Carney: Gun Control Will Eventually Happen, Gun-Owners Will 'Go Down'

by Jake Hammer

Apr 22, 2013Jake Hammer

QUESTION: On the legislative strategy component of this, is there any look-back at why the President was unable to convince enough members of his own party, as well as Republicans to vote for the bill?

JAY CARNEY: We are absolutely — well, let me say two things. One is this just happened, and we — everybody here worked, from the President on down, worked hard to bring about this action on legislation that in the end Congress has to vote on.

The fact is, and I've noted it and the President noted it, and it is I think essential to recall that this is an issue that 90 percent of the American people support. It is an issue that 90 percent of Democrats voted for and one that 90 percent of Republicans voted against. So 90 percent of Republicans voted with 10 percent of the American people.

So there is no question the President is disappointed with all those who did not vote yes. But the fact is there was a decision made largely within the Republican Party that they did not need to listen to the majority of the American people. And for whatever reason — and there was no plausible reason laid out at a policy level for why we should not simply make better a background check system that has been in existence for a long time now, that has been effective where it is in place in preventing criminals from getting weapons, which should be a goal that we all share — why not make that system better in a way that does no harm to Second Amendment rights, in a way that 90 percent of the American people support, that gun owners support, that avid sportsmen and women support? We should do that. And the President believes we should do that.

And the fact that a minority in the Senate disagreed with not just the President — it's not about the President — disagreed with 90 percent of the American people is I think unfortunate and will — they will go down, I think, as being wrong on this because it will happen. (White House Briefing, April 22, 2013)