Bloomberg demands gun action from Obama and Romney
(CNN) – New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, an outspoken advocate of stricter gun-control laws, said in a radio interview Friday the two candidates for president needed to take a firmer line in addressing gun violence.
Bloomberg's comments came as police and the FBI were investigating a deadly shooting in Colorado that left at least 12 people dead.
"Soothing words are nice, but maybe it's time that the two people who want to be president of the United States stand up and tell us what they are going to do about it, because this is obviously a problem across the country," Bloomberg said on WOR Radio's "The John Gambling Show."
Bloomberg continued, saying Friday's tragedy should spark greater focus on how guns reach killers.
"I mean, there are so many murders with guns every day, it's just got to stop," Bloomberg said. "And instead of the two people – President Obama and Governor Romney – talking in broad things about they want to make the world a better place, okay, tell us how."
"In the end, it is really the leadership at a national level, which is whoever is going to be president of the United States starting next January 1st – what are they going to do about guns?" Bloomberg asked.
Presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney met with Bloomberg in May, but an aide to the mayor said Bloomberg remained undecided about making an endorsement in the presidential race. Bloomberg won his last election as a political independent, but was previously a Democrat, then a Republican.
In his interview Friday, Bloomberg said guns getting into hands of criminals wasn't solely a problem in cities like New York.
"This is killing people every day, and it's growing and it's not just an inner-city, east coast, west coast, big city phenomenon. Aurora is not a big city," Bloomberg said, referring to the suburb of Denver where Friday's shooting took place.
We all need to move past the ideological mindset that outlawing guns in the U.S. will keep guns out of the hands of criminals. Look at the billion if not trillion dollar cocaine/marijuana market that exist despite laws making each drug illegal. If we outlaw guns in the U.S., it will only add another product line to the black market and fail to reduce the intended goal of fewer gun related casualties.
Yes, the kid couldn't have just taken a car and run everyone down outside the Theater while they stood in line? Or made a bomb and blown them up? Or done any of 1000 other things that could have caused just as much death....
Wake up to reality, the problem is people, and our society, taking away guns won't make a bit of difference.
By all means, the sale and possession of firearms should be regulated. Should the out-right ownership of a personal firearm be banned? Absolutely not. Despite the constitution being drafted over 200 years ago, and the founding fathers unable to perceive what could happen in the future, the sentiment for firearm usage and ownership is still present in America. Protection, safety, and defense from a threatening power are all very real things every one of us face. The day all firearm ownership is banned and guns acquisitionsed from the citizens is the day you have ceased being an individual with the means and capabilities to make an effective change for your fellow man is lost, and the age of American dictatorship is realized. You will always be at the mercy of those higher in the totem pole of power, and the only justification for anything that ever happens will then solely rest upon them, not the people of this country.
Don't kid yourselves, folks. It can happen, an it's up to us to prevent it. The pen may be mightier than the sword, but only when the sword is a bargaining chip does conflict resolution become a necessity rather than a luxury.
I'm sorry but no gun regulation could of prevented this from ever happening. Just like no car regulation could of prevented this guy from waiting till the movie was over and running down a crowd of people in the parking lot....Don't get me wrong, this was an horrible incident that happened here in Colorado.
The shooter registered Democrat in Colorado in 2011. He is also part of the Democrat Party's occupy movement.
Just like Zimmerman, Ft Hood Shooter, Washington State shooter, Beltway snipper, and the guy who flew the plane into that building in Austin, all Democrats.
With the Democrat media quick to spew lies like abc saying this guy was a Republican, the truth must be told.
I dont see how taking away legal firearms from responsible owners will solve anything. Drugs are illegal yet you can go to any high school, college or street corner and get anything you want. It would be the same way if you made firearms illegal. Firearms would be easy for criminals to get, impossible for law abiding citizens to get. This killer could have just as easily taken his car and run it into a crowd of people at the mall. I am suprised that he was able to surrendered, typical coward He has no problem shooting innocent people but when faced by police, he surrenders instead of being shot.
Nonetheless, this is a very terrible situation. I pray the for the families of the murdered and injured victims.
what a sad day (again) for the families of the people who dies. what is also more depressing is the failure of the american public to recognize the cause of these irrational acts.
the issue is not about banning guns, but rather about controlling and limiting their access to responsible people for a legitimate purpose. You cannot get a drivers license with the going the right process, for fear of injuring yourself and others, but you can be a deranged mental case and buy assault rifles just by being 18.. what possible motive or purpose one may have in owning semi automatics and assault rifles.. shouldn't question. its un-american
The quality of life and safety in the rest of the world has a improved materially in the last 10 years. The US has regressed. the ignorant, self serving policies and ideals of this gun loving nation, that cares more about who its citizens marry and what religion they are, than the general welfare and the quality of life.
America is poorer today because of what happened in Colorado. The policy makers and the gun loving public has a lot of growing up to do. If you don't look in the mirror and change your ways soon, you will be become irrelevant.
Of course Bloomberg's body-guards are armed to the teeth, but then again he is important and ordinary citizens are just peons.
All of the fast and furious supporters here posting lies and hate to a story about the latest death and destruction caused by a fellow Democrat, remember in November.
whats they need to do is arm everyday law abiding citizens. 12 is too many. if everyone there was carrying, that man wouldn't have killed 12 innocent people.
If more people had been armed the shooter would have been dead before he hurt so many people. This is the solution. We always had guns and never thought to use them on anyone....it is the person, and the guns could have been stolen....the guy is sick as well as Bloomberg.
People need to realize Clint Eastwood and John Wayne never solved a problem with a gun. Dirty Harry was not a real person. There is no such thing as only shooting bad guys and never missing. Guns is the home are used for suicide more than self defense. The movies are not real. We do not live in the old west. Old west towns actually banned guns. They did not want a bunch of drunk cowboys with guns wandering around.
The NRA has a stranglehold on this issue. And w/ recent SCOTUS opinions, it's hard to see any means of limiting access to firearms in this country. Bloomberg maybe looking for issue to launch own independent campaign for president.
Uh oh... Baron von Bloomberg is yapping again. Someone get him a doggy biscuit.
Mr. Bloomberg
Why don’t you take some of your money and set up hospitals for the mentality ill. In what relation do the spiritual life and the material life stand to one another. Just how much opulence do you need in your life. Most of us do not want to be unarmed peasant’s.
"Soothing words are nice, but maybe it's time that the two people who want to be president of the United States stand up and tell us what they are going to do about it, because this is obviously a problem across the country,"
Well said!
We need better federal policy to control buying and selling of guns. For those who do not have friends or family members killed in gun violence, you do not know the pain and grief over a lost loved ones to this senseless crime. Many killed by illegal guns that brough across state lines such as Arizona. Can you still say gun control is not the answer when your spouse or children are killed in the street crime involving illegal guns and AK47? I hope this won't happen to you.
We don't need more gun control. We need parents responsibly raising their children and not asking "the village" to do it. Your responsibility as a parent is much higher than your responsibility as a gun owner, but is being neglected to a greater extent.
We don’t need AK 47 for self defense simple, we need gun control
If you are going to try to control guns that kill, then add vases, frying pans, 2X4s, pencils, arms, hammers, and cars to the list of things to control. All can be used to kill people. remember, people kill people; the difference is the type of implement they use. But I do believe automatic weapons should be banned.
Justice was not done in Colorado today. This criminal should have been shot dead. Now he will get lawyered up, enter an insanity plea, and probably not do life or get gassed. That is what is wrong with our system.
If this guy didn't have a gun these people wouldn't have died. Simple.
We need stricter gun control. But there are toooo many gun/violence nuts out there for it to ever happen.
All the guns 'r good folk should go to the Middle East where guns 'r good.
Now we get the usual outcry, "If we outlaw guns only outlaws will have guns." By that reasoning we shouldn't have ANY laws.
"Doomberg" wants to tell everyone how they should live, what they should eat – or not and anything else he decides is "best" for everyone. Who is he to decide? He's just using this tragidy to try and get control of more of our lives. Doomberg needs to butt out of our lives. Mind your own buisiness!!!
Karl
I'm sorry but no gun regulation could of prevented this from ever happening. Just like no car regulation could of prevented this guy from waiting till the movie was over and running down a crowd of people in the parking lot....
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If he didn't have the gun, then he would not have been able to shoot people.
I challenge the "private sector", which knows how to regulate itself, to come up with a solution. How do you keep guns out of the hands of those who should not have them? Either come up with a solution, or have one imposed on you that you do not like.
Prison doesn't seem like enough of a deterrent for many bad people. Perhaps the thought that almost anyone might be armed would be more of a deterrent.