MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript: Charleston Shooting

Interview

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SCHULTZ: We also learn the names of the four victims the United States  Marines today that were killed in the shooting, Gunnery Sergeant Thomas  Sullivan, Staff Sergeant David Wyatt, Sergeant Carson Holmquist and Lance  Corporal Squire Wells. Today their bodies were transported out of Tennessee in a convoy. A  military spokesperson said that they were being taken to Dover, Delaware  where their caskets will be draped and an honorable transfer will be  conducted. We will to continue to follow the story closely and bring you  updates as we get them. For more let me bring in Tennessee Congressman Steve Cohen. Congressman,  good to have you with us tonight. I`d like you reaction to Mike McCaul  your colleague in the House assuming that this is an ISIS-inspired attack.  What your response to that?

REP. STEVE COHEN, (D) TENNESSE: Well, I can understand why he said, you  know, I respect Mike and like Mike. You have to look, you know, that he  went to military installation or recruiting station and into another  military installation. You look at his Facebook postings, you have to do  something for Allah and life is short and the high school "We you see my  name at security it`s a problem, how about yours?" I mean, it`s at least  related to his religion and his isolation from the mainframe of the  American society. But I can understand why Mike would think that. We were  on bravo alert and it was walks, talks, quakes, looks, it`s a duck.

SCHULTZ: How troubled are you about hearing about his overseas travels and  how does that play into your opinion?

COHEN: Well, I`m concerned of course. He was up Jordanian decent and came  to this country from Kuwait. But I think he had relatives in Jordan and  he`d been there several times and it`s understandable somebody would want  to go back to maybe the roots of visits family. But the fact that he made  such a long trip recently and I think he was seven month duration trip to  Jordan. Not confirm that he been to Yemen as well. Those are sites where  you can interact with some people who want you to do harm here. And at  minimum I think he was inspired by others who saw there. When he came back he was much more religious and much more devout and  certainly those last posting on Monday about doing something for Allah and  life is short indicate that he knew what he was doing and he was doing at  the some manner. He thought to dissipate related who was region. And it`s  so unfortunate that this is how they distort religion.

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

COHEN: And I think he did.

SCHULTZ: Congressman, your comments over the phone on this broadcast last  night has sparked quite a conversation about these military facilities  should be guarded. Yesterday you said that military members should be  armed at recruiting stations. Do you stand by that?

COHEN: I definitely do. I think that there`s no question they`re targets  and they have been shown in Little Rock as well as Chattanooga. And I  think that the military would know how to use their weapons properly. I  sponsored and past the right to carry bill in Tennessee 20 years ago. And  that`s been expanded further than it should be to go into bars and almost  require people to carry a gun. But I think somebody who`s doesn`t have criminal record has clear of a mental health background and done our fireman accuracy test and firearm 
tested to know training to know the law and to be able to show they can use the weapon proficiently, effectively and efficiently should be allow to carry a gun and certainly military people should. And they have those 
weapons on them. I`m sure some of those men would be alive, maybe all of them.

SCHULTZ: What are you hearing from your colleagues on the House about the shooting? Do you think that there will be any in kind of follow up all or any kind of congressional committee discussion about your talking about right now?

COHEN: I`m sure there will be. We just had a hearing with Homeland Security and part of that hearing with the Secretary Johnson was the distinction between terrorist at home that attack not because the Muslim terrorist but terrorist who attack in Charleston the Emanuel nine or the terrorist in Oklahoma City, and terrorist in other spots. And there`s great deal of terrorism in both regards. Both American home grown terrorist attacking our government of being against any government authorities and then people who inspired or inspired by ISIS or inspired by their religion and the grand (ph) to do something.

SCHULTZ: All right.

COHEN: I`m sure they`ll be discussions and the fact that this man Muslim  and had Arab name is going to cause a lot of consternation.

SCHULTZ: Congressman Steve Cohen of Tennessee with us tonight Ed Show. Appreciate your time sir. Thank so much.

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