NEED TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE AND
HAVING GREAT CONVERSATIONS
ENCOURAGING CONVERSATIONS WITH
SENATORS OF BOTH PARTIES JUST
TWO WEEKS AGO, NOW WE’RE SEEING
HIM WALK AWAY FROM THAT.
I THINK IT’S CLEAR ONLY WITH
PRESIDENTIAL LEADERSHIP, ONLY
WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP BEING
WILLING TO STAND UP TO THE NRA,
WILL THERE BE ENOUGH REPUBLICANS
IN THE SENATE FOR US TO MOVE
SOMETHING FORWARD.
SOMETHING FORWARD. SENATOR TOOMEY OF PENNSYLVANIA
AND I ARE CO-SPONSORING A
NOTIFICATION ACT THAT WOULD
HOPEFULLY BE PART OF A PACKAGE
THAT WOULD INCLUDE STRENGTHENED
BACKGROUND CHECKS, THE BILL AND
THE SO-CALLED RED FLAG LAW THAT
HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT AND I’VE
HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH ALL THESE
SENATORS IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY ONLY
PRESIDENTIAL LEADERSHIP WILL GET
THIS DONE AND FROM WHAT YOU JUST
PLAYED, STEVE, I’M CONCERNED HE
IS ONCE AGAIN WALKING BACK FROM
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR REAL
LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE.
>> WE PLAYED THAT CLIP TOO.
HE SAID HE’S HAVING VERY
MEANINGFUL, HIS WORDS THERE,
VERY MEANINGFUL DISCUSSIONS WITH
DEMOCRATS.
DEMOCRATS. YOU WERE SAYING, I THINK THE
WORD YOU USED WAS GREAT
DISCUSSION, GREAT CONVERSATION
TWO WEEKS AGO.
HAVE THERE BEEN ONGOING
CONVERSATIONS?
CONVERSATIONS? HAS THERE BEEN AN ONGOING
DIALOGUE BETWEEN DEMOCRATS AND
THE ADMINISTRATION SINCE THEN?
>> YES, I BELIEVE THERE WAS A
MEETING LAST WEEK.
I WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND IT AT
THE WHITE HOUSE WITH A HALF
DOZEN LEGISLATORS.
DOZEN LEGISLATORS. I KNOW THERE’S BEEN OUTREACH BY
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE
ADMINISTRATION AND I GOT AN
UPDATE ON THAT YESTERDAY FROM
SENATOR MANCHIN.
SENATOR MANCHIN. MY GENERAL SENSE THEY CONTINUE
TO EXPLORE WHAT’S POSSIBLE,
WHAT’S ENACTABLE BUT, FRANKLY,
THE PRESIDENT HAS TO LEAD HERE.
THE THING THAT WILL MAKE THE
DECISIVE DIFFERENCE IS THE
PRESIDENT TAKING A POINT AND
STICKING TO IT AND SAYING, NOW
IS THE TIME FOR US TO FINALLY
STRENGTHEN BACKGROUND CHECKS,
FOR EXAMPLE, OR TO FINALLY MAKE
A LASTING DIFFERENCE IN HOW
EMERGENCY RISK PROTECTION ORDERS
OR SO-CALLED RED FLAG LAWS ARE
ENACTED IN THIS COUNTRY.
I THINK WE SHOULD DO NOTHING
LESS THAN THE TOOMEY/MANCHIN
BILL WHICH ADDS SEVERAL OTHER
PROPOSED PIECES OF LEGISLATION
LIKE THE BILL I HAVE WITH PAT
TOOMEY TO MAKE SURE LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT IS NOTIFIED -- IF A
FELON TRIES TO BUY, LIE AND TRY,
IF YOU TRY TO BUY A GUN AS A
PERSON PROHIBITED STATE LAW
ENFORCEMENT WOULD BE NOTIFIED.
WE NEED A STRONG PACKAGE OF
SEVERAL BILLS LIKE THAT THAT
WOULD INCLUDE THE BACKGROUND
CHECK STRENGTHENING BILL BUT
FRANKLY WHAT’S GOING TO MATTER
MOST WHAT POSITION THE PRESIDENT
FINALLY TAKES WITH WE COME BACK
INTO SESSION AFTER LABOR DAY AND
WHETHER OR NOT HE’S WILLING TO
STAND UP TO THE NRA.
>> WHERE HE SEEMS TO BE RIGHT
NOW, IT’S THE EXTENT YOU CAN
DISCERN THIS, IT SEEMS TO BE
MORE ENTHUSIASM ON THE
PRESIDENT’S PART FOR A SO-CALLED
RED FLAG LAW, SEE AGAIN WHAT THE
FINAL READOUT IS ON BACKGROUND
CHECKS.
CHECKS. BUT IF THE PUSH FROM THE
ADMINISTRATION IS, HEY,
CONGRESS, PASS A RED FLAG LAW,
IF THE PUSH FROM REPUBLICANS IN
THE SENATE IS, RED FLAG LAW, IS
THAT SOMETHING YOU COULD VOTE
FOR IF THERE WERE NO OTHER
ACTION ON GUN CONTROL OR WOULD
YOU ATTACH THOSE TWO?
WOULD YOU SAY, I’M ONLY GOING TO
VOTE FOR A RED FLAG LAW IF
THERE’S A VOTE ON BACKGROUND
CHECKS?
CHECKS? >> I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A VOTE
ON BACKGROUND CHECKS IF AT THE
END OF THE DAY WE ONLY PASS
SOMETHING LIKE THE EMERGENCY
RISK PROTECTION ORDER BILL, YOU
KNOW, I THINK WE HAVE TO BE
WILLING TO LOOK AT MAKING SOME
PROGRESS IN THE FACE OF THE
NATIONWIDE TRAGEDY OF REPEATED
GUN VIOLENCE INCIDENTS, BUT,
FRANKLY, THIS IS ALSO AN
IMPORTANT MOMENT, STEVE, FOR US
TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE YAWNING
GULF BETWEEN THE PROPOSALS OF
EVERY DEMOCRAT WHO’S RUNNING FOR
PRESIDENT AND THE WILLINGNESS OF
THIS PRESIDENT, OUR CURRENT
PRESIDENT, TO TAKE ANY TOUGH
STANCE.
STANCE. JOE BIDEN, WHO YOU KNOW I
SUPPORT HAS A VERY STRONG
FORWARD-LEANING POSITION ON
ATTACKING GUN VIOLENCE, HE AS
ONE OF THE CO-AUTHORS OF THE ’94
CRIME BILL TOOK ON THE NRA AND
WAS SUCCESSFUL IN BETTING AN
ASSAULT RIFLE WEAPONS BAN PASSED
IN THE ’90s AND EVERY CANDIDATE
ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE HAS
STRONGER POSITIONS ON BACKGROUND
CHECKS AND SO-CALLED RED FLAG
LAWS AND INVESTING MORE ON
MENTAL HEALTH MAKING SURE WE DO
EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE OUR
COMMUNITY SAFER TAN OUR CURRENT
PRESIDENT SO THIS IS A SPECIAL
OPPORTUNITY, AN OPENING FOR THE
PRESIDENT TO LEAD, WE SHOULD
TAKE A VOTE ON BACKGROUND
CHECKS.
CHECKS. BUT, FRANKLY WE SHOULD ALSO BE
WILLING TO WORK ACROSS THE AISLE
TO MAKE PROGRESS.
>> I’M CURIOUS WHAT YOU THINK.
YOU’RE A POLITICIAN.
YOU’RE SURROUNDED.
YOU’RE SURROUNDED. YOU WORK WITH POLITICIANS,
POLITICIANS DO RESPOND GENERALLY
TO THEIR PERCEIVED POLITICAL
INCENTIVES.
INCENTIVES. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE POLLING ON
BACKGROUND CHECKS, THIS IS
SOMETHING FOLKS HAVE BEEN
SITTING FOR YEAR, IT’S AT 90% IS
THE NUMBER IN OUR NEWEST POLL
THAT CUT AS CROSS --
>> IT’S OVERWHELMING.
>> I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, THIS
ISN’T THE FIRST TIME BACKGROUND
CHECKS HAVE SORT OF BEEN ON THE
TABLE.
TABLE. I REMEMBER THE SENATE BACK IN
2013, IT GOT PHILLY BUSTERED BUT
THEY WERE ON THE TABLE THEN, THE
POLLING LOOKED THE SAME, THE
PREDICTIONS FROM BACKGROUND
CHECK S WAS ANY SENATOR WHO
BLOCKS IT WILL PAY A PRICE.
NONE DID.
NONE DID. HOW COME THAT DOESN’T SEEM TO
TRANSLATE INTO A POLITICAL PRICE
FOR FOLKS WHO DEFY IT.
>> I WOULD DILSSAGREE.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SUBURBAN
DISTRICTS IN PHILADELPHIA, THERE
ARE FOUR SUBURBAN DISTRICTS THAT
WERE PREVIOUSLY REPRESENTED BY
REPUBLICANS AND ARE TODAY
REPRESENTED BY FRESHMEN
DEMOCRATS AND IN ALL FOUR OF
THOSE DISTRICTS I THINK
POSITIONS TAKEN BY THE TWO
PARTIES ON A WILLINGNESS TO TAKE
SOME ACTION ON BACKGROUND CHECKS
AND GUN CONTROL PLAYED A CENTRAL
ROLE IN THOSE ELECTIONS AND I
THINK IT’S PARTLY WHY THE HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES IS DEMOCRATIC
CONTROLLED AT THIS POINT.
WHAT I’VE SEEN IN POLLING,
STEVE, IS THAT I A MAJORITY OF G
OWNERS SUPPORT RESPONSIBLE
BACKGROUND CHECK LEGISLATION,
90% OF BACKGROUND CHECKS THROUGH
OUR SYSTEM ARE CLEARED IN A
MINUTE OR LESS.
THIS IS NOT AN OVERLY BURDENSOME
SYSTEM AND IT HELPS MAKE SURE
THAT WE KEEP GUNS OUT OF THE
HANDS OF PEOPLE WHO SHOULDN’T
HAVE THEM, AND IN INCIDENT AFTER
INCIDENT WHERE LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICERS AS RECENTLY HAPPENED IN
PHILADELPHIA ARE SHOT AT OR SHOT
BY INDIVIDUALS WHO SHOULD NOT
HAVE WEAPONS, IT JUST
STRENGTHENS THESE CALLS FOR US
TO DO A BETTER JOB OF ENFORCING
THE LAWS ON THE BOOKS AND
STRENGTHENING THE LAWS ON THE
BOOKS.