CNN national political correspondent Jim Acosta reports on a proposed gun bill that would expand background checks and how it affects senators. Acosta caught up with Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) in her home state of Louisiana; she is undecided on background checks and faces a tough reelection battle. A full transcript of Acosta’s report will be posted on http://archives.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/sitroom.html.
This interview is part of CNN’s in-depth coverage Guns Under Fire: A CNN Special Report on Background Checks. More information: http://on.cnn.com/14Sxu7o
MANDATORY CREDIT: CNN national political correspondent Jim Acosta
Highlight from Full Interview:
THIS IS A RUSH FDCH TRANSCRIPT. IT MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ACOSTA (on camera): When 90 percent of the American people say we want universal background checks, how can you be against that?
LANDRIEU: I’m not against that.
ACOSTA: Well, you’re not against it, but…
LANDRIEU: I’m not…
ACOSTA: How can you…
LANDRIEU: — against it, but…
ACOSTA: — how can you be undecided about it?
LANDRIEU: Well, first of all, you know, I’m not the president of the United States, I’m a senator from Louisiana. And so I really will follow what the people in my state, you know, want me to do on that issue.
ACOSTA: When you see so much support out there across the country for this one provision, doesn’t that give you pause?
LANDRIEU: You know…
ACOSTA: When you…
LANDRIEU: — I don’t know if you understand as a senator from a state…
ACOSTA: Yes.
LANDRIEU: — senators really look at what their state is saying. And that’s what our job is.