During an interview on “State of the Union” on Sunday, host Jake Tapper pushed back on Booker’s claim that any of his proposed laws could have prevented this shooting.
“How would your plan have stopped this tragedy, if at all?” Tapper asked.
Booker explained that his plan is “bold” and “evidence-based,” but failed to tie it to the shooting in Virginia Beach.
Cory Booker Struggles to Explain How Any of His Gun Policies Would Have Prevented Virginia Beach Shooting00:00/04:4200:00Next Video×
“This idea that we are helpless to stop this, the evidence points differently. We know that everything like licensing like Connecticut dropped gun violence in their state by 40%, suicides by 15%. We know there are communities like Oakland that did things, by treating gun violence like a public health problem and investing in communities and empowering them, they were able to lower gun violence. I have a comprehensive plan that people say is bold. But I’ll tell you what, it’s not bold. It’s common sense evidence-based things we can do to lower gun violence.”
Tapper cut Booker off and asked, “I’m sorry to interrupt, but you keep saying we’re not helpless. So I’m saying: What would have prevented this tragedy? I mean, I think that’s one of the issues that people wonder about when there are these horrible tragedies. What steps specifically would have stopped the massacre in Virginia Beach?” – READ MORE