CNN "Newsroom" - Transcript: Isla Vista Shooting

Interview

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COSTELLO: Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut joins us now.

Good morning.

SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D), CONNECTICUT: Good morning. Thank you, Carol.

COSTELLO: Thanks for being here. Is Mr. Martinez right?

BLUMENTHAL: He is right that Congress' failure to act is shameful, and disgraceful. That day in April of last year when we had 55 votes but failed to reach the 60 needed to pass a comprehensive measure was, in fact, a day of shame and disgrace in the United States Congress, but I am absolutely determined that we will achieve common sense, sensible measures, including a focus on mental health, which I think is common ground to bring us together.

The majority leader, Harry Reid, has pled he will bring these bills back when we have the votes and I think we need to pursue the organizing and mobilizing at the grass roots level that we saw so necessary in the wake of that failure back in April of last year to pass these common sense measures.

COSTELLO: Senator, California -- California has some of the strictest gun laws in the country. The shooter in this case, abided by a background check and waiting period. She had never been charged with a crime or voluntarily committed. How would any gun control law prevent this particular shooter from buying a gun?

BLUMENTHAL: There is no single solution. There's no panacea to the problem of gun violence, and not every death, even every mass shooting, can be prevented, but health professionals going with those police who spoke to Mr. Rodgers after he was reported as being suicidal might have helped them to detect and even to treat the very severe mental illness that made him so dangerous to himself and others.

Mental health initiatives are part of a common ground, perhaps the point of consensus that can bring us together on both sides of the aisle. It should be bipartisan.

And what we have to remember, Carol, is that very soon everyone will have known someone who has suffered from gun violence or will know someone among the 32,000 every year who are victims of gun violence. Either by their own hand or others.

And we need to remember that our community is filled with parents of people like the parents of Javier Martinez or Erica Robinson, two young people in the city of New Haven, whom we continue to grieve, those 26 great educators and young children in Sandy Hook, every win of us will be touched by this problem, and we need to continue this effort. Even if it doesn't eliminate every death.

COSTELLO: In focusing on the case in California, because this is the latest event, right? The shooter, Rodger, he used a knife, too. He use add knife to kill three people and then he used a gun to kill three more.

Some argue, if a deranged person wants to kill, they will find a way. It's the argument that gun control advocates cannot seem to win with those who passionately believe in gun rights.

So, how do you compromise?

BLUMENTHAL: There are compromises that will save lives. That's very simply the undeniable truth. Keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people, whether they're severely mentally ill, or felons or drug addicts, background checks will help stem and stop gun violence. That's an irrefutable truth.

And the myth that that will mean taking guns away from law-abiding people is absolutely incorrect. The Second Amendment continues to be the law of the land and what's needed now is a renewed compliment to organizing, to bringing these bills back, which I hope will happen, and to making sure we have a --

COSTELLO: Well, Senator --

BLUMENTHAL: -- will to make our streets safer.

COSTELLO: Senator, I say this and mean no disrespect. I can tell you right now the majority of my viewers thinks this conversation is a wait of time or worse. Can you really look them in the eye and tell them it's not a waste of time?

BLUMENTHAL: I can look anyone in the eye and say, far from wasting time. This effort is about law enforcement, about protecting our police, whose lives are on the line. Our children who are victims every day in our streets and neighborhoods, about keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous or severely mentally ill people, such as this young man in California.

Not every law will solve every problem. Enforcement is an issue. Mental health is something that can bring us together. Mental health resources, training for our professionals who go out to interview people who may be mentally ill, and trained professionals to go with them, so, as to protect people better.

COSTELLO: Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, thanks so much.

BLUMENTHAL: Thank you.

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