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GOP Readies Plan B to Avoid Cliff; White House Rejects Plan B; The Power of the NRA; 6 Scared Kids on Front Lawn; 4-Legged Friends Offer Support.

Aired December 18, 2012 - 11:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: are we getting anything other than rhetoric and platitudes? Are we finding further movement ahead?

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We are definitely getting a lot of rhetoric and platitudes. High stakes positioning and tactical positioning right now as we get closer to that deadline. But big picture of what is going on is that the House speaker went into a meeting and announced he was going to move forward to Plan B. What is Plan B? He feels that the talks he has had with the president have stalled. He is not getting enough of what he wants in terms of spending cuts and too much when it comes to tax revenue. Plan B would be to make sure everybody's taxes don't go up. It would be legislation to keep taxes where they are for people making $1 million and less.

Listen to what he told reporters afterwards.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. BOEHNER, (R-OH), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: At the same time, we will continue to talk with the president we are going to also move Plan B. I think we al know that every income tax filer in America is going to pay higher rates come January 1 unless Congress acts. So I believe it is important that we protect as many American taxpayers as we can. And our Plan B would protect American taxpayers who make $1 million or less and have all of their current rates extended.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: As we were talking, the White House officially released the statement rejecting the so-called Plan B legislation and that is not a surprise because it is in keeping with what we have heard from Democrats. Senior Democrats who laughed this off as a joke. One senior Democrat said this is a punch line, not a compromise. Because they believe that the president in recent days has moved more towards the speaker than even many in the president's own party want him to and that the speaker simply can't deal with the pressure that he is getting from fellow Republicans. There are certainly a lot of issues going on here but right now it looks like the Republicans are going to push forward on taking this vote probably on thursday and by all accounts it does not look like it will get the votes to pass.

BANFIELD: As you were speaking, actually, I just got this statement here. Let me read for our audience if I can. "The president has put a balanced reasonable proposal on the table that achieves significant deficit reduction and reflects real compromise by meeting the Republicans half way on revenue and more than half way on spending from where each side started. The parameters of the deal are clear and the president is willing to continue to work with Republicans to reach a bipartisan solution that averts the fiscal cliff, protects the middle class and puts our nation on a fiscally sustainable path, but he is not willing to accept a deal that doesn't ask enough of the very wealthiest in taxes and instead shifts the burden to the middle class and seniors. The speaker's Plan B approach doesn't meet this test because it can't pass the Senate and will not protect the middle class families and does little to address our fiscal challenges with zero spending cuts. The president is hopeful to reach a solution so we don't miss the opportunity in front of us today."

So there is that. I don't know that you can call that platitudes and rhetoric. It sounds like a lot of the same, Dana Bash. Can I get quick reaction from you on the statement?

BASH: I think it would serve the viewers well to show the gist of where the president was last night when he met with the House speaker on the big picture negotiations, what he offered because he did offer some things that he before vowed he never would. He is moving towards the speaker in some ways. On the tax rates for the wealthiest Americans, the president campaigned for five years saying they would go up for everyone making $250,000 or more. Last night he offered to move that level up to $400,000. He also offered what the White House calls $1.2 trillion in spending cuts. The Republicans quibbled with that. They said the math doesn't add up. Regardless, that is a lot more in spending cuts than they would have agreed to and that is coming the speaker's way.

And the other thing that the president offered was to extend the debt limit so that that is not a fight that draws everybody into the same position we are in now. That is sort of part of where the negotiations are going. As you heard from the sound byte he is arguing, he said more importantly to his fellow Republicans in private this morning that that simply is not enough when it comes to spending.

Let me give you a reality check here. So much of this is posturing and is a negotiated tactic saying to the president I need you to come further my way or else we are going to have this vote. He also probably needs to do that for his own people to show that the fall back plan doesn't have the votes to pass.

BANFIELD: Dana Bash live for us on Capitol Hill. A lot of breaking news coming our way at that time. Thank you so much.

Let's hope the Senate leaders have been able to call their families because they are warning lawmakers that they could be working through to Christmas and come back the next day in order to try to avert this problem.

We are back right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICK PERRY, (R), GOVERNOR OF TEXAS: In the state of Texas, with our concealed hand gun license, if you go through the process and you have been duly back-grounded and trained, and you are a concealed hand gun licensed carrying individual, you should be able to carry your hand gun anywhere in this state.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANFIELD: Texas Governor Rick Perry weighing in on the debate over gun control and weighing in in a way that others aren't at this time, suggesting that you should be able to carry a gun into school if you are an administrator, you should be able to protect yourself.

At this time, the NRA itself isn't weighing in. Everything is quiet on that front. They are waiting, as they said, until they get all the facts before they comment on what has happened here in Newtown, Connecticut.

If it seems like public opinion is shifting, perhaps it is. Some of the latest polling suggests it has shifted somewhat in terms of more pro gun control feelings. Democratic lawmakers changing their minds, those who support the Second Amendment and don't support additional gun control.

What about the National Rifle Association and when it does begin to weigh in? It is a very powerful lobby. Is anything standing in its way at this time?

Here is Carol Costello.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It is a familiar ritual for many politicians, showing and telling their love of the gun.

REP. PAUL RYAN, (R), WISCONSIN: Hey, I am a Catholic deer hunter. I am happy to be clinging to my guns and my religion.

(APPLAUSE)

COSTELLO: Don't think this thing is limited to gun loving Republicans. Democrats run on guns, too.

UNIDENTIFIED SENATOR: As your Senator, I will protect our Second Amendment rights.

COSTELLO: But Sandy Hook touched West Virginia's Democratic Senator, a strong supporter of gun rights.

SEN. JOE MANCHIN, (R), WEST VIRGINIA: Who would have ever thought in America or anywhere in the world that children would be slaughtered? It has changed me. I don't know of anybody that goes hunting with an assault rifle. I don't know people that need 10, 20, 30-round clips.

(CHANTING)

COSTELLO: Grass roots organizations have sprung up, too, marching on the NRA.

SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN, (D), CALIFORNIA: I am going to introduce in the Senate.

COSTELLO: Senator Dianne Feinstein swears she will introduce gun control legislation in a few weeks.

But don't count on the NRA just yet. As political analyst, Larry Sabato says, "They're lying low. They know they can't win an argument when the emotion of the subject is completely tilted to the opposition." It is why Sabato says, so far, the NRA has not commented on Sandy Point (ph). It is the same strategy the NRA used after Congress woman Gabrielle Giffords was shot.

(GUNSHOTS)

COSTELLO: Instead of publicly arguing, the NRA mobilized. According to the Center for Responsible Politics, the gun rights organization spent more on lobbying in 2011 than it ever had $2.5 million. And it promoted personal safety through gun ownership like it did following Bob Costas's passionate plea for gun control after Kansas City Chief's Joe Belcher shot and killed his girlfriend and then himself.

WAYNE LAPIERRE, VICE PRESIDENT, NRA: He wouldn't have said a thing if this woman saved her life by having a firearm available from Belcher.

COSTELLO: It wasn't long before the NFL and gun control died down. As for gun control legislation passed after Gabrielle Giffords was shot, zero.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BANFIELD: And Carol Costello joins me live from Atlanta.

Very interesting piece that you put together. I am curious about the history of the NRA's reactions after mass shootings. What is the typical M.O. of the NRA after these tragedies?

COSTELLO: In a word, nothing. The NRA doesn't comment. Why should they? You can't win this argument with the specter of 20 dead children hanging in the air. As painful as it sounds right now, memories fade. Six months from now people will likely feel very differently about what went down in Newtown. The NRA probably won't comment then either but it won't need to because roughly half the population still thinks the answers to tragedies is more guns, protection.

BANFIELD: So, Carol, what about the power of the NRA as a lobby? Everyone knows it is significant. You saw some of the campaign pictures. What kind of power are we talking about when it comes to money and numbers?

COSTELLO: It is not so much about the money. The NRA has millions of members, four million members or more. That is like having four million votes in your pocket. So legislators, lawmakers are elected and know that. They are talking about real votes they may lose if they pass gun control legislation. That is the power of the NRA.

BANFIELD: Carol Costello reporting for us live in Atlanta. Thank you for that insightful reporting.

And when we come back, how do you deal with grief when there is almost no way to deal with it? We have one very, very small contribution that we are going to show you in the way of four legged friends.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BANFIELD: Some of the stories that are emerging here in Newtown, Connecticut of the day the gunman opened fire in the Sandy Hook Elementary School are nothing short of unbelievable. In fact, six little children ran from the school in the midst of a shooting after witnessing their own teacher, Victoria Soto being gunned down right before their eyes. Somehow they escaped that classroom and ran for their lives and didn't stop running after they got off school property. They ran down the street and ran to a neighbor. They ran onto his lawn and then they stopped. He had no idea what he was witnessing until he came out and asked what are you doing here.

His name is Gene Rosen and he spoke exclusively to Erin Burnett last night and you won't believe the story that he tells.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GENE ROSEN, HELPED CHILDREN AFTER SHOOTING: They were sitting so nicely. But then I saw a man in a very agitated way saying it is going to be all right. He kept raising his voice. I thought to myself strange. And I came to the children. And they were crying and mortified. And it was a school bus driver with them. I invited them into the House. And she said that an incident at the school. I had no idea what it was.

ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: and the children, how did they find the words to tell you? Because they told you, right?

ROSEN: They just start talking. The two boys mostly talked and they said we can't go back to that school. We can't go back. Our teacher is dead. What are we going to do? We don't have a teacher. They were so brave and they were so good. I brought down some toys from my grand son's toy chest and I gave them some juice. And they called their parents. They were very brave and very good. And I was amazed. I was astounded at what they were telling me. Something happened with one of the boys out of this grief in this carnage and he stopped. And he became very composed. And all of a sudden he stopped and he looked at me and he said just saying, your house is very small. I thought what a bright, wonderful boy. And he just brought to all of us a respite frame all of this darkness. I want to see these kids. I hope their parents will call me. I want to put my arms around them and tell them that I love them. I want the children to be the basis for our solution.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BANFIELD: That's Gene Rosen speaking with our Erin Burnett.

Those children will be going back to school but they will be going to a new school and will not be seeing their teacher again. Victoria Soto is set to be buried tomorrow. There are a number of funerals this week. Hers is among them. We are back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BANFIELD: One of the bright spots that we've been able to fine sense we've been here in Newtown, Connecticut a group that's come from Illinois and brought with them a number of four-legged friends called comfort dogs. This is Luther, the comfort dog, with Tim Hesler, his handler.

I've been seeing your work and the dog's work. If you could for the audience who might be seeing comfort dogs for the first time it sounds obvious, what is a comfort dog?

TIM HESLER, HANDLER, COMFORT DOGS: A comfort dog comes and brings comfort. They're like a living teddy bear, in some aspects or a furry counselor.

BANFIELD: Literally, you're inviting people to --

(CROSSTALK)

HESLER: Yes.

BANFIELD: And they're obviously very safe because you -- we teach our children you can't come face to face with a puppy dog, but these, you can?

HESLER: They have a sign that says "please pet me." That's what they are here for. That's what they live for. They love to be loved and give love.

BANFIELD: My lord, they're beautiful. And you brought 12 of these dogs with you?

HESLER: Right. We did. Some had to go back early this morning because of a situation in the Chicago area. We have eight now and a couple more coming in to relieve. We have dogs here this week.

BANFIELD: When you got here, did you know right away where to go, who to see or did you show up and wait for instructions?

HESLER: Lutheran Church Charities. Our Church is Christ the King. We work through them and connect with people in the town. We have dogs at the high school right now.

BANFIELD: You've done this before. Here for Hurricane Sandy.

HESLER: Hurricane Sandy, Joplin, we also deploy volunteers out in disaster situations. BANFIELD: Can I ask you, do you notice a difference between how children respond and grown-ups response when it comes to the dog?

HESLER: About the same. Both come town and pet, some show emotion, some will get down on the ground with the dogs. Dogs at high school are basically laying down with kids laying around them all with their hand on the dog.

BANFIELD: That is right?

HESLER: Petting the dogs, massaging the dogs. Dogs are loving it.

BANFIELD: I say I want to come back as a comfort dog. I've seen everybody coming up and scrubbing your ears and giving lots of love. There's a certain dog you choose as a puppy and you have a test to get right dog to be safe as a comfort dog.

HESLER: For a dog, we see their temperament. If they have a temperament that allows you to do that, that starts the training process. We train our dogs as service dogs not that we use them as service dogs as disabled but they're trained not bark, bite, jump.

BANFIELD: If they wiggle, you know that they've got a temperament that might not be best for this line of work?

HESLER: So, from that point we spend personal trainer with a dog for eight months to a year and do the final training and place them in churches and schools.

BANFIELD: Thank you for coming and talking to me. Thank you for bringing your dogs. Thank you for coming to this community. God bless you and your Lutheran Church Charities. Joining us, like I said, one bright spot in a very sad story.

We are back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BANFIELD: The kids in Newtown will be returning to school today, the kids from Sandy Hook will not be because their going to come here to the Monroe middle school campus, specifically look to the left, the Chalk Hill School. That was a school because of declining enrollment closed down, and set to reopen as a community center. But now Monroe County has decided to avail its services to kids from Sandy Hook.

Look across the street at the sign that has just shown up: "Welcome Sandy Hook Elementary." It's really heartwarming to see that.

Here's how it's going to work. They're not going to be here today. We don't know when they're going to be here. If you look up there, there's a police officer who is blocking the entrance to the media. We want to be respectful. They're allowing teachers that are going into an adjacent middle school and also people who are moving all of the contents from Sandy Hook Elementary actually into Chalk Hill when these children arrive here, the artwork from their elementary school will be on the walls there. Their desks will be in place there. And there's even reportedly photographs that were taken at Sandy Hook Elementary of what the classrooms looked like so the professional movers could move everything in and make it look exactly the same was really, truly a remarkable feat given the duress everyone's under. But over the last couple of days, trucks have been coming up and down delivering all of the equipment, desks and just all of the gear that you need to actually functionally make a school happen for little children.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: A shattered town tries to return to some sense of every-day life knowing that nothing is ever going to really be the same.