Sanders: ‘We Need a National Dialogue’ on Gun Control
STEPHANOPOULOS: “Rising in the polls, that means you’re drawing fire as well, particularly in your record on guns. A super PAC allied with Martin O’Malley put out a video this week. And here is part of it.”
[clip starts]
NN FEMALE: “Bernie Sanders voted against the Brady Bill?”
NN MALE: “And Bernie Sanders voted against gun manufacturers’ protection from victim law suits?”
NN FEMALE: “The NRA even paid for ads attacks Sanders opponents.”
NN FEMALE: “Bernie Sanders is no progressive when it comes to guns.”
[clip ends]
STEPHANOPOULOS: “I saw you smiling when it was being played. What’s your response?”
SANDERS: “Well, I think the people of Vermont know differently. They know in every single race that I have run, with the exception of one, the NRA and the gun lobbies and the people who are most interested in guns supported my opponent. I have a lifetime voting record with the NRA somewhere between D and F. Coming from a state that has virtually no gun control at all. I cast what I think was a pretty brave vote banning assault weapons, doing away with the gun show loophole and fighting for instant background checks so that we make sure that guns do not fall in the hands of those people who should not have it. So, it’s a strong record. But let me tell you this, George, in terms of gun control, if we are finally going to have any serious success, what we need to do is bridge this cultural divide between rural America — and I represent the very rural state — and urban America and come up with some common sense legislation which includes everything that I’ve just voted for and may be more. But one thing we can’t have, we can’t have people demagoguing against folks just because they go out and hunt and they own guns. On the other hand, rural America has got to understand that guns in Vermont are not the same thing as guns in Chicago where they’re used to kill kids or shoot at police officers. So I think we need a national dialogue. And frankly, coming from a state that has virtually gun control, but having voted time and time and time again for strong gun control, I think I’m in a position to make that happen.”
