{"id":2265,"date":"2018-02-18T12:33:24","date_gmt":"2018-02-18T17:33:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/press.nbcnews.com\/?p=2265"},"modified":"2018-02-18T12:33:24","modified_gmt":"2018-02-18T17:33:24","slug":"mtp-exclusive-lankford-says-the-problem-is-not-owning-an-ar-15-its-the-person-that-owns-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nbcuniversalnewsgroup.com\/nbcnews\/2018\/02\/18\/mtp-exclusive-lankford-says-the-problem-is-not-owning-an-ar-15-its-the-person-that-owns-it\/","title":{"rendered":"MTP EXCLUSIVE: LANKFORD SAYS \u2018THE PROBLEM IS NOT OWNING AN AR-15\u2019 IT\u2019S \u2018THE PERSON THAT OWNS IT\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

EXCLUSIVE: Sanders: \u201cNobody in our campaign was interviewed\u201d by Mueller<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

EXCLUSIVE: Sanders: Obama \u201cwas in a very difficult position\u201d on Russia meddling, “maybe he should have done more\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

PLUS: Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Runcie: \u201cWe need a smarter system\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

PLUS: Marjory Stoneman Douglas students: \u201cAttention is on us now\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

February 18, 2018 \u2013 In an exclusive interview this morning on \u201cMeet the Press,\u201d Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) <\/strong>told moderator Chuck Todd: \u201cThe problem is not owning an AR-15,\u201d it\u2019s \u201cthe person that owns it,\u201d and added that the issue is the individual, \u201cnot the weapon that they’re holding.”<\/p>\n

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<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) <\/strong>also exclusively joined the program, telling Todd that \u201cnobody in our campaign was interviewed\u201d by Special Counsel Mueller, adding that what he read in the indictment report was \u201ckind of old news.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked about Rep. Adam Schiff\u2019s (D-Calif.) recent comments on the Obama Administration\u2019s handling of the Russian interference in the 2016 election, Sanders said: \u201cObama 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.\u201d And, on President Trump not speaking out on the issue, Sanders stated: \u201cthat we don\u2019t have a president speaking out on this issue is a horror show.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sanders also addressed the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School telling Todd that \u201cRepublicans are going to have to say that it\u2019s more important to protect the children of this country than to antagonize the NRA.\u201d Watch the full interview with Sen. Bernie Sanders<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In the wake of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, five of the school\u2019s students, Jaclyn Corin<\/strong>, Emma Gonzalez<\/strong>, David Hogg<\/strong>, Cameron Kasky<\/strong> and Alex Wind<\/strong> also joined \u201cMeet the Press\u201d this morning, announcing \u201cMarch for Our Lives,\u201d a nationwide event and march in Washington, and telling Todd that the \u201cattention is on us now<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Broward County Public Schools Superintendent<\/strong> Robert Runcie<\/strong> also joined the program, telling Todd: \u201cwe 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.\u201d Watch the interview<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Democratic strategist Cornell Belcher<\/strong>, NBC News\u2019 Hallie Jackson<\/strong> and Carol Lee<\/strong> and CNBC\u2019s Rick Santelli<\/strong> joined this morning\u2019s roundtable<\/a> for additional insight and analysis, where they also discussed the president’s response to Special Counsel Mueller’s latest indictments<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Read the full transcript of this morning\u2019s \u201cMeet the Press\u201d on MeetThePress.com.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

For more from moderator Chuck Todd throughout the week, sign up for the \u201cFirst Read\u201d newsletter<\/a>, and subscribe to \u201c1947: The Meet The Press Podcast\u201d<\/a> for on-demand interviews.<\/p>\n

MANDATORY CREDIT: NBC NEWS\u2019 \u201cMEET THE PRESS WITH CHUCK TODD\u201d\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n