[gun-fucious]

Aired May 16, 2003 - 17:00 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED

http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0305/16/wbr.00.html
....
PHILLIPS: Viewers are speaking out on a segment we aired yesterday concerning the federal ban on assault weapons. The 1994 ban could expire in September 2004 if Congress doesn't extend it.

Now here's a sampling of your viewer e-mail.

From David in Calhoun, Georgia: "It's not the weapon which has the knockdown power, it's the ammo."

From Andrei in Washington, D.C.: "You made no mention that many Americans legally own fully automatic weapons with a special permit."

And from Jim in San Francisco: "Your sources implied that assault weapons are more powerful than currently legal guns, but it appeared that the only functional distinction was in the size of the clip."

We want to thank our viewers for their feedback and for viewers who didn't watch yesterday, we asked the Broward County, Florida's sheriff's office for a demonstration of the assault weapon. The deputy fired an illegal weapon at cinder blocks and bulletproof vests and you can see the impact here. And then the deputy fired a legal weapon, but the deputy did not fire at the cinder blocks so you could not see similar damage the ammunition would have caused.

Also yesterday on the program former L.A. police chief, Bernard Parks, who's in favor of keeping assault weapons illegal, gave his opinion.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BERNARD PARKS, FORMER L.A. POLICE CHIEF: There's only one reason for it and you cannot hunt with it. It's only one reason and that is that it kills people. It's a military weapon. It should be kept in a military arsenal and out of the domestic society.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Now we give you the other side from the executive vice president of the National Rifle Association, Wayne LaPierre

Wayne, thanks for being with us.

WAYNE LAPIERRE, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, NRA: Hi, Kyra. Good to be with you.

PHILLIPS: Well, if the ban on assault weapons expires, what kind of weapons would be legal?

LAPIERRE: Kyra, let me say this to start: I'm glad you ran the story because apparently the only difference between "The New York Times" and CNN is that when a reporter for "The New York Times" fakes a story, he's fired, and at CNN he's not.

Your bureau chief, John Zarrella, deliberately faked the story yesterday and intending to show that the performance characteristics of banned firearms on the list are somehow different from the performance characteristics of firearms not on the banned list. He was -- he was implying that these were machine guns or fully automatic guns. That's not true.

PHILLIPS: Mr. LaPierre, I have to stop you there. No one fakes stories at CNN and John Zarrella definitely did not fake a story at CNN. You're very off base. I'm going to let you say your opinion, and let's have a conversation, but don't accuse our reporter of faking any stories, sir.

LAPIERRE: Let me say it again. In front of the whole country, your reporter faked that story yesterday. It deliberately misread...

PHILLIPS: All right, we're going...

LAPIERRE: There's no way it could be true and I challenge CNN to defend it.

PHILLIPS: Well, we're not going to continue this interview because our reporter did not fake...

LAPIERRE: Because you don't want the truth. The truth you don't want out there.

PHILLIPS: OK, that is not true. We did not a fake a story.

LAPIERRE: You ought to register your -- you ought to fill out a lobby form and register.

PHILLIPS: Why don't we ask another question? What are the uses for an assault weapon? Tell me what the uses are for this.

LAPIERRE: Why can't you accept the truth? There is no difference, Kyra, in the performance characteristics of the guns on the banned list and the guns not on the banned list. They don't shoot any faster, they're not more powerful, they're not machine guns, they don't make any bigger holes, all which your reporter, John Zarrella, implied in that story.

PHILLIPS: Let's talk about the ammunition. Folks had problem with the ammunition. We've heard a lot in the last 24 hours from viewers who made the point that it's not the weapons who do the damage, it's the ammo. OK? Can legally be bought, ammunition. Now does this do -- do just as much damage than an illegal weapon?

LAPIERRE: Kyra, they all fire the same ammunition. Why can't you accept the truth? There is no difference in the guns on the banned list and the guns not on the banned list.

Your reporter's story was deliberately misleading the viewers. Bill Clinton deliberately misrepresented the House and the facts to the House of Representatives in the Congress and I don't believe this House of Representatives is going to fall and have the wool pulled over their eyes the way what happened did in '94.

The truth matters. The public needs to hear the truth and the truth is every police officer on the street knows it. There's not a dime worth of difference between the guns on the banned list and the guns off the banned list in terms of their performance characteristics and I challenge CNN again to defend that story to its viewers because it's not true.

PHILLIPS: What do you say...

LAPIERRE: All day yesterday you misled the viewers.

PHILLIPS: What do you say to the members of the law enforcement community that we had on the air who say assault weapons don't belong on the streets?

LAPIERRE: Kyra, I got calls all day yesterday from law enforcement officers going crazy over that story you ran saying it's not true. They were dismayed that there was a law enforcement officer on there lending himself to it.

The story misrepresented the facts. What we need to do to stop crime -- every time you catch a criminal, 100 percent of the time, prosecute him. Put him in prison.

We have all kinds of gun laws. Catch a violent felon with a gun, put him in jail. Catch a violent drug dealer with a gun, put them in jail 100 percent of the time. That's what rank-and-file cops know stops crime. But again, I challenge CNN in the headquarters to take an objective look at that story and defend it because it's simply not true.

PHILLIPS: All right. Executive vice president...

LAPIERRE: "The New York Times" reporter was fired, John Zarrella ought to be fired.

PHILLIPS: Executive vice president of the National Rifle Association, Wayne LaPierre, that's why we are interviewing you today and that's why we're addressing this to show both sides of that story.

And we all stick by John Zarrella and how credible of a reporter he is.

Thank you for your time, sir.

Well, here's your turn to weigh in on this story. Our "Web Question of the Day" is: "Should Congress extend the assault weapons ban?" We'll have the results later in this broadcast. Vote on cnn.com/wolf.

[stevelyn]

I hope this is not an anomaly and that the NRA has changed it's stance from defensive to offensive. Nobody ever won by staying in the trenches waiting for and repelling attack after attack.

[Thumper]

Whether or not you like the NRA, it looks like Wayne's trying to make a stand.

Bravo.

[SIGarmed]

Bravo! This is just great. He called them on it. This just makes my day.

[Azrael256]

WOW! He needs to appear on TV more often... like every day!

[P95Carry]

Gotta say .... I really didn't think he had that much in him ...... certainly seemed on this he had the ba**s to call em out. Impressive.

[SkunkApe]

I've waited a very long time to hear something like that out of the NRA. Bravo.

[AJ Dual]

I don't want to discount the credit that's due to the NRA, Mr. LaPierre, and pro-gunners that mailed and called, but I think that CNN is much more motivated by the New York Times scandal, and is desperate to avoid any appearance of bias, inaccuracy, or outright misrepresentation.

(Nahh. Not CNN? No way! :rolleyes: )

But kudo's for striking while the iron was hot, and our enemies weak. :D

[Don Gwinn]

Sadly enough, I can't help but question his motives. However, I get a fuzzy feeling deep down inside just thinking about the look that must have been on that poor lady's face when she was stammering "We do NOT fake stories at CNN!"

[vmi93]

"no one fakes stories at CNN..."

They just suppress stories that make murderous dictators look bad.

:evil:

[TearsOfRage]

Without actually admitting they were wrong, of course.

http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0305/19/wbr.00.html

O'BRIEN: Welcome back. The White House recently restated President Bush's support for renewing a ban on certain semiautomatic weapons. The ban has been in place since '94, but is set to expire next year, unless Congress renews it.

Recent signals that the GOP leadership might not bring the renewal up for consideration and will let the ban expire have rekindled the fires of that debate. On this program on Thursday of last week, we aired a live demonstration CNN set up with law enforcement officials of a banned semiautomatic rifle and its legal counterpart. We reviewed that demonstration, and one on another CNN program, and decided that a more detailed report could better explain this complex issue.

Here is CNN's John Zarrella.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is a semiautomatic firearm. It instantly self-loads and fires one bullet for each trigger pull. The 1994 Crime Control Act says it is unlawful for a person to manufacture, transfer or possess a semiautomatic assault weapon. The law defines a semiautomatic assault weapon by name and description, listing 19 specific firearms by name that are illegal.

The law also bans certain rifles, pistols and shotguns by description, as well as large capacity ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds. The law is very specific. For a semiautomatic rifle to be banned, it must be able to use a detachable magazine and have at least two of the following features: A flash suppressor, a bayonet mount, a pistol grip, a folding or telescoping stock, or a grenade launcher.

Gary Reno (ph), a retired 30-year police officer and assistant chief in Oakland Park, Florida.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's examine the banned weapon.

ZARRELLA: ... explained the difference between a banned AR-15 and its legal clone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Flash suppressor, bayonet log, high capacity magazine, over 10 rounds, pistol grip and a telescoping rear stock.

ZARRELLA (on camera): And the legal weapon doesn't have those features, correct?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Doesn't have any of those features. Does not have a flash suppressor, does not have a bayonet log, has a legal 10- round magazine. Does have the pistol grip, but it has no other features so it makes it a legal firearm, and has a solid rear stock.

ZARRELLA (voice-over): Pro-ban advocates say each of these features would make the weapons more deadly, but anti-ban supporters say those features are only cosmetic and don't contribute to and increase in crime. With only one of the listed features, the gun is legal. And without those features, experts say the guns are identical.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's exactly the same gun.

ZARRELLA (on camera): And the same firepower.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Same firepower, same bullet, you have to squeeze the trigger once to make a bullet go down the barrel.

ZARRELLA (voice-over): In fact, if you fire the same caliber and type bullets from the two guns, you get the same impact.

Here is a .223 caliber bullet fired from a banned AR-15 rifle. Now, the legal version of that rifle.

The smaller hole made by the second gun has nothing to do with the gun or ammunition. The shooter just hit the second target more times in the same place.

Both sides cited Justice Department study about the impact of the law as proof of their argument. Those who oppose the ban say the study shows the ban has had no impact on the reduction of crime and that the answer is to enforce the laws already on the books.

WAYNE LAPIERRE, EXEC. VICE PRESIDENT, NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION: What stops crime is every time a violent felon touches a gun, a violent drug dealer, a violent criminal, use the existing federal law, prosecute him 100 percent, confront the criminal directly, and take him off the street and put him in jail.

ZARRELLA: Supporters of the ban instead say the study shows a decline in the amount of crime committed with these weapons.

REP. CAROLYN MCCARTHY (D), NEW YORK: I'm sure the American people do not want to go back to the day of allowing AK-47s back on the streets, or even the newer models that are the Buschmeister (ph) that were used in the D.C. sniping killings last year.

ZARRELLA: Gun control advocates are working with some members of Congress on not only extending the assault weapon ban in 2004, but introducing new legislation to vastly expand the number of weapons banned. Gun advocates and their supporters in Congress argue this and any future bans are an unconstitutional violation of the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

John Zarrella, CNN, Miami.

[Mark Tyson]

That slapping sound is my jaw hitting the floor.

Outstanding! This is the kind of thing we need more of. I'm definitely writing another contribution to the NRA tommorrow.

[Pilgrim]

CNN reporters don't fake stories? What about Peter Arnett and that BS story CNN had to later retract?

Leaving a second network under a cloud may mark the end of his TV career. Arnett was the on-air reporter of the 1998 CNN report that accused American forces of using sarin nerve gas on a Laotian village in 1970 to kill U.S. defectors. Two CNN employees were sacked and Arnett was reprimanded over the report, which the station later retracted. Arnett left the network when his contract was not renewed.

CNN reporters fake stories all the time.

[Standing Wolf]

LaPierre did a fine job of standing up to the liars of the Clinton News Network. I hope this is an indicator the N.R.A. will stand up and fight for all it's worth instead of compromising.

[Nightfall]

Outstanding.

[campergeek]

While I laud Wayne Lapierre's uncompromising stance in forcing CNN to face the truth, I was most disgusted by this quote:

BERNARD PARKS, FORMER L.A. POLICE CHIEF: There's only one reason for it and you cannot hunt with it. It's only one reason and that is that it kills people.

It may be a difficult and touchy subject to broach, but our representatives, public officials and the general public need to be repeatedly reminded that, according to the constitution, this is exactly the reason these arms should be legal. Every time somebody mentions the "hunting" argument, :barf: somebody should be there representing the RKBA, challenging the one making the statement to find the word "hunting" anywhere in the 2nd amendment. I can't believe that the hunting justification continues to be prevalant among the gun control crowd - moreso I can't believe that the general public continues to swallow it! :banghead:

[WonderNine]

I don't think alot people buy the hunting arguement for the most part. At least alot less people do now, than a few years ago.

[Feanaro]

I liked how he attacked CNN. But he could have then shut up and moved on to something else. It makes us look one-tracked.

[twoblink]

We don't fake stories.. We just pay others to fake stories ; that way, if we get caught, we can say we didn't know, and were victims of misinformation..

CNN is about as interested in the truth as Rosie is to weight loss..

Bravo! I'm shocked he had the brass to call them out..

[Al Norris]

The link on the opening post goes to a story on Laci Peterson by Wolf Blitzer. There is no such transcript as reported above. Following the links back to the transcript archive page, shows an Interview With Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, Wayne LaPierre, (http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0305/15/lt.02.html) which is totally different than the one above.

I suspect that TPTB at CNN pulled the original.

[Sergeant Bob]

WAYNE LAPIERRE, EXEC. VICE PRESIDENT, NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION: What stops crime is every time a violent felon touches a gun, a violent drug dealer, a violent criminal, use the existing federal law, prosecute him 100 percent, confront the criminal directly, and take him off the street and put him in jail.

Did anyone notice the fact he stressed 100 percent prosecution of violent criminals? Maybe just wishful thinking but, I see that as a good sign.

[TarpleyG]

And from Jim in San Francisco: "Your sources implied that assault weapons are more powerful than currently legal guns, but it appeared that the only functional distinction was in the size of the clip."
Jim March, was that you???:evil:

or even the newer models that are the Buschmeister (ph) that were used in the D.C. sniping killings last year.
They are not illegal to buy or own right NOW you idiot.

GT

[FPrice]

I heard Wayne LaPierre speak at Mount Holyoke College (an all woman's school in Massachusetts) several years and I am not at all surprised that he took on CNN. I know he's not everyone's favorite but from what I have seen he is NOT afraid to take on the media or unfriendly audiences.

[Seminole]

Good for LaPierre! Now we need more of this from the NRA.

[Waitone]

The NRA and LaPierre may not satisfy RKBA purists, but remember it was LaPierre who single handedly took on Clinton on gun control during an interview with Russert. That was when LaPierre said Clinton was willing to accept a certain level of killing to advance his political agenda. Russert went vertical and ballistic and LaPierre all by himself put Clinton et al on the defensive. It was LaPierre all by his widdle, biddie sewf that stared down the badguys.

The fact that he went eyeball to eyeball with CNN on an obvious lie is no surprise.

[Boats]

For all of those who damn the NRA no matter what they do should at least have the grace to concede that LaPierre and the other brass there are the only "A-list" proponents we have. God forbid that CNN and other libmedia start sucking up to some sham artist at AGS. For some reason I only see Larry Pratt on the fringes of cable news shows.

Clout might not make for puritanism, but access to the liberal media can't be had any other way than through the credibility that size brings.

[FPrice]

I just got a postcard from the NRA that LaPierre will be in Manchester CT on Jun 11th for an autograph signing for his new book. That's an hour south of me but I think I am going to go and both thank and encourage him for his work.

[Aahzz]

Yes!!! I love hearing about interviews like this - wish I'd seen it!

[Leatherneck]

Well. This is encouraging. I may reconsider my boycott of the NRA over the last 10 years. Hope Wayne sticks to his guns.:D

TC
TFL Survivor

[general]

This just makes my day. I think we should be more active when we see or hear bias and false reporting. If you see it or hear it or read it - you need to hop on them and ride them till they admit the bias and fiction. This NY Times firing and subsequent publicity is a good thing. It gives us a benchmark to compare the liars and media manipulators to.
Remember...
ALWAYS respond to bias. (http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?threadid=23099)

[Chairman Meow]

Hey barkeep, pour me up another shot of Buschmeister! :p

[pytron]

I have yet to financially support the NRA, but this interview makes me want to. I'm glad someone had the courage to stand up to the media clowns when they misrepresent the facts.

You can see some of the video on the NRA site:
NRA Live site (http://www.nra.org/frame.cfm?url=http://www.nralive.org)

Click on "Enter the site" and then "Click here for video story"

I don't know how long it will be around.

-Pytron

[tyme]

CNN's transcriptionists wouldn't know an assault rifle from a prophilactic. Give them a break. CNN's journalists don't even know the difference.

There are several other assault-weapons-related transcripts:
http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0305/15/lol.14.html
http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0305/15/lol.05.html

Here's the 05/15 transcript:
http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0305/15/se.13.html

Assault Weapon Ban Up for Renewal Soon

Aired May 15, 2003 - 19:44 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

ANDERSON COOPER, HOST: Congress may decide after all to debate legalizing 19 military-style assault weapons. Now without a vote the ban on them will expire in September 2004, but the pros and cons of the ban aren't lining up as you might expect.
CNN national correspondent Bob Franken now has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Outside the capitol President Bush renewed his warm relationship with the Fraternal Order of Police.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Officers train and prepare for many threats, yet preparation will never take the danger away from a hard profession.

FRANKEN: One of those threats, the deadly weapons police face daily. Inside the Republican speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert, was stepping back ever so slightly from his majority whip, Tom DeLay. Two days ago, DeLay proclaimed that extending the existing ban against 19 different assault weapons would not even be brought up for a vote, but the speaker insisted he had not made that decision. He hasn't spoken with the president, who says he supports an extension.

Democratic leaders want him to prove it.

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), MINORITY LEADER: I hope the president will use his good offices and his considerable political capital to have the assault weapon ban brought up on the house floor.

CHIEF RON BATTELLE, ST. LOUIS COUNTY POLICE: He needs the support it fully. I think he needs to get behind it and get the Congress behind it.

FRANKEN (on camera): Many, if not most cops believe that the assault weapon is just another danger in a very treacherous world, but an extension of the ban is anything but certain because the world of politics is very treacherous, too.

(voice-over): The truth is members of both parties would just as soon avoid the issue.

GOV. MARK WARNER (D), VIRGINIA: I don't think shifting the rate back onto a gun control issue is going to at least in southern states and many Midwestern states is going to move the Democrats forward. Bill Clinton told the congressmen in '94 they'd be real popular if they did that. Ninety million gun owners deep le resented it and many, many congressmen were voted out of office.

FRANKEN: A not so subtle reminder from the NRA. And not every cop supports the assault weapons ban.

PATROLMAN BUTCH PUCCETTI, KITTANING, PENN, RD: Somebody is intent on, you know, getting a police officer and they come after you with a knife, a handgun, a shotgun.

FRANKEN: So the president and the congressional leaders do their political dance. There's a good chance the assault weapons ban will expire. Those who oppose gun control seem to have the upper hand.

Bob Franken, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, opponents of the ban will tell you assault weapons are rarely used for crime. Supporters of the ban will ask what possible legal use could they have.

Joining us with some specifics on what exactly these things do, we have Miami bureau chief John Zarella -- John.

JOHN ZARELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, we are out in western Broward County at Marcam Park which is the home to the Broward sheriff's office firearms training range. And Sheriff Ken Jenny has been very gracious to join us. And sheriff, before we get into the demonstration, why is it that you believe that these guns need to remain banned?

KEN JENNE, BROWARD COUNTY SHERIFF: Because I know Floridians use shotguns like mine to shoot birds. Criminals use weapons like this to shoot Floridians and know that's a major difference between these types of weapons, as do most Floridians.

ZARELLA: So you don't believe that this particular weapon has a place on the street?

JENNE: Absolutely not. I mean this, has a weapon -- this has a place to shoot birds, to enjoy, but this is one that ought to be off the streets.

ZARELLA: Now, in our demonstration that we're going to show you right now, the -- Detective Worth, Chris Worth is going to shoot that AK-47, right, that you just gave us.

JENNE: That's right. It's an old Chinese AK-47 that has been banned.

ZARELLA: That is one of the 19 currently banned weapons.

JENNE: And you can see the destructive force. It's got 30 rounds in its magazine and he will be firing it now.

ZARELLA: OK. Now that was semi-automatic.

JENNE: Now this is automatic.

ZARELLA: Wow! That obliterated those blocks.

JENNE: Those blocks are gone.

ZARELLA: Absolutely obliterated it. And you can tell the difference.

JENNE: Now this weapon is the AK-47 also, but it's the civilian and it's the one that has not been...

ZARELLA: But this is legal right now.

JENNE: It is legal under the law.

ZARELLA: And Detective Worth is going to shoot that right there.

JENNE: Absolutely.

ZARELLA: Sheriff, that still carries a -- that still carries a tremendous amount of firepower. Those guns, though, as far as you're concerned, do you believe that other police departments, too, and that other members of law enforcement want to see these weapons stay off the streets?

JENNE: There's no purpose for these weapons on the street of Florida or any place else in the United States. We believe in having long guns, we believe in handguns, but it's a difference. These are weapons that are designed to kill.

And let me tell you, there's a difference between having a hunter the right to have the tools to hunt animals and the right to have a weapon that's going to kill people.

ZARELLA: Finally, sheriff, again on this particular weapon the difference in the legal weapons and the illegal primarily is the numbers of rounds.

JENNE: Absolutely. The banned in what would occur is you'd now have 30 rounds in the magazine as opposed to 10. And let me tell you something, that is a great danger to law enforcement on the street. It's a great danger to the public out there and that's why I think that they should be banned.

ZARELLA: Sheriff, again, you can take a look at those targets. They have been absolutely...

JENNE: It makes a big difference. You can look there, you can see and you can see -- and that's the danger.

ZARELLA: And the holes that have been literally drilled through that bullet-proof vest that's designed to protect police officers is riddled.

JENNE: And you can see what would happen. And this is not a child on a stoop. This is not someone walking down the street. This is a vest that's designed to protect people from gunshots and this is the danger we see.

ZARELLA: Sheriff Ken Jenne, to you and to the deputies that have come out here to help us, we thank you so very much for your time and the efforts of everyone.

Clearly, Anderson, the example of the firepower that these weapons possess and why, at least here in Broward County, the Broward sheriff's office and Sheriff Ken Jenne want to see that ban remain in place. A powerful demonstration -- Anderson.

COOPER: John, the NRA, of course, opposes the assault weapon ban just as vehemently as these gentlemen here support it. Basically, what has the NRA thought of the argument?

ZARELLA: Let me ask the sheriff. Sheriff, you know the NRA has been basically opposed to the ban.

JENNE: Yes.

ZARELLA: What do you think the NRA's -- what's the NRA's reasoning for opposing this particular ban? Do you have any idea?

JENNE: Well, from a practical point, no, I don't because I heard the argument several years ago that we did not need a state law. We did not need local laws because there was a federal law in place that would prohibit this and that we should have one universal law.

I'm going to take those gentlemen that have had protested and said that local laws, state laws aren't necessary because there's a federal, so I would presume that that's a reason to keep it.

And, two, the second thing with the NRA I think they're honorable people who probably want to -- don't want to see any dent in the rights to bear arms, but this is more than about that question. These weapons are dangerous to people on the street. They're dangerous and we're talking about 30 rounds in a magazine. It's a serious question.

ZARELLA: So, and clearly, this has nothing to do with right and -- to bear arms. This is clearly an issue of there's no place on the street for a weapon that can do that kind of destructive damage.

JENNE: Again, I think I don't know anyone with a straight face that could tell you that these weapons were designed to hunt, that these weapons were designed to do anything but to be the killers they are.

ZARELLA: Sheriff again, thank you so very much. Anderson, there you have it, live from the firing range -- Anderson.

COOPER: John, thanks very much.

[TheOtherOne]

Well, as of 3 minutes ago... I'm a member now! :)

[moa]

Another myth repeated by Chief Parks, is that those so-called "assault weapons" are of no use for hunting, is crap.

Maryland, for example, which is not exactly a gun-owners paradise has Dept. Of Natural Resources regulations that basically say that many of the banned firearms are suitable for hunting in Maryland. All you need is muzzle energy of 1200 lbs. or more and not load more than eight rounds. That is about it.

[UnknownSailor]

Apparently, CNN has done a "clarification" on the origional report, in an attempt to better explain this "complicated issue"

From the Washington Times (http://www.washtimes.com/national/20030519-110144-7123r.htm):

CNN has found itself the target of criticism for misleading viewers about the types of weapons prohibited by a federal law due to expire next year.
Two CNN broadcasts last week, which featured firing demonstrations by the sheriff's department in Broward County, Fla., suggested that firearms banned under a 1994 law are more powerful than similar, legal weapons. Yesterday, CNN admitted that was not true.
"In fact, if you fire the same caliber and type bullets from the two guns, you get the same impact," CNN's John Zarella told viewers yesterday.
One of the Thursday broadcasts incorrectly reported that fully automatic weapons are included in the 1994 ban on 19 types of semiautomatic rifles. Fully automatic firearms have been federally regulated since 1934.
"Either it was a deliberate attempt to fake the story, or the reporter had a complete ignorance of the story he's covering," said Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the National Rifle Association.
In one of the segments, Broward County Sheriff Ken Jenne introduced a detective with "an old Chinese AK-47 that has been banned." Mr. Zarella, CNN's Miami bureau chief, then said: "That is one of the 19 currently banned weapons."
In fact, that weapon is not covered by the 1994 ban.
After the detective fired six shots, Mr. Zarella said: "OK. Now that was semiautomatic," and Sheriff Jenne said: "Now this is automatic."
The detective then fired a machine-gunlike burst at a cinder-block target, prompting Mr. Zarella to exclaim: "Wow! That obliterated those blocks. ... Absolutely obliterated it. And you can tell the difference."
Fully automatic weapons, such as machine guns and AK-47s, are regulated by the National Firearms Act of 1934. They are not among the semiautomatic guns prohibited by the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.
The 1994 law — which will expire in September 2004 if Congress does not renew it — banned some military-style rifles that are semiautomatic, meaning they fire one shot each time the trigger is pulled.
The NRA and other gun rights groups say the banned guns are only "cosmetically" different than many legal types of firearms, and that the news media have consistently confused the semiautomatics with fully automatic weapons, such as the M-16.
"This whole ban was lied into law 10 years ago, and it seems to me we can do better than lying again," Mr. LaPierre said.
Yesterday, CNN aired another broadcast that clarified which weapons are banned under the 1994 law, saying the ban is based on whether the gun has external features, such as a flash suppressor or a pistol grip.
A CNN anchor introduced yesterday's segment by saying: "On this program on Thursday, we aired a live demonstration CNN set up with law enforcement officials of a banned semiautomatic rifle and its legal counterpart. We reviewed that demonstration and one on another CNN program, and decided that a more detailed report would better explain this complex issue."
"We caught them red-handed, in the act. Now they're backpedaling," Mr. LaPierre said after yesterday's broadcast.
In the first of the two segments that aired Thursday, a Broward County detective fired the AK-47 in semiautomatic mode, and the camera showed bullets hitting a cinder-block target. The detective then fired a legal semiautomatic weapon, and CNN showed a cinder-block target with no apparent damage. On Friday, CNN admitted that the detective had not been firing at the cinder block.
Some law enforcement officers who saw the Broward County sheriff's presentation on CNN called the NRA to say they were "horrified that a law enforcement official would mislead the public this way," said "NRA Live" host Ginny Simone.
In 2000, Sheriff Jenne, a former Democratic state legislator, supported a bill in the Florida Legislature, HB-363, that would have banned several types of rifles under a broad definition of "assault weapons" and also would have prohibited many handguns. The bill died in committee.

[Shaggy]

Yeah, I heard that CNN would do a retraction, then I waited and sure enough, they proved they could do a Fox Fair and Balanced if they wanted to.

I have the CNN TV report as a quicktime movie. It's 4.3MB If people want to see it, perhaps I can send it to someone who is willing to host it for all to view. It is the most fair thing I have ever seen presented on TV regarding this issue.

I'm happy to e-mail it to anyone but you would want to be on DSL, cable modem or better yet T1.

Here, try this: http://www.patriotarms.com/cnn/wolf_awban_small.mov

[Mute]

What CNN did was not a retraction. They finally showed some of the fact, but did not point out the lies that Barney Fife put forth with hiss little AK demonstration, nor the fact the CNN ERRONEOUSLY - I'm being generous - reported that whole segment as factual. I won't hold my breath.

[Sergeant Bob]

What CNN did was not a retraction. They finally showed some of the fact, but did not point out the lies that Barney Fife put forth with hiss little AK demonstration, nor the fact the CNN ERRONEOUSLY - I'm being generous - reported that whole segment as factual. I won't hold my breath.

Good point. Retraction or not, the damage is already done. People have already seen the bogus segment and will pay little attention to anything else. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Something I've been thinking about. Our side often defends these so called "assault weapons" saying they are no more dangerous than everyday hunting rifles. I'm afraid the anti's are going to use this against us someday. Turn it around and you have, "hunting rifles are just as dangerous as those "evil assault weapons". CNN could do another story, admitting the first one was "erroneous" and use it against us.

[2dogs]

In 2000, Sheriff Jenne, a former Democratic state legislator, supported a bill in the Florida Legislature, HB-363, that would have banned several types of rifles under a broad definition of "assault weapons" and also would have prohibited many handguns.

I'm shocked, SHOCKED I say! A dishonest Democrat?:what: :cuss: :rolleyes:

[Don Gwinn]

I could care less about the video of the tainted report, but I'd love to see video of LaPierre smacking that lady upside the head. If they put it out and you see it before the rest of us, post a link.

[Shamaya]

Good for Wayne LaPierre.

Now stop calling for the enforcement of all ALL unconstitutional gun control laws.

[Thumper]

Dang...

Good for Wayne LaPierre.

Did Angel just say that? :D

[jimpeel]

REP. CAROLYN MCCARTHY (D), NEW YORK: I'm sure the American people do not want to go back to the day of allowing AK-47s back on the streets, or even the newer models that are the Buschmeister (ph) that were used in the D.C. sniping killings last year. Buschmeister?? Is that the German equivalent to the Bushmaster?

[PrudentGT]

Am I the only one that's a little anxious that CNN has now 'officially' established that a pistol grip and a standard capacity rifle mag constitue two banned features, and hence a federally banned 'assault weapon?'

[Tom C.]

I caught the show with Wayne on CNN. The poor dear was shocked!, shocked! that anyone would acuse CNN of faking a story. How quickly they forget (Peter Arnet comes to mind). Wayne really took it to her.
First we repeal the AW ban, then we need to work on some more of the unConstitutional laws and get them repealed.