mitch mcconnell is under enormous pressure to do something on gun legislation. a lot of democrats want him to reconvene the senate. they're off until mid-september. what's he going to do? >> i would like to think he's feeling the pressure. democrats have made him essentially the bogeyman number one saying he's the one that's leading to the inaction on this in the congress and certainly the nation is still reeling from this horrible tragedy. i think that's why we saw, in part, mcconnell's office say he's taking this serious. his statement seemed to indicate more than he typically does that the senate will act in some way saying the senate stands prepared to act. we have seen this pressure before, intensify on him. we've seen this putter out before. i don't think anyone on the hill is holding their breath. >> he needs cover from the president. if the president were to tell him to do something, he would do it. >> i'm not so convinced. he won't do anything without the president's commitment. there's no doubt you are right. >> the president took the initiative, we ne

mitch mcconnell should put the vote on the floor. i believe everybody should have to stand and speak on this issue and be held accountable. those votes aren't distinguishing between a republican and a democrat. those children going to school every day in fear of a gunman roaming the halls of the school could care less if you are a democrat or a republican. the american people have a right to expect on certain issues we not act in a way that's about partnership but about the best interest of the health and well-being and safety of the american people. >> senator, mitch mcconnell put out a statement. let me read part of it to you. he said senate republicans are prepared to do their part. he's asked committees to reflect on the president's policy proposals that were spelled out today. what are the chances that this leads to legislation that could potentially be signed into law? >> frankly, wolf, you know washington, d.c. th this is in the hands of one person and it's mitch mcconnell. i hope and pray he urnszs he has the power to do the

this issue is going to plague this administration and mitch mcconnell until we start taking action. this is not the last of the kinds of mass shootings that we will see this year. we will typically see more than 250. we've already seen 253 this year. more than 39,000 people were shot and killed last year from guns. so there will be another one. i say that with great pain. but it is not going away and we're certainly not going to let it go away, let me point out the background check bill is a modest provision that closes loopholes in an existing law. so this is not a heavy lift for mitch mcconnell, for the president, or for the senate. >> what is stopping them, do you think? >> well, in the past what stopped them is the nra. now maybe the president is recognizing that the nra is not going to get him re-elected like they did the first time with a $30 million contribution and that he has to recognize that this is a very modest proposal but should be on the books. there is about 180,000 people every year that are declined guns because of background checks. now, that number will grow if

it is sitting on mitch mcconnell's desk since february. the senate should pass those bills, then the house would send over other proposals to reduce gun violence. mitch mcconnell needs to do his job, bring senate in session. they have been sitting on his desk for months. >> he made it clear they're not coming back during the recess until mid september. there's been talk of your committee, the judiciary committee returning to washington during the summer recess to vote on gun control measures. would that put pressure on the senate majority leader to act? >> absolutely. would give us opportunity to remind the american people we have passed two important gun safety measures that save lives sitting on mitch mcconnell's desk. if the judiciary committee comes back, we can passe' digsal gun safety legislation, send that to the floor to keep pressure on mitch mcconnell. we have a gun violence epidemic in this country, it is time mitch mcconnell is willing to stand up to the power of the gun lobby, do what's right for the country. i hope by coming

that are sitting on mitch mcconnell's desk. it's the great frustration for us. one man has basically stopped our democracy from working. and i guess the best thing we can do right now is keep fighting, keep pushing it forward, keep describing to the american public what america could look like if we would get a republican leader in the senate that would allow us to have debate and votes on these bills. >> let's go to the protest in hong kong. very significant. you said this, your message to the protesters earlier, to those standing up for freedom and human rights in hong kong we are with you in the fight against oppression. are you satisfied with what you're hearing from president trump? >> not at all. i was very disappointed by trump's comments. he said i hope they can work it out. i hope it's good for china too. this is a really interesting experiment where we have one country in two different forms of government. people in hong kong have been a democracy for a long time. they obviously are very reluctant to give up extradition rights and to give up their demo

we need to put pressure on mitch mcconnell to bring the senate back to session. it is insulting when mitch mcconnell says it is premature to have a conversation about this. was it premature to do it after sandy hook? was it premature to do it after charleston? would it be premature to do it after pulse or las vegas or parkland, santa fe. i could go on and on, jim, there will be another city sadly until we find political courage in the senate to do something. one last point, jim. if you are a senator who is running for president, you have a unique position no one else has. you can go to the senate floor when the senate reopens and filibuster and stand until your legs give in, speak until your lungs give out, force a vote so we know where every senator stands. >> you're calling on former rivals who are senators to do. >> absolutely. and they do a great job of it. i would love to hear from them. >> congressman, thank you very much. >>> just ahead, live interview with democratic candidate kamala harris. she's a senator, campaigning in iowa. a reaction to the presiden

that mitch mcconnell is reluctant to do background checks. the first part, whether the president want to do it, who knows? it is what he says. today. but his white house, he has issued a veto threat for a house bill that does exactly. that maybe he does a little bit more. there has been no action other than proof of the opposite. the fact that he doesn't want to do a background check bill. he's only talked about it and changed his mind. the thing that's different this time with the president versus last time there was discussion after las vegas, after the massacre there, the last time the nra changed the president's mind, he was in discussions and it almost happened. the nra changed the president's mind. and apparently the president is telling his aides that he doesn't think the nra is as powerful right now because they have a lot of chaos at the top. could that be an important changer for the president? we don't know. what is ivanka trump's role? >> we don't know yet. it seems like she's inserting herself into all this. jackie made that poin

who wins this fight, lindsey graham or mitch mcconnell? >> mitch mcconnell is the leader, although with lindsey graham these days you never know who he's going to side with, and i think it would be an epic battle, which is why i believe that ruth bader ginsburg is going to remain on that court. she knows what would occur. >> could you create a youtube channel with all the things lindsey graham said about the president before he was president and now he says the exact opposite. so i'm a little bit skeptical that he would continue to say we're not going to fill the vacancy, should there be a vacancy this or next year. so mitch mcconnell has known one speed when it comes to judicial nominations and that's fast. he has completely reshaped the judiciary from his perch, and he looks at it as much of a legacy issue as president trump. so there's no reason to think why they would stop, and he doesn't care if he looks hypocritical because of what happened with merritt garland. that's not his concern. >> david, traditionally republican voters have b

he should be talking to the leaders of congress, mcconnell, chuck schumer, nancy pelosi, all in a room talking about how we pass universal background checks. background checks are the law of this country, we just have an enormous loophole with these gun shows. that's what i would do. he should be putting limits on certain military-style weapons, which we did before. we need to be doing that again. then there's other things. i won't be consulting with the fra in making these decision. >> joe biden, your rival, had this to say on the issue of white supremacy. let's watch this. >> reporter: do you believe -- >> i believe everything he's said and done encourages white supremacists. and it there may not be a distinct, you're in fact trying to curry the favor of white supremacists. >> do you agree with that assessment, congressman? >> yeah. i mean, i do with the sentiments that the vice president is putting forth there. this is the point. the president has the most important microphone, most important loudspeaker, bully pulpit, whatever you call it, not only in the united states of america,

so mitch mcconnell focusing on the president. the president seems to be dragging his heels this issue differently than say, the trade war and even immigration. and so if anything is going to be done, i firmly believe it would take a republican president to do it. ? it is coming at a time, given the internal scandal within the organization. that having been said, congress isn't coming back. these headlines keep coming back every single day. police officers, whether it is people at a nightclub. people at a walmart. so until this issue is handled in a priority type manner, we're going to see it. >> six police officers have been shot. we're told, maybe not life threatening situations. they've been taken to two hospitals in philadelphia. this may have been some sort of drug bust or something along those lines. it is obviously a very, very disturbing development. in the city hall of philadelphia is the move bombing in 1985. there was a stand-off with a fringe group in philadelphia that ultimately led to the police dropping an incendiar

. >> i spoke to mitch mcconnell yesterday. he's totally onboard. >> reporter: but his optimism is at odds with what the gop has said publicly. the senate majority leader signaled thursday he's open to considering new legislation -- >> the key to this, honestly, is making a law and not making a point. >> reporter: but his office has made clear he's endorsed nothing yet. >> this isn't a question of nra, republican, or democrat. >> reporter: the president also says he's confident he can persuade the gun lobby. >> i had a good talk with wayne. >> reporter: sources tell cnn nra chief wayne lapierre warned trump his base isn't on board with tougher background checks. >> i think in the end, wayne and the nra will either be there or maybe we'll be a little bit more neutral. >> reporter: and after the shooting in parkland, florida, it was the gun lobby that ultimately swayed the president. asked why the country should believe him now, trump said he never changed his mind. >> i never said what i'm saying now. >> reporter: asked what his

it is time for mitch mcconnell to not only stand up to the president, but to stand up and be a leader to get those two pieces of legislation that have already been passed by the house through the senate. >> why do you think he wouldn't even allow the two bills to come up for a vote? >> well, it seems to be -- and in one sense a lack of leadership. on the other hand i think he's playing to his base. he's on the ballot next year. he represents very conservative base. you have some good progressives and moderates in kentucky but for the most part i think it is a political calculation that hopefully will not yield results positively for him. >> your colleagues on the judicial committee are coming back early from recess to consider other gun control legislation. what specifically do you want them to do? >> well, we're still looking at proposals and talking about proposals as a caucus right now. so we're getting insight from chairman nadler and we're also receiving input from folks like myself and chairman bennie thompson, homeland security and other people about what that looks like. but o

i think mitch mcconnell has to finally live up to his constitutional role. he is being called massacre mitch right now for a reason. because he literally is refusing to allow pieces of legislation to the floor even though they have bipartisan support, legislation that would actually start to reduce the dangers to our children, to our seniors, who is dying in these massacres, the hate-inspired massacres. look at the ones we've been through and look at the tree of life synagogue in pittsburgh, seniors, children, families being massacred. because assault rifles are so easy to get and there is no background checks or no waiting period. the congress of the united states could address this right now in august. you're starting to see bipartisanship coming from some people. and i give congressman pete king credit for speaking up. we need more republicans to speak up. but unless mitch mcconnell likes that phrase, massacre mitch, he has got to bring the senate back and bring this legislation to the floor. >> do you agree with beto o'rourke who is also running for the

how do you plan to convince the senate majority leader, mitch mcconnell, to even consider these. >> look, we're going to need the help of the american people. i believe the will of the american people can overpower obstruction in the senate by the senate majority leader in terms of bringing bills to the floor for a vote. assault weapons ban, the high capacity magazines that hold the ammunition in these assault weapons and semi-automatic weapons. the overwhelming public wants to see that happen. think about it, we live in a country where we have cities that are banning plastic straws but we can't ban assault weapons? i mean, that just doesn't make sense to me. look, i think banning plastic straws will save the environment. i also think that banning assault weapons will save the lives of many people, children, mothers, sons, fathers and the list goes on. and we've seen that time and time again and my grandmother always told me, where there's a will, there's a way. we need the american people to join with us, especially all of these senators, including mitch mcconnell, who's up for re-elect

mitch mcconnell runs the show in the senate. and also, you know, president trump will be running the show on this decision as well. and there is no universe in which trump is going to want to hold off until potentially after he loses the election to try to fill this seat? i mean, why would you take that chance? for republicans, this is such an essential supreme court seat. it would give them such a great command of the supreme court for a generation, two generations. and so, i'm not sure what lindsey graham was thinking there. but -- >> maybe that he has more -- >> i would be shocked if republicans did not fill that seat. >> thinks he has more power than he does. known to reverse himself, as well, we should point out. so we would bn' we wouldn't be he did. so the g-7, the president is heading there. normally a big deal, but he's been complaining to his own aides and even to foreign leaders that he doesn't view this summit as a productive use of his time. >> yeah, he doesn't think that it's going to be a place where he's in the s

for mcconnell reminded him. he relies on the rural voters that resonate stronger with gun rights than gun control. now he's done almost the full walk back and this suggests when congress comes back, we're not going to get a lot done. >> it was not only the nra but senator mcconnell on the hill saying we won't vote for anything like this. the political will just isn't there. >> it's interesting it isn't there? in so many ways republicans will be very careful to not break with president trump and yet he says something on guns like he's said and there is no way they're getting in line with him. why is that the case with this one issue? >> well, the president hasn't put his full force behind this issue. he's tip toed out. he's never stuck with it. i do wonder. this is a president that when he decides to leave, the gop usually follows in one way or another or at least enough to pass something and he hasn't been willing on this issue to put his neck out and probably is exactly why david said. it's not only the nra. it

because trump and mcconnell are both lock step with the nra and they will not want him to do anything and much of the trump base is against any changes. even -- except they are for back-to-school. -- for background checks but the nra doesn't want it so we'll have a hearing on the 4th of september on bills on background checks on the red flag laws and try to -- and on high-capacity magazines but mitch mcconnell, the grim reaper, they won't go anywhere. >> what does it take to get something done on the federal level do you think? >> it takes a new president. takes a new senate majority leader. takes people of the country coming to grips with the fact that we have a leader who is not capable of leading this country. the economy is in danger because the president has no clue. he doesn't have an economist. he has a tv commentator. they don't know what to do. i've been with some of the leaders of around the world in the last several months and they are pretty much the folks i've been with and top financial people concerned about the united states going it alone with the tariffs on china and

. >> he can't get anything done in the senate because mitch mcconnell and the president are involved in the gun lobby. >> he was treating about joe biden as he ripped into mr. trump. >> how far from trump saying this is an invation to the shooter in el paso declaring, quote, this attack is a response to hispanic invasion of texas. how far apart are those comments? >> reporter: the president tweeted he was watching and said biden was so boring. the white house insisted the president would play the role of consoler-in-chief but president trump sounded at times that he was consoling himself. >> so my critics are political people, trying to make points. >> reporter: dodging questioning about his rhetoric and that he's somehow unified the country. >> i think my rhetoric brings people together. >> reporter: mr. trump was pressed on the el paso gunman's manifesto which appeared to be inspired in part by the president's use of the term invasion to describe migrants and he side stepped that one too. >> you and the shooter in el paso used the same language. do you regret that? >> i think that

>> i've been dealing with mitch mcconnell. we've had tremendous success with judges and judicial appointments. we're going to be up to 179 federal judges within the next two months. nobody would have believed that's possible. that was because president obama was unable to get them completed. so i inherited about 138 empty seats. nobody can believe it. we will have them almost all filled with tremendous judges and tremendously talented smart people. they'll be filled within two months. so i have 179 judges, and two supreme court justices. that's something that no one would everopathy possible. i want to thank president obama about that. >> reporter: i was talking about background checks on guns. >> we all have been speaking about it. i also want to remember that mental illness is somebody that nobody wants to talk about. these people are mentally ill. we have to study that also. you know, it's them, they pull the trigger. the gun doesn't pull the trigger. they pull the trigger. and we're looking at mental illness at a level tha

. >> reporter: democrats are calling on senate majority leader mitch mcconnell to reconvene the senate for a vote on stalled gun legislation, they argue to prevent the next shooting. a step sources say he's unlikely to take. the president is also facing some criticism after misstating the location of the ohio massacre. >> may god bless the memory of those who perished in toledo and may god protect them. >> reporter: that city is 150 miles north of dayton, ohio. where at least nine people were murdered and dozens injured. it is a mistake democratic presidential candidate joe biden also made. who was forced to correct himself after referring to the tragic events in houston and michigan. the question now is what happens next? trump has called for gun restrictions in the past -- >> i think it is something you have to think about. >> reporter: but later backed off of after sitting down with nra leadership. now, wolf, former barack obama has issued a very pointed statement calling on the country to, quote, soundly reject language coming out of the mouths of any of our leaders that feeds a cl

and i'm just telling you from my reporting has come and not only that the problems -- you have mitch mcconnell who is in a battle for election. re-election bid. so that is one reason why it will not happen. and two, this president understands the nra has him and the republicans locked up. so it is a double-edged sword but right now he's looking at the mood of america. the polls may say one thing but you don't see people in the streets like they were with parkland and parkland changed his mind. remember that? but then he went back, the nra got him. >> we're going to take a quick break. we have a lot more to talk about especially the president's recent comments about jewish americans who vote for democrats. all money managers might seem the same, but some give their clients cookie cutter portfolios. fisher investments tailors portfolios to your goals and needs. some only call when they have something to sell. fisher calls regularly so you stay informed. and while some advisors are happy to earn commissions whether you do well or not. fisher investments fees are structured so we do better when yo

>> well, majority leader mitch mcconnell, endorsed by the nra has relied heavily on them for funding and volunteers to remain the majority leader in the senate. he is endorsed by the nra and strongly supported by them. this flies in the face of poll after poll showing 90% of americans support stronger background checks as a way of keeping guns out of the hands of people that have them. this enjoys significant support from republicans, from gun owners and from americans as a whole. so i think this is going to be a real issue in the upcoming election, and president trump should seize this moment to show real leadership, and to get background checks, universal background checks, a vote on the floor in the senate and get them signed in to law. he could do this if he chose to stand up to the nra. it would be an important moment and it would help secure our public safety. but i am afraid we will see a repeat of what he has done the last few times. there was a mass shooting incident. initially he makes strong statements about his courage and ability to make us a stronger and safer country b

>> first, if he sent ten fewer tweets a day and invested that time in working with mitch mcconnell and speaker pelosi on an infrastructure bill, that would certainly help the economy. he walked away from the last opportunity to do that. second, stop being so child-ish with china and end this trade policy issue, and third, i'm going to give him credit. yesterday he took an important step on student loan dead. he prioritized disabled veterans and wiped out their debt, put them first. he's recognized this is an issue. he should work with congress to bring the interest rate down to zero, allow more money into more pockets every month so, this generation can buy homes, be entrepreneurs and start families. >>> if a recession hits, should congress spent even more money to stimulated economy, when we're seeing deficits rising? >> well, we should repeat the tax cuts where 73 went, who did not invests those tax cuts, what can you do is reward companies and give them a lower tax rates, but if it's going to be more giveaways to the wealthiest while two thirds of americans have less than $1,000 in

secondly, you can't deport your way to the negotiating table and succeed with mitch mcconnell in these right-wing republicans. it doesn't matter how many people you deport, how cruel you are, it's never going to be enough for them. so we need to not be afraid of presenting our own bold alternative and positive vision for how we would handle immigration policy. that's what i've done. but the vice president has not. and third, and this was part of the conversation yesterday, and this is just one part of my plan, we need to understand that no future administration should have the tool in law, section 1325 of the immigration nationality act, to be able to do what donald trump has done and incarcerate migrant parents and separate them from their little children using this law. so we can still have consequences, it would still be legal for somebody to come across the border and they would go into a court process, but this law, this tool that has allowed trump to do this, would be gone. >> so would it be a mistake -- was it a mistake -- let's go back a little bit, was it a mistake for preside

mitch mcconnell and the president of the united states are in bed the gun lobby. >> reporter: the president was live tweeting a speech from joe biden as he ripped into mr. trump. >> how far from trump saying this is an invasion to the shooter in el paso saying, this attack is a response to hispanic invasion of texas. how far apart are those comments? >> the president tweeted he was watching and said biden was so boring. the white house insisted the president would play the role of consoler in chief but mr. trump sounded at times as though he was consoling himself snfrl my critic are political people. they're trying to make points. >> reporter: dodging questions that his incendiary rhetoric and making the head scratching claim his language has somehow unified the country. >> i don't think my rhetoric has at all. i think it brings people together. >> reporter: mr. trump was pressed on the el paso gunman's manifesto which seemed to be inspired by the use of the word invasion regarding migrants. he side stepped that one, too. >> he used the same language. do you regret that? >> i think that ill