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bjbj JUDY WOODRUFF: We turn to the aftermath of the shooting in Connecticut, as the community
continues to mourn its losses in Connecticut, resume some routine, and consider its own
role in a national conversation on what steps should now be taken. Ray Suarez begins our
coverage with this report. RAY SUAREZ: A hearse arrived this morning at Saint Rose of Lima
Catholic Church in Newtown carrying the body of 6-year-old James Mattioli, one of the slain
first graders from Sandy Hook Elementary School. Hours later, a church bell tolled as mourners
greeted another small white casket at the funeral for Jessica Rekos, also 6. Meanwhile,
students from other local schools returned to class, in buses adorned with ribbons bearing
Sandy Hook's colors. Police were on hand, as were counselors. JOHN SOLLAZZO, Connecticut
Police Officer: Making the kids safe and happy, that's all we're here for, is to make sure
that they are safe and happy. RAY SUAREZ: Sandy Hook itself remains closed. Plans call
for its students to be sent to a now vacant school in nearby Monroe, but it was unclear
when. Back in Washington, a string of Democratic members of Congress took to the House floor,
calling for new gun legislation. REP. JANICE HAHN, D-Calif.: We need to pass bold, necessary,
overdue gun control legislation. If we do not, this will happen again. REP. GERRY CONNOLLY,
D-Va.: Twenty innocents and their six teachers. More tears. More burials. But will we heed
its meaning? Will we break the gun lobby's spell? RAY SUAREZ: Outside the Capitol, the
head of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence said Sandy Hook has altered the political
equation on guns. DAN GROSS, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence: They say Friday's
horrific mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School changed everything. And it has. It
is a tipping point. RAY SUAREZ: And White House spokesman Jay Carney announced President
Obama will back a push for new legislation. JAY CARNEY, White House: He is actively supportive
of, for example, Senator Feinstein's stated intent to revive a piece of legislation that
would reinstate the assault weapons ban. He supports and would support legislation that
addresses the problem of the so-called gun show loophole. RAY SUAREZ: Late today, the
National Rifle Association offered its first statement on the killings, saying it was shocked,
saddened and heartbroken. The group called a Friday news conference and promised meaningful
contributions to prevent any future massacres. GWEN IFILL: We interviewed Sen. Dianne Feinstein
last night about her push to renew the assault weapons ban. Now we hear another perspective.
Virginia Sen. Mark Warner is a Democrat who received an A-rating from the National Rifle
Association. Sen. Warner, welcome. We heard that yesterday after the shootings in Newtown,
you said that this was a game-changer. What do you mean by that? SEN. MARK WARNER D-Va.:
Well, Gwen, I'm a strong Second Amendment rights supporter. I own firearms. On my farm,
I have actually got shooting range. But Friday afternoon, my daughters, who had all come
home from college, said, dad, you know, how did this happen? And what are you going to
do about it? And just as a father, the horror of what happened in Connecticut coming on
the heels of tragedies at Virginia Tech years before, the tragedy in Colorado, and it seems
like about every six or nine months, one of these incidents happening in America, makes
me say, you know, enough is enough. There's got to be a rational way to sort through this.
I'm not saying I have got a perfect piece of legislation. I don't think there is a single
perfect piece of legislation. But in a country where we have got 30,000 gun deaths a year,
there's got to be a way that we can do a bit more. And I hope that responsible gun owners
around America will join in this conversation as well. I think we have got to recognize
that it is about rational, appropriate gun rules, but also about mental health issues.
And my hope is our country takes a deep breath and doesn't just simply get exercised by this
for a few moments and then push this horrible tragedy back into the background and forget
about it. GWEN IFILL: Assuming that there is not one single solution here, let's talk
about what you mean when you say rational gun control. Sen. Feinstein says an assault
weapons ban would be rational. Would you agree with that? MARK WARNER: I think that, from
the evidence I have seen, that a lot of the challenge comes around the speed by which
you can shoot, in effect, these multiple magazines in terms of how rapidly they can be discharged.
Now, there's a whole series of different negotiations about what qualifies as an assault weapon
and what doesn't. I think there will be time for that kind of conversation. We have got
to find a way to sort through to where there is an ability for law-abiding citizens still
to possess firearms -- nobody is going to take away your shotgun -- but to make sure
that these kinds of weapons that in many cases were developed for our military and have become
extraordinarily, lethally effective killing machines for our military are now in the hands
of people that are just not appropriate. GWEN IFILL: The governor of your home state of
Virginia has said that he thinks that maybe you should consider arming teachers in classrooms.
The governor of Michigan, who is another Republican, said today -- decided to veto a conceal carry
law in Michigan. Which of these is the right approach? MARK WARNER: Well, quite honestly,
I'm not sure either of those are the right approach. I don't -- I think what we need
is to be able to have a conversation, and be able to have a debate about this. But I'm
not sure the notion that, as I have heard some members of Congress say, that if each
teacher had been armed that somehow this would have prevented a tragedy. I believe that we
need to look at mental health issues. I think we need a reexamination of some of our gun
restrictions. And my hope is, is that this doesn't break down on kind of a red shirt/blue
shirt, Democrat/Republican kind of issue. GWEN IFILL: You mentioned the NRA. Let me
ask you about that. They put out a statement today, after having not said much about this,
saying that they -- the National Rifle Association of America is made up of four million moms
and dads, sons and daughters, and that they are planning a news conference to talk about
that, but they are prepared to make what they describe as meaningful contributions to help
make sure this never happens again. What would you like to hear the NRA -- you're a member
of the NRA. You're supported by the NRA. What would you like to hear them say as -- contribute
as a meaningful contribution? MARK WARNER: What are the instruments here that are being
used? Are there guns that were developed by the military as technology has advanced and
has allowed our soldiers to become better, more effective in Iraq and Afghanistan? Should
all of those weapons be able to be slightly modified and then sold on a commercial market?
What kind of -- how much restraint does it put on a lawful target shooter if they want
to have to change out a clip after every 10 shells or -- 10 or 15 shells? I'm not sure
what the right number should be here. But I think the NRA ought to have a voice in this
conversation as well. I think they can go ahead again, reassure that nobody is going
to be out trying to say we need to take away your shotgun or take away the kind of components
that are part of American culture in terms of the right to hunt, the right to enjoy the
outdoors with firearms. But I do think that simply saying that the status quo is acceptable
and bemoaning another tragedy six or nine months from now, without any real close examination
of seeing what laws and rules and regulations need to be changed, would be a real mistake
and wouldn't do -- wouldn't be the appropriate honoring the legacy of those poor kids that
lives were taken. And, quite honestly, I have to give my three daughters a better answer
than I gave them on Friday night. I have got to be able to say, you know, I was part of
trying to at least get some level of solution, so this kind of tragedy doesn't happen again.
GWEN IFILL: Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, thank you so much for joining us. MARK WARNER:
Thank you, Gwen. JUDY WOODRUFF: Tomorrow night, we will talk with Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman.
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place urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags PersonName JUDY WOODRUFF: We turn to the aftermath
of the shooting in Connecticut, as the community continues to mourn its losses in Connecticut,
resume some routine, and consider its own role in a national conversation on what steps
should now be taken Normal Microsoft Office Word JUDY WOODRUFF: We turn to the aftermath
of the shooting in Connecticut, as the community continues to mourn its losses in Connecticut,
resume some routine, and consider its own role in a national conversation on what steps
should now be taken Title Microsoft Office Word Document MSWordDoc Word.Document.8