EXCLUSIVE: Sanders: “Nobody in our campaign was interviewed” by Mueller
EXCLUSIVE: Sanders: Obama “was in a very difficult position” on Russia meddling, “maybe he should have done more”
PLUS: Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Runcie: “We need a smarter system”
PLUS: Marjory Stoneman Douglas students: “Attention is on us now”
February 18, 2018 – In an exclusive interview this morning on “Meet the Press,” Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) told moderator Chuck Todd: “The problem is not owning an AR-15,” it’s “the person that owns it,” and added that the issue is the individual, “not the weapon that they’re holding.”
When asked if it should be harder to purchase an AR-15, Lankford exclusively replied: “I actually don’t think it should be. I think what should be is difficult for any person with any kind of criminal background history, domestic violence, mental instability, all of those things, regardless. I don’t care whether they’re buying a 22 pistol or an AR-15.” Watch the full interview with Sen. James Lankford.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) also exclusively joined the program, telling Todd that “nobody in our campaign was interviewed” by Special Counsel Mueller, adding that what he read in the indictment report was “kind of old news.”
When asked about Rep. Adam Schiff’s (D-Calif.) recent comments on the Obama Administration’s handling of the Russian interference in the 2016 election, Sanders said: “Obama was in a very difficult position. He did not want to make it look like he was favoring Hillary Clinton. Maybe he should have done more.” And, on President Trump not speaking out on the issue, Sanders stated: “that we don’t have a president speaking out on this issue is a horror show.”
Sanders also addressed the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School telling Todd that “Republicans are going to have to say that it’s more important to protect the children of this country than to antagonize the NRA.” Watch the full interview with Sen. Bernie Sanders.
In the wake of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, five of the school’s students, Jaclyn Corin, Emma Gonzalez, David Hogg, Cameron Kasky and Alex Wind also joined “Meet the Press” this morning, announcing “March for Our Lives,” a nationwide event and march in Washington, and telling Todd that the “attention is on us now.”
Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie also joined the program, telling Todd: “we need a smarter system. We need a smarter infrastructure where various agencies, departments, school systems, they’re working in a more integrated and collaborative fashion to ensure that we can share data, we can share information, to enhance our level of effectiveness.” Watch the interview.
Democratic strategist Cornell Belcher, NBC News’ Hallie Jackson and Carol Lee and CNBC’s Rick Santelli joined this morning’s roundtable for additional insight and analysis, where they also discussed the president’s response to Special Counsel Mueller’s latest indictments.
Read the full transcript of this morning’s “Meet the Press” on MeetThePress.com.
For more from moderator Chuck Todd throughout the week, sign up for the “First Read” newsletter, and subscribe to “1947: The Meet The Press Podcast” for on-demand interviews.
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NBC NEWS’ “MEET THE PRESS WITH CHUCK TODD”
“Meet the Press with Chuck Todd” is where newsmakers come to make news — setting the political agenda and spotlighting the impact Washington decision-making has on Americans across the country. It is the #1 most-watched Sunday public affairs show across the board for the 2016-2017 season, reaching more than three million viewers every Sunday and millions more through social, digital and on-demand platforms. “Meet the Press” brings its authority and influencer interviews to MSNBC with “MTP Daily” weekdays at 5 p.m. ET and to the “1947: The Meet the Press Podcast”. It’s the longest-running show in television history, having celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2017 with the launch of its first-ever film festival in collaboration with the American Film Institute this November. Chuck Todd is the political director of NBC News and the moderator of “Meet the Press“; John Reiss is the executive producer.
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