CNN "State of the Union" interviews during 2015: on Gun Control


Chris Christie: Gun restrictions based on terror watchlists is a state issue

Q: In the wake of the Paris attacks, Democrats are arguing that if someone is on a terror watch list or a no- fly list, they shouldn't be able to buy a gun. According to the Government Accountability Office, over the past decade, suspected terrorists exploited a loophole more than 2,000 times. As governor, you signed legislation to close the loophole in New Jersey. Do you support Dianne Feinstein's legislation to do this nationwide?

CHRISTIE: I think these are state-by-state determinations.

Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interview series: 2016 presidential hopefuls Nov 22, 2015

Donald Trump: Protect the Second Amendment, but address mental health

Q: You recently released a plan cast as protecting the Second Amendment, but you have also said that you think more needs to be done on the issue of mental health when it comes to people who are disturbed getting guns. Do you support the California law allowing judges to confiscate someone's gun if they are deemed to be a threat to themselves or others?

A: This is something to look into--people with mental health problems are on the streets who shouldn't be.

Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interview series: 2016 presidential hopefuls Sep 20, 2015

Bernie Sanders: Ban semiautomatic guns & gun show loophole

Q: Your Democratic rivals have been arguing that, when it comes to guns, you are out of step with liberal and progressive primary voters on the issue of gun control. One said that your gun votes had been driven by "political expediency," and that this is a dividing line between you and Hillary Clinton. Your response?

SANDERS: I have, as I understand it, a lifetime voting record from the NRA of D-minus. I voted very strongly for instant background checks. I want to see them made stronger, probably the most important thing that we can do. Number two, I voted in a state which has almost no gun control, not an easy vote--I voted against the NRA, and I voted to ban certain types of semiautomatic weapons. I voted to eliminate this gun show loophole which allows people to purchase guns without a background check. And, by the way, in addition to that, what I believe is, we need to do a lot, lot better job in terms of mental health in this country.

Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interview series: 2016 presidential hopefuls Aug 30, 2015

Chris Christie: Vetoed gun laws that were not about public safety

I'm a law enforcement guy, and so I always believe in making sure that public safety comes first. But much of what I have seen over the last six years in the gun area has not been about public safety. It's been about grandstanding by politicians. And that's why I vetoed the .50 caliber rifle. That's why I vetoed a reduction in the magazine capacity from 15 to 10. That's why I vetoed a statewide I.D. card for gun owners.
Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interview series: 2016 presidential hopefuls Aug 2, 2015

Donald Trump: Take guns from good people & bad people have target practice

Q: [With regards to a shooting in Lafayette, Louisiana] we have another case of someone with well-established mental health problems somehow able to legally buy a gun. What do you think needs to be done to stop this?

A: These are sick people. This has nothing to do with guns, this has to do with the mentality of these people. I'm a big Second Amendment person. I believe in it so strongly, and if you take the guns away from the good people, and the bad ones are going to have target practice.

Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interview series: 2016 presidential hopefuls Jul 26, 2015

Rick Perry: Laws are in place; it's enforcement that's lacking

Q: I know you oppose greater restrictions on gun control. But what more can the government be doing to make sure that guns are not falling into the hands of people with obvious mental and emotional problems?

A: I think we have the laws in place; enforcement of those laws is what seems to be lacking. We see individuals who were obviously mentally impacted. These were individuals who I think that somewhere, somebody didn't do their job in the standpoint of enforcing the laws that are only on the book. I will suggest to you that these concepts of gun free zones are a bad idea. I think that you allow the citizens of this country, who have been appropriately trained, appropriately backgrounded, know how to handle and use firearms to carry them.

Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interview series: 2016 presidential hopefuls Jul 26, 2015

Bernie Sanders: Guns in Vermont are for hunting; but in L.A. are for killing

Q: The parents of one of the 12 innocent people killed during the Aurora movie theater shooting, sued to hold ammunition sellers liable for the attack, but their lawsuit was dismissed. And one of the reasons was a law that you voted for which protects manufacturers of ammunition from being sued. Why did you vote that way?

SANDERS: We have been yelling and screaming at each other about guns for decades, with very little success. I come from a state that has virtually no gun control. But the people of my state understand, I think, pretty clearly, that guns in Vermont are not the same thing as guns in Chicago or guns in Los Angeles. In our state, guns are used for hunting. In Chicago, they're used for kids in gangs killing other kids or people shooting at police officers, shooting down innocent people. We need a sensible debate about gun control which overcomes the cultural divide that exists in this country. And I think I can play an important role in this.

Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interview series: 2016 presidential hopefuls Jul 5, 2015

Jeb Bush: Reduce gun violence and protect 2nd Amendment

Florida is a pro-gun state. Gun violence has dropped. There's a reason for it. We created a balance that's focused on lowering gun violence but protecting the Second Amendment, and it's a model for many other countries and many other states because of that. These cases of people who are just mentally deranged--we as a society better figure out how we identify these folks long before they feel compelled to take up a gun and kill innocent people.
Source: CNN Politics 2015 coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls Jun 27, 2015

  • The above quotations are from CNN "State of the Union" interviews during 2015
    (Candy Crowley interviewing candidates for 2015 and 2016 races).
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Gun Control.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Rand Paul on Gun Control.
  • Click here for more quotes by Jeb Bush on Gun Control.
2020 Presidential contenders on Gun Control:
  Democrats running for President:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN) 		Republicans running for President:
Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org!
Click for details -- or send donations to:
1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140
E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org
(We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Nov 30, 2021