Mass shooting prompts Bloomberg to call on Obama, Romney to address gun control

CBS

(CBS News) In the wake of a mass shooting in a suburban Denver movie theater, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is calling on President Obama and Mitt Romney to offer up more than "soothing words" and talk about how they will address gun-related violence.

"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 in an interview on WOR News Talk Radio 710 in New York City.

"I mean, there are so many murders with guns every day, it's just got to stop," he continued. "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. And this is a real problem. No matter where you stand on the Second Amendment, no matter where you stand on guns, we have a right to hear from both of them concretely, not just in generalities - specifically what are they going to do about guns?"

(Bloomberg called on Obama, Romney to get specific on gun control in interview with Bob Schieffer. More on Sunday's "Face the Nation.")

Bloomberg's remarks came after the mass shooting in Aurora, Colorado that has left at least 12 people dead and dozens more injured. A gas mask-wearing gunman opened fire at about 12:30 a.m. Friday morning at the Century 16 theaters at the Aurora Mall, where the latest Batman movie "The Dark Knight Rises" was playing.

Special report: Colorado Movie Theater Massacre

The New York mayor is an outspoken advocate for gun control who co-chairs the organization Mayors Against Illegal Guns and is part of the "Second Chance on Shoot First" campaign. He has spoken out about gun control after other high-profile, tragic shooting events.

"All the statistics show that if you, for example, have a gun at home, you are something like 22 times more likely to be killed by a gun," Bloomberg said on CBS This Morning on March 29, 2012 in response to the February 26 shooting of Florida teen Trayvon Martin, which sparked national outcry. Second Chance on Shoot First used the incident to produce two promotional videos on gun control -- a Mother's Day video featuring Martin's mother and a Father's Day video featuring Martin's dad.

In January of 2011, after the mass shooting in Tucson, Ariz., that killed several people and injured others, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, Bloomberg and other members of Mayors Against Illegal Guns laid out a plan of action they said could have prevented the tragedy.

In response to Friday's mass shooting, President Obama has canceled a Winter Park, Florida campaign event. He will address the tragedy in shortened remarks in Ft. Myers, Florida.

Romney also plans to address the incident at a campaign stop in New Hampshire.

[mxniu]

Local controls don't stop people from moving around, and the Federal laws on assault weapons already expired and don't seem to be coming back. You can learn more about Federal gun control laws with this online guide: http://myright.me/gun-rights. Is gun control going to be a major topic for this upcoming election? Let's all pray there isn't another major shooting soon.

[Artfldgr]

Jeanne Assam ... said she "did not think for a minute to run away" when a gunman entered the New Life Church in Colorado Springs and started shooting.

There was applause as Assam spoke to a small crowd saying, "God guided me and protected me."

New Life's Senior Pastor Brady Boyd called Assam "a real hero" because the gunman, Matthew Murray, "had enough ammunition on him to cause a lot of damage." ...

"I saw him coming through the doors" and took cover, Assam said. "I came out of cover and identified myself and engaged him and took him down." ...

Murray was carrying two handguns, an assault rifle and over 1,000 rounds of ammunition, said Sgt. Jeff Johnson of the Colorado Springs Police Department. ...

Boyd said Assam's actions saved the lives of 50 to 100 people.

[KarlStalin]

There is a sign at the entrance of the Aurora theater that says, "NO FIREARMS". Those with concealed carry permits did not bring their guns into the theater. Sure, that's what we need, more gun control. Disarm the citizens and let the criminals slaughter them at will.
----WAKE UP AMERICA-----VOTE CONSERVATIVE 2012---

[Out_Voiced2012]

Romney wont be any better . vote Ron Paul and stop letting the media black him out.. there are more supporters then you can imagine.

[LouLouO]

Look at all the countries who have banned guns. England - the roves of gangs have taken over the country. If a citizen would do something to protect themselves, the citizen would be in trouble and punished, not the offender. The Netherlands and the shooting at the camp, an armed parent or councilor may have prevented more deaths. I think EVERY adult should be required to take a gun safety course, knowledge is power. If you are not afraid of something, then you are equip to be able to deal with it on an intelligent level, not blow the rhetoric out your butt level. Most important, criminals will always find ways to access implements of destruction, whether guns, knives, bats, or sticks (what is the next step ban bats, knifes and sticks) a citizen should have a right to keep criminals under control (the courts have NOT been able to do that) and protect themselves and their loved ones.

[lorenzo_simpson]

Bloomberg is shooting his big mouth off and he of all scumbag politicians has the least to complain about- New York has zero tolerance for having a gun. The only people in NYC who have guns are cops and criminals.The rest of New Yorkers are sheep waiting and shivering in place , waiting to be shot and raped and robbed. Then when it happens to them , they get told to blame themselves and the NRA .

[Molly-Pchr]

Oh, that's just great. The nuts already have guns. Maybe they will turn them in if we just ask them. Bloomberg...what world is he living in? No, I don't own a gun, but darn it, people must think of getting them and carrying to protect themselves. This is getting to be an epidemic.

[lorenzo_simpson]

And right on cue, as predictable as night following day, here's Mayor "Knows-What's-Best-For-Everyone" exploiting this heinous crime to push his agenda:
The last person in the whole country shooting his big mouth off is this mutt. Nobody in NYC has guns except cops and criminals. If you are caught carrying a gun without a permit , which is impossible to get , you automatically get one year in Rikers Island. It would be better to spend ten years in Hell than one in Rickers. It is called the "Sullivan Law'. Even if you have a permit to carry one in any other State or all 49 other States, you can't carry it or have it in NYC. And if you think the cops will protect you , you are an idiot.
Oh yeah , he is not only a multii billioniare but has a corps of cops protecting him 24 hours a day. Just like the POTUS.

[Iowaguy515]

Here we go with the gun restrictions; i bet if there was a couple of people who had a conceal carry permit and were armed the outcome would have been much different; that wack job could have been stopped before they waited 15 minutes for the police to show up and catch him standing at his car.

The second ammendent protects our rights to bear arms and protect ourselves; gun regulation clearly got in the way of that and law abbiding people in the theater.

Why shouldnt I beable to protect myself, my family, my neighbor, the stranger sitting next to me? You want me to lay on the floor, run for cover, hide, sit back and see what happens! who are you to tell me not to worry, when it took 15 MINUTES FOR THE POLICE TO RESPOND (not dissing the cops, they cant be everywhere).

any one who wants to ban fireamrs needs to simply move there candy@$$ to china and austrailia. The constitution isnt and shouldnt EVER be up for debate, it is what this country is built on and stands for. you dont like it dont let the door hit you on the way out.

For the record im not and never was a member of the NRA, and maybe its time i join!

[dickkahrs]

Along with Hizzoner the Mayor Bloomberg, the following are or were advocates of gun control:

Adolph Hitler
Ayatollah Khomeini
Benito Mussolini
Ferdinand Marcos
Fidel Castro
Idi Amin
Jean-Claude Duvalier
Joseph Stalin
Kim Jung-Il
Leopoldo Galtieri
Mao Tse-tung
Muammar El Qaddafi
Pol Pot
Saddam Hussein

[TrenchPress]

Batman shooter James Holmes is a registered Democrat
http://trenchpress.com/?p=15833

So does that mean Democrats should not have guns?
George Stephanopoulos lied to say he was a tea party person.
What they also do not say it that it's a gun free zone, which means if you follow the law you can not carry a gun to defend yourself against people that do not follow the law. People seem to miss that irony which they ignore, and let it keep happening. If it was not a gun a mental person would have used something else like a homemade bomb or car.