CBS "Face the Nation with Bob Schieffer" - Transcript

Interview

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BOB SCHIEFFER: Congressman Ed Perlmutter represents Colorado's seventh district which includes Aurora. He is there this morning. Congressman, thank you for joining us.

You've been talking to your constituents almost nonstop since this happened. What do they want you to do? What do they think ought to be done now?

REPRESENTATIVE ED PERLMUTTER (D-Colorado): Well, I'll tell you a story of a young lady in pizza restaurant, in the mall right behind us, and I said, "If I had to share something on TV tomorrow, what would it be?" And she said to tell people to think about the folks who have been hurt in all of this and our community that's been hurt in all of this, and to get their sympathy and their prayers and thoughts because this is a great community. I'm not kidding about that. It hurts now. And young lady there knew two people who were shot in this thing. So it touches all of us.

BOB SCHIEFFER: Well, I hope you will pass--

REPRESENTATIVE ED PERLMUTTER: So that's what she wanted to say.

BOB SCHIEFFER: I hope you will pass on that-- they-- you certainly have the sympathy of all of us here and I think it's fair to say people across the country. What about the gun laws? Are people out there saying--

REPRESENTATIVE ED PERLMUTTER: Okay.

BOB SCHIEFFER: --it's time to tighten them up now or leave them like they are? What-- what's the sense now?

REPRESENTATIVE ED PERLMUTTER: Well, that conversation really isn't taking place, although I can tell you I pulled out of my driveway yesterday and a lady was walking her dog, and she said, "This has gone too far. We have got to do something." And so, you know, the mayor is saying this is all on the President's back or the presidential Candidates' back, Romney and President Obama. I think this is really a Congressional issue that has to be dealt with. You know, should we reinstate the assault weapons ban? I think we should; and I think that's where it starts. We ought to be taking a look at how this guy was able to accumulate so much ammunition. He had enough ammunition for, like, a small army. I mean, this is-- there's something wrong about that. So to that point, the-- the mayor is correct. But I think he's putting his finger on the wrong spot. This is a congressional issue.

BOB SCHIEFFER: And can we expect that you'll be talking about this a lot in the coming congressional session when Congress comes back?

REPRESENTATIVE ED PERLMUTTER: I don't think you-- we can avoid it. Carolyn McCarthy from New York, you know, has been a big ad-- big advocate--

BOB SCHIEFFER: All right.

REPRESENTATIVE ED PERLMUTTER: --in this arena and I'm going to be with her.

BOB SCHIEFFER: All right. Congressman, thank you so much. We're out of time. I appreciate you being with us. Back in a second.

REPRESENTATIVE ED PERLMUTTER: Thank you.

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