Panicked calls to 911 about a lion roaming around Norfolk, Virginia were a bit exaggerated...the cat is actually a friendly local dog with a lionesque hairdo.
![]() |
Post by: Anderson Cooper Filed under: The RidicuList |
Betsy Andreu, the wife of one of Lance Armstrong's former teammates, says Armstrong bullied her family after she testified against him. New York Times sports reporter Juliet Macur talks about Armstrong's history of intimidation and the athlete's loyal following.
![]() |
Post by: Anderson Cooper Filed under: Lance Armstrong • Sports |
Retired General Stanley McChrystal says military style firearms shouldn’t be in civilian hands. He talked with Anderson Cooper about gun control here at home and as the former U.S. commander in Afghanistan, he had some thoughts on the potential pullout of all U.S. troops by 2014.
Read the rush transcript of the interview:
You made headlines just recently talking about gun control. What is your view when you see these military-style weapons in the hands of civilians?
GEN. STANLEY MCCHRYSTAL (RET.), FORMER U.S. COMMANDER IN AFGHANISTAN: I spent a lifetime, a career carrying a weapon, an M16 first and then an M4 carbine later.
And they fire a .556 round at about 3,000 feet per second and when it hits human flesh, it's devastating. It's designed to be that way. That's what I want soldiers to carry. But I don't want those weapons around our schools, I don't want them on our streets. I think that if we can't - it's not a complete fix to just address assault weapons, but I think if we don't get very serious now when we seeing children being buried, then I can't think of a time when we should.
![]() |
Post by: Anderson Cooper Filed under: 360 Webcast • Afghanistan • Guns |
Jeffrey Toobin, Margaret Hoover and Peter Beinart discuss the likelihood that legislators will reform U.S. gun laws.
![]() |
Post by: Anderson Cooper Filed under: Congress • Guns • NRA • President Obama |
CNN's Randi Kaye reports on how two bystanders armed with guns during different public shootings reacted to the situations.
![]() |
Post by: Randi Kaye Filed under: Guns |
Christine Levinson tells Anderson Cooper why her family believes Bob Levinson is being held captive in Iran. The retired FBI agent has been missing for six years.
![]() |
Post by: Anderson Cooper Filed under: FBI • Iran |
Reporter's Note: The president has initiated an effort to increase gun control. It is a difficult battle and the subject of today’s letter.
Dear Mr. President,
My father always said, “If you have to fight someone, make sure you don’t fight in his neighborhood.” The wisdom was driven by common sense. On another guy’s home turf you ran the risk of him having many friends who might step in to the fray even if you secured an advantage in the initial clash.
My brother experienced that first hand. One night after a football game at his high school, a bunch of kids in a hostile neighborhood began taunting and then attacking him on the way home. Now my brother is, and always has been, one of the single toughest and strongest human beings you’ll ever meet. He does not back down from a fight easily and seldom has cause to, but that night he ended up running for his life while pursued by a half dozen furious teenagers. When he thundered up the back steps into the house a hail of rocks cracked off of the siding and roof as they tried to get in some final shots.
So the point stands: Only the foolish wander into their enemy’s camp for fisticuffs.
Which is one reason I think your summit meeting on the issue of guns is tricky. At any given moment, both advocates for more control…and advocates against it…may well feel as if they are being lured into a trap. In the first case, there is history to consider. I can’t even count how often I’ve heard politicians rail about the need for new gun regulations, assemble committees to consider the options, and then quietly fade into oblivion a few months later when the noise quiets down. Understandably then, some of the people you may be counting on to push your latest effort may fear they are treading into politically hostile territory…that they will stand up and say bold things, only to have you and other leaders of their cause run away and leave them stranded as soon as the gun lobby punches back.
By the same token, I can imagine that some gun rights advocates and dealers are wary of what you are up to. Sure, you may invite them to the table to discuss these issues, but they may sense a snare in the bushes. To their minds, it is a reasonable suspicion that you might stand them up in a photo op to show how open you are to opposing views, then wallop them with fierce anti-gun legislation.
Like I said, there is reason for both sides to fear being caught in a hostile neighborhood on this issue. And I suspect your success, if there is any to be had, will start with addressing those fears…convincing supporters that you have the political courage to stick with your plans even if you and other Democrats start paying a political price, and convincing opponents that you will indeed consider their thoughts before moving ahead.
Just an idea or two. Hope all is well.
Regards,
Tom
|
Filed under: Letters to the President • Opinion • President Barack Obama • T1 • Tom Foreman |
In the National Rife Association’s first statement after the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, the group’s executive vice president told America that the solution for a more secure country is more weapons. Wayne LaPierre announced, “The only way to stop a monster from killing our kids is to be personally involved and invested in a plan of absolute protection. The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.”
The idea of solving the problem by placing armed guards in every school sparked more heated debates about gun regulation. Those in favor of stricter gun laws rejected the proposal. Positive reaction came from pro-gun groups, and those supporters are pointing to an incident in San Antonio, Texas as evidence that arming the good guys works.
|
Filed under: Guns • NRA • Randi Kaye |
Roxanna Green is calling for gun control to honor the memory of her daughter, Christina-Taylor, who was killed two years ago in the Tuscon mass shooting that wounded Rep. Gabby Giffords. She thinks the country is ready to embrace change.
![]() |
Post by: Anderson Cooper Filed under: Guns |
Anderson Cooper goes beyond the headlines to tell stories from many points of view, so you can make up your own mind about the news. Tune in weeknights at 8 and 10 ET on CNN.
Questions or comments? Send an email
Want to know more? Go behind the scenes with AC361°