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Virginia Mourns the Loss of 12 After Mass Shooting; Mexico Open to Negotiating with Trump Over Tariff Threat; Britain Braces for Trump State Visit Amid Political Crisis; Democrats Address Gun Violence in the Wake of Virginia Shooting. Aired 7-8a ET

Aired June 02, 2019 - 07:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:01:34] CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: We are so grateful to see you Sunday morning at 7:01 right now. I'm Christi Paul.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Victor Blackwell.

Let meet talk about this handwritten note that was posted on the front door of their home last night, this is from the family of the man who killed 12 people in Virginia Beach Friday. They are offering their condolences.

Our colleague Erica Hill is in Virginia Beach with the latest this morning.

Eric, this note seems like -- obviously, police have spoken with them and their neighbors wonder what they have to say and now they are sharing their feelings after this horrible tragedy there.

ERICA HILL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely. And that was shared with us as well. And from what we understand is pretty much all they have to say at the moment which in many ways is not surprising.

And certainly this push for the focus to be on the victims is something we are not just hearing from the community but from officials as well, that what we need to talk about are the 12 people who lost their lives in the building behind me on Friday afternoon, gunned down as they were preparing to start their weekends to wrap up their week to go home to their families. These are people who are well known in the community, 11 of them are public employees like the gunman and one other contract was here filing a permit and a man well- known by folks in town, including the mayor, he had become a good friend of the mayor after helping with some work at the mayor's house five years ago, he told me.

So, we want to let you know more about these 12 victims and who they are.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Laquita C. Brown who worked in the public works four and a half years and is a right of way agent and she is a resident of Chesapeake, Virginia.

Tara Welch Gallagher who works in public works for over six years and served as an engineer and is a resident of Virginia Beach.

Mary Louise Gayle who has worked in public works for over 24 years and serves as a right of way agent and is a resident of Virginia Beach.

Alexander Mikhail Gusev who has worked for over nine years in public works and is a right-of-way agent and is a resident of Virginia Beach.

Katherine A. Nixon who serves in public utilities for over ten years as an engineer and is a resident of Virginia Beach.

Richard H. Nettleton. Rich worked in public utilities over 28 years, served as an engineer. Served with me as a lieutenant in Germany in the 130th engineer brigade and was a resident of Norfolk.

Christopher Kelly Rapp who served in public works for just 11 months as an engineer and is a citizen of Powhatan.

Ryan Keith Cox who served in public utilities for over 12 1/2 years and is an account clerk and a resident of Virginia Beach.

Joshua Hardy who served in public utilities for 4 1/2 years was as an engineering technician and as a resident of Virginia Beach.

Michelle "Missy" Langer who served in public utilities for 12 years as an administrative assistant and is a resident of Virginia Beach.

[07:05:04] Robert "Bobby" Williams who served in public utilities for over 41 years as a special projects coordinator and is a resident of Chesapeake.

Herbert "Bert" Snelling who was a contractor trying to fill a permit and is a resident of Virginia Beach.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HILL: We can tell you we knee at least there was at least one person shot out in the parking lot. Otherwise, all three floors, officers say there were shots fired on all three floors.

As for those victims, in addition to the 12 who lost their lives, four are still in the hospital, three of them in critical condition. We did get an update on them just yesterday from the doctors' office and at the hospital and I want to share that with you now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. MARTIN O'GRADY, SURGEON: They are all serious injuries in the sense that they were gunshot wounds which are never minor, OK? So as I said, two have been taken to the operating room to get injuries repaired. One is probably more fortunate and we hope that patient will have a full recovery, that's not clear at this very second, but did not require urgent or operations to repair injuries he has gotten. In a sense very, very lucky with all of this, but he got lucky and the injury was -- I mean, not to exaggerate a little, he probably wouldn't be here today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: So, in just a little while, we are hoping to learn more. The mayor will be joining us at 7:30 this morning.

Yesterday, he stressed that this city will not be defined by the horrific actions that happened behind me on Friday afternoon. He says that this is a city that will be defined by its love, by its compassion, its resiliency and its resolve. So, we will be speaking with him at 7:30.

For a closer look now at the investigation, there are a number of questions that people have and Brian Todd is here.

People want to know the why and a tough answer to answer especially when you put it in the context it hasn't been two days and given the shooter was killed, that said, there are some clues that are starting to emerge.

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Erica. There are clues are starting to emerge and they are interviewing coworkers and witnesses and other people who were around here who interacted with the shooter. There was one man who we spoke to who interacted with him in the restroom shortly before the shootings started and it was a very banal conversation he had with them about what they were doing over the weekend. But they've got to talk to him, they've got to talk to other people here.

We are talking to coworkers here trying to piece together the motive what really might have spurred this on. Was there a conflict at work? Was there someone who he particularly targeted when he went into that building? That's the why.

Now on the method, that is a key component too. Reporting on this investigation for the past couple of days, we are getting a real sense of the enormous scope of the investigation. You've got several crime scene to go through. This massive crime scene behind us, a big building and parking lot where one of the shootings took place they have his home to go through still that they are doing and his vehicle to go through. So, there is a lot of evidence to comb through with those places.

Now, on method, weapons used are a key component of this and Ashan Benedict, the ATF special agent in charge, spoke about the weapons found in the shooter's home. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ASHAN BENEDICT, ATF SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE: Working with Virginia Beach Police Department and state police and our partners with the FBI, we identified two weapons used in the shooting yesterday. Both weapons are .45 caliber weapons and one was purchased in 2016 and one was purchased in 2018. Both pistols are purchased by the shooter and all indications they were purchased legally.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TODD: He was talking about that sound bite about the weapons used at the scene. But we also have information about the weapons found in his home. There were two additional weapons found at the shooter's home and they didn't specify what those were but they are going through that as well.

HILL: And one of those specified based on their findings was purchase. They talked about the other, correct?

TODD: From every indication we have now, every weapon that he had was purchased legally. There might have been four total. Not sure of the number but at least three were purchased legally and he had extended magazines in the two .45 caliber pistols he used in the shooting which allowed him to relocate quickly and apparently he did reload quickly and he barricaded himself at one point. This was a guy who came in and prepared to do battle with police.

HILL: And he also had a suppresser on there. Speaking with one of our CNN law enforcement analyst, James Gagliano, retired supervisory FBI special agent, he was explaining to how that works, that it doesn't totally silence the sound but muffle it and could add to the terror of the people in there and officers were able to find him,

All right. Brian, thank you.

Brian, of course, will continue to update us on that investigation throughout the day. We should point out a small memorial is behind us that is beginning to grow and one on the other side of the building that I just drove by a half an hour ago, that is growing as well.

[07:10:06] There is a memorial service, a service of remembrance planned by the city for Thursday evening by the city. And across the city, vigils being planned to continue to remember those victims, to bring the community together, to give them a place to mourn and to be with one another.

We are going to speak to one of the pastors leading two of the vigils later this morning and he'll join us ahead -- Victor, Christi.

PAUL: All right. Thank you so much, Erica Hill and Brian Todd. We appreciate it.

BLACKWELL: Well, back in Washington, President Trump is defending his tariff war, tweeting that foreign countries have been robbing and deceiving the U.S. for years.

How could this affect everyone here in the U.S.? The buyers in the markets? We'll talk about that.

PAUL: Also playing to the base. 2020 hopefuls spoke to party members at California's Democratic Party Convention. There were issues that drew cheers. There was one candidate who was booed. We'll tell you what happened.

BLACKWELL: New video just in. An out of control cruise ship sends people running and screaming. We will show you what happens and why.

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PASTOR ROB HUFFMAN, BRIDGE CHURCH: Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. We just believe that the comfort of the Holy Spirit is over our city, it's with those families that are mourning tonight. When part of our city hurts, we all hurt. When part of our city weeps, we all weep.

(EN VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: That was Pastor Rob Huffman of Bridge Church during one of the vigils held here in Virginia Beach last night.

A number of churches in the area have planned special services and vigils today to remember the victims of Friday's mass shooting that left 12 people dead to remember the victims and also to give people who are in mourning a place to be together.

[07:15:07] One of the churches holding a special prayer service today, Lighthouse Virginia Beach. Pastor Brandon Shank is with me now.

It's good to have you here this morning.

PASTOR BRANDON SHANK, LIFEHOUSE VIRGINIA BEACH: Yes, thanks for having me.

HILL: So, you actually begun -- I know you held a vigil yesterday morning and I was reading some accounts of it. Raining in the morning and then as the names began to be read, that is when the sun came out.

SHANK: Yes. It was I think one of those times we felt like people want to be together, people just want a community. We don't have a building. We have two campuses but we are mobile.

So I told our guys, I said, hey, we just got to do something quick and like early in the morning and people will wake up and they need somewhere to go. So we put it together and it was an incredible morning, you know? I think it was a time for people to just have the initial touch of community.

And so that was really the big thing and it provided hope, do you know what I'm saying? To say we are not doing this alone and Jesus can help us through this and he is here and we just got to push, you know?

HILL: We were talking briefly in the break, and I was saying to day, one of the things that I've noticed in the people I've spoken with here and especially the officials who really seem to drive it home is that this is a big city but it really is a very small community. And everyone seems to know one another and everyone, unfortunately, seems to have a connection to some of these victims, or at least someone who worked in the building.

SHANK: Yes, I think one of those things when you have this many people that their lives are tragically ended quickly, there is connection, do you know what I'm saying? People know and people understand. I think just any time you get into the bigger cities, sometimes you feel everybody is insulated. But, you know, it's a big military hub too, so there's a lot of population that comes from transient.

But there's a lot of people who don't live here, who grew up here. We actually have people yesterday. I'm not from here. I'm from D.C. and people came up yesterday saying we lived here our whole lives and thank you for caring for this city.

And I'm thinking, my kids only know this city. This is their home. I think it's personal. People's lives are being messed up. We have to step in and provide hope.

HILL: It's so tough in the hours and in the first few days that follow because you were saying to me you were hoping sort of that you would wake up and it will be a bad dream.

SHANK: Oh, yes.

HILL: I'm sure you're not alone in that. The shock is giving way a little bit so the mourning process can begin.

What are you hearing from some of the folks in your church community in terms of what they need, but also what they want to give?

SHANK: Yes, I think people are ready to jump in and they want community and want to be around each other. I think when there's somebody hurt, you help them up. Do you know what I mean?

I think the church community right now is saying let's do everything we can to help people walk through and make sure we are not so insulated to doing our think that we are not in the city. So, we are pushing people in our church -- we will not create anything new.

There's stuff on the websites and things are saying this is how can you help, so go do those things and be a part of something already established and be a part of the community of Virginia beach. Let us try to do everything from within our (INAUDIBLE), and be a part what have is already out there.

HILL: What is it that you mentioned, you moved down here from D.C. a few years ago. This is all your kids have known.

SHANK: Yes.

HILL: What is it, though, for people who are not familiar with this community? What are some of the words you would use to describe it? Why is it now, the place that you want to call home?

SHANK: I think it's just -- there's so many diamonds in the rough here. People don't realize the amount of talent and influence come out of city. You know, whether it's pop stars to politicians to athletes. This is just a place that has been really, really good at creating

really good people that contribute to society and then the people that are here, they are just good people. They love people. There's community and people are excited to be around each other, you know?

HILL: All right. Pastor Shank, thank you for joining us. I know you have services at 9:00 and 10:30 today, so we appreciate you taking the time to join us before that. Thank you.

SHANK: Absolutely.

HILL: Christi?

PAUL: OK. Erica, thank you so much.

President Trump, we're going to talk about now, is defending his tariffs on China and Mexico, tweeting: We are no longer the fools of the past. There are people who agree with that.

We are going to talk about how it could affect you, your pocketbook going forward.

Stay close.

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[07:22:49] AARON ROUSE, VIRGINIA BEACH CITY COUNCIL: I know what our community is made of. We will define who we are in this moment, and by defining who we are in this moment, we will come together like never before, never before.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: That is Aaron Rouse, a Virginia Beach city council member. And not just community is coming up. People are surrounding this community with donations and love and volunteers. The city council said they have received so much support they have set up a link on the city website in ways that you can help.

Now, back in Washington. President Trump, the self-proclaimed tariff man, as he says, is expanding his trade fights on multiple fronts, threatening Mexico with new tariffs, starting -- well, not starting -- continuing this trade war with China and removing India from a special trade status.

PAUL: He tweeted, when you are the piggybank nation that foreign countries have been robbing and deceiving for years, the word "tariff" is a beautiful word. Others must treat the United States fairly and with respect. We are no longer the fools of the past.

BLACKWELL: All right. Back with us now, CNN White House correspondent Boris Sanchez.

It's important to say that the president says "tariff" is a beautiful word, indeed. Those tariffs are paid by U.S. importers and often --

PAUL: The taxes.

BLACKWELL: Yes, passed on to the U.S. consumer, right? That is important to say.

But let's start here with the president talking about Mexico specifically and threatening this. How does this compare to what we saw from the president a couple of months ago in this threat to shut down the border?

Remember, he said by next week, it's going to happen if we don't see changes. Republicans and business leaders he finds influential got into his ear and saying, oh, we saw changes, we are not closing the border.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I think it's fascinating the administration has put forth benchmarks for Mexico to meet these tariffs and it's really telling. I'm not sure -- this certainly doesn't follow the protocols of acting tariffs, so I'm not sure there really is a flushed-out plan here.

[07:25:01] I think it's most reactionary of the president being upset over the issue of immigration, feeling like he is not getting anything through Congress, he's not getting money for his border wall. And so, this is a way essentially to lash out.

I think the bigger concern isn't necessarily the relationship with Mexico or other nations but in a similar relationship with Mexico, maybe the president is upset the way allies handling a certain issue potentially immigration or it could be anything. And the way that he'll lash out is through a tariff. He sees tariffs as this sort of blunt object, this blunt weapon that he can use when he is unhappy with something and he tries to bend other nations to his will by using them.

BLACKWELL: He has a lot of room to move in emergency powers but something Congress will say this does not fall within.

SANCHEZ: Right, right. Still a question as to whether Congress with mobilize to try to prevent the president from doing this. The question is what Republicans in the Senate are sticking their necks out and try to confront this president over those.

PAUL: We talked about the economy and how that is the president's stronghold.

BLACKWELL: Right.

PAUL: At the end of the day.

But if he does implement these tariffs, if there is some sort of a hit on the U.S. economy, is there any indication or any gauge what he will do in response to that? Because he will then have been the one who implemented the changes.

SANCHEZ: Right.

PAUL: That are changing -- that are taking away his bragging rights essentially.

SANCHEZ: He would have been the person who himself foot with robust growing economy. I think a lot of this is geographical. If you look at who has been affected by this, a lot of farmers in a red states that went for President Trump.

It's not a coincidence that China has mobilized to try to make sure that those areas specifically, that those farmers feel pain, this is in a direct result of the trade war with China. The president so far has tried to alleviate their pain with that 15, 16 dollar bailout and also by going to other nations like Japan. He was there last week, essentially asking Shinzo Abe to open up like a cultural market so the farmers have someone to sell to and not a coincide he is asking for the same thing from India as well.

He is basically trying to move to create a buffer between these farmers who are feeling this pain and what he is doing on China. There are many who would argue he what he is doing on China, somebody needed to do because of rampant intellectual property theft, because of currency manipulation --

PAUL: There are people who agree with the tweets he is putting out there, absolutely.

SANCHEZ: No question. The difference is, you know, Mexico isn't building islands in the Gulf of Mexico. Mexico is not manipulating their currency.

So, who stands to really gain from levying these tariffs against Mexico? He is trying to get them to solve a problem on immigration that no nation has been able to solve. So, I'm not sure tariffs are going to improve the situation. Potentially worsening the Mexican economy there by creating more immigration.

PAUL: More people going to the border, and a lot of people, you know, a lot of congressmen out there saying these are two separate issues. And we can conflate the two.

BLACKWELL: Well, China released this document, policy document today blaming the U.S. for the trade war, saying that China would not bow under pressure and the tariffs had not made America great again. So, although the U.S. describes he's as stalled talks, it looks like they are getting farther apart.

SANCHEZ: Yes. I think once the talks broke off as heard from sources, negotiators essentially that it was really China that walked away because they had made all sorts of agreements when it comes to intellectual property theft, for example, and the ability to enforce some of the agreements that they had had you into place. It didn't sound like the Chinese were ready to take that step.

So, still very far apart. It's unclear how this is going to play in 2020 but certainly on president's mind. PAUL: No doubt. Boris Sanchez, we appreciate it so much. Thank you.

Good to see you in person.

BLACKWELL: Thanks, Boris.

SANCHEZ: Thanks for having me. Appreciate it.

PAUL: Always.

So, London's mayor is lashing out against President Trump ahead of the president's U.K. trip, calling him an example of, quote, a growing global threat. What we can expect from his first official state visit because it's already tenuous.

Stay close.

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[07:30:32] CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: Well, President Trump is getting ready to make his first official state visit to the United Kingdom. The president is going to be hosted by heads of state, and the royal family, and sitting down for lunch with the queen, meeting with Prince Charles. The last time he visited with the royals, there were some trouble with the protocol that goes along with the pomp and circumstance, and some people are wondering if this trip is going to be a repeat of last year's what some referred to as awkwardness.

Royal expert and commentator Richard Fitzwilliams is with us now.

Richard, thank you so much for being with us.

What are you going to be watching for this time around?

RICHARD FITZWILLIAMS, ROYAL COMMENTATOR: Well, this time around, we will have two explosive interviews. One in "The Sun" which is a tabloid, and he made it clear that in the conservative leadership race as to who will replace Theresa May, the lame duck prime minister who first asked him, he backs Boris Johnson. "The Sunday Times", and he says Brexit, I'd go for the no-deal. Well, first, he couldn't get that past parliament. Even if he could, he shouldn't be interfering in British domestic politics and had done so even before he arrived.

I'm looking forward to, if that is the word, an explosive press conference on the Tuesday where journalists are going to be asking him a very embarrassed prime minister may about these two interviews. The other thing I'm looking forward to is state banquet that would be a carried procession because protesters but what there will be a unquestionably some speeches at whatever President Trump gives a speech, even if it's Buckingham Palace, I will take notice to what he says.

The other thing I want to see is him review a guard of honor properly. I don't want the shambles we had at Windsor where he seemed to be sleepwalking. In fact, one moment, he walked in front of the queen.

The other thing, again, this is a very important week because it's the 75th anniversary of D-Day on a Thursday and on the Wednesday, there's a ceremony at Portsmouth, the queen will be there and President Trump at the end of all the state visit so that will be memorable. We also look forward to seeing what the various politicians are saying and also, of course, there is the issue of the protestors and balloon will that be there? So, there's an awful lot that we will be, so to speak, examining.

PAUL: Yes, you've got a very heavy three days ahead of you, I think, Richard.

Richard Fitzwilliams, we always appreciate you being here. Thank you, sir.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Richard says he wants to see a proper guard review because last time, the president was sleeping walking, as he said.

PAUL: That's what he said.

BLACKWELL: All right. We will see what happens this time around.

Listen. Let's talk about the scare on the campaign trail for California Senator Kamala Harris. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, hey, hey!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: An activist rushed the stage during an event and snatched the senator's microphone. We will talk about what happened here and the other highlights from Democrats over there in California this weekend.

Tonight, see what happens when the victims and offenders of violent crimes meet face-to-face on a new CNN series, "REDEMPTION PROJECT WITH VAN JONES".

Here is a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can remember thinking, as I'm laying on the ground after he shot me, I'm not surprised.

VAN JONES, CNN HOST: Why?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I said that, I'm speaking broadly about, you know, why, you know, why not be surprised that happened? Because that is the nature of the job.

You don't just overnight find yourself in a patrol car being faced with violence. It's a process. You go through an academy. You're instructed that you're to go out and take care of these problems and you become that person, that perception of what an officer is. After I got shot, the next thing I remember was waking up a week or so

later in UCLA Medical Center in ICU.

[07:35:01] I apparently underwent five or six surgeries during that period of time. Even several months after I got home, I couldn't eat any food by mouth. But watching the pain that my wife and my family and friends were going through what by far the worst thing that I had to endure during all of that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: "THE REDEMPTION PROJECT" with Van Jones airs tonight at 9:00, followed by "UNITED SHADES OF AMERICA" with W. Kamau Bell at 10:00, only on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAUL: Well, gun violence in the U.S. is a major issue for 2020 Democrats. Really, it's a major issue for everybody. Impeachment was an important topic, though, at this weekend's California Democratic Party convention.

[07:40:01] BLACKWELL: CNN's Kyung Lah has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Victor and Christi, a day after the Virginia Beach shooting, many of the 2020 presidential candidates speak to reporters about their sentiments on gun violence, but Senator Cory Booker made it part of the passionate speech he delivered here at the California Democratic Party Convention.

SEN. CORY BOOKER (D-NJ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It is time for us as a nation not to normalize the violence and the carnage of gun violence.

LAH: The candidate who received perhaps the longest and most sustained applause from this crowd was Elizabeth Warren. As she said, that the party needed to steer away from small steps forward and she made the argument for a push for progressive values.

SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: About how you should settle for little bits and pieces instead of real change. They are telling you something important. They are telling you they will not fight for you. Not me. I'm here to fight.

LAH: This convention is unabashed progressive politics on display. It is often more to the left than the voters of California. So when Speaker Nancy Pelosi began to deliver her remarks and talk about the president and the Mueller report, every time she paused, there were cries of the word "impeach".

John Hickenlooper was booed by this crowd as he warned Democrats if they moved too far to the left, they would not get defeat Trump.

There was an alarming moment for Senator Kamala Harris at the Move On event. It is happening the same time as the California Party Convention -- a protester jumping the stage as she spoke.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, hey, hey.

LAH: Harris' campaign says she is fine. She was able to continue her remarks after the protester was led away. Most of the 2020 candidates did speak on Saturday. The big name on Sunday? Bernie Sanders -- Victor, Christi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: Kyung, thank you.

Let's bring in now, April Ryan, CNN political analyst and White House correspondent for American Urban Radio Network.

April, we have a couple of things to get here and not a whole lot of time.

Let's start with the calls for impeach. The shouting of impeach during Speaker Nancy Pelosi's comments. That's home turf for her, right? She was in California, activist, yes. Is the impeachment energy apparently stronger than she is suggesting or calculating?

APRIL RYAN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, she has calculated it is strong but, Victor, here is the problem. While they are making all of these calls for impeachment people in her state, people across the nation, Democrats and a few Republicans actually, some that we know of and some are quietly saying there needs to be a process, the speaker knows that this is a delicate dance because she watched what happened about 20 years ago with Bill Clinton.

What happened was when he was impeached, he became a hero, and she does not want to mimic or mirror what happened with Bill Clinton.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

RYAN: You know, again, Bill Clinton's impeachment started with the land deal that went wrong to stains in a blue dress with Monica Lewinsky.

BLACKWELL: And there's some people who say that that's not a proper comparison, but she doesn't, I understand, want to take that chance of President Trump's approval ratings going up.

RYAN: Right.

BLACKWELL: Let's move to the issue of gun violence as we talked about, obviously, after the shooting in Virginia Beach. Is there evidence that the issue of gun control, gun violence is enough to move Democratic voters? It's a priority, but is it enough to disqualify some candidates because of their position or to lift others because of their position?

RYAN: You know, it's not just a Democratic issue. It's a Republican issue. The GOP is allergic to anything with gun control. But when you have Democrats talking about this, Democrats understand

that there needs to be some kind of situation where we can keep our guns but there needs to be more control over who gets guns. Gun show loophole, things of that nature. But how far you go is the issue.

But when you look at those who use guns, everyone in this population, it's not just a singular population. Everyone has an understanding who wants guns but how do you put control so that is the issue? What do you do and how do you do it?

In the last presidential election cycle, Hillary Clinton made a point not to push the issue of gun control so much so she could win Southern states. It didn't work for the state of Georgia for her, but that was the issue then, and let's see how they handle it now, and looks like it's on the table and see how long it stays on the table.

BLACKWELL: Yes, certainly is an issue that candidates are talking about, especially after the shooting in Virginia Beach.

April, unfortunately, we have to wrap it there. We just added someone to the end of the show.

[07:45:03] We want to make a little time for them as well.

April Ryan, always good to have you on.

RYAN: Take care, Victor.

PAUL: Coming up, new video just in of an out of control cruise ship. People are running. They're screaming to get out of the way. We're going to show what happened after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ERICA HILL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Welcome back. I'm Erica Hill live in Virginia Beach.

We're joined now by Mayor Bobby Dyer.

You and I have spoken a few times in the last 24 hours or so. You finally got some sleep for the first time last night.

MAYOR BOBBY DYER (R), VIRGINIA BEACH, VA: Finally.

HILL: What's different this morning as you're waking up and you're thinking about the road ahead?

DYER: I tell you what, it's still unbelievable that this is happening. You wake up and hope this was a nightmare, but it's not. This is a reality we're going to have to live with in perpetuity.

HILL: I know you said you're ready to, when they're ready, meeting with the families.

DYER: Yes, without question. You know, we got to give it time. I think the important thing is, we don't look at this as just a couple

weeks' intervention or reaction. This is a lifelong thing people will carry with them for the rest of their life. So, all the conversations we're having about -- you know, there is a very positive move now to raise money to help these folks.

But once again, this is going to be a lifetime thing, not just a short quick fix.

HILL: Yes, one of the things you talked about, that it's a lifetime thing for the families of the victims, for the survivors who are in there trying to run for safety, for the first responders, it's the physical and emotional toll.

[07:50:02] And I know there are services in place already, but you want to make sure that they continue.

DYER: You know, once again, you've got to think about the employees, about returning to the building where they witnessed this carnage.

HILL: Will they return to this building, all three floors?

DYER: I tell you what, that's going the take some time. We've got to approach this -- it's a logistics problem and also an emotional problem. It's not an easy fix. I'm sure city management and city manager will come up with a good solution to everything.

HILL: What's your focus today?

DYER: You know, once again, be there, let the public know that their government -- it's remarkable the amount of work and action that the city has taken in conjunction with a lot of things. It's important to get the message out to the people of Virginia Beach, this region, this commonwealth and this nation, that we are working to address this.

And I really believe the response from the people and the business community has been overwhelming and embracing. People want to put their arms around the victims' families and all the people that were involved in this.

HILL: It's a big city, and yet it is remarkable how everyone we speak to talks about what a small community it actually is.

DYER: Right.

HILL: I know you told my colleague that you really didn't want there to be a knee-jerk reaction in terms of a conversation about guns, gun reform, gun control. You want a substantive conversation. What's that mean for you? It always becomes political. How do you avoid that?

DYER: Well, the thing is, now is the time for being rational and discussing practical means that are achievable. Right now, I just don't think -- we don't want this to get into a gridlock type of conversation that's polarizing. That doesn't help anybody right now. But I think going forward, you know, let's talk about things. I think

the most important thing, it's about people. If someone really wants to do harm to people or a group of people, they're going to find a means to do that, whether you can obtain a firearm legally or illegally, you know?

So, the point is, let's have meaningful dialogue, mutual respect and civility going forward. I think that's what our nation needs right now.

HILL: In all aspects.

DYER: In all aspects.

HILL: Well, maybe you'll be the one to set the example.

DYER: I tell you what, you can't do this by yourself. I think for the sake of everybody that has gone through this carnage, whether it be in this country, the folks out in Las Vegas, but also, you take a look around the world, you know, some countries are constantly having these type of incidents.

Let's sit down and talk rationally and focus on people because, once again, it's people doing these problems -- causing these incidents and everything. Let's get back to meaningful dialogue.

HILL: Mayor Bobby Dyer, appreciate you stopping by this morning. We know you've got a long road ahead. It seems like you're ready for that task.

DYER: Thank you very much. I really appreciate it.

HILL: Thank you. We'll talk to you again soon. Appreciate it.

DYER: Take care. Bye-bye.

HILL: That's going to do it for this hour live from Virginia Beach. Again, the focus as we've heard from the mayor, as we've heard from so many people should be on the 12 lives who were lost in the building behind us on Friday.

Remember their names, continue to repeat them, get to know who they were. That is exactly what their families need. You see their pictures there, see their names. Keep in mind, 11 of those public employees. One with the shortest tenure just 11 months, one gentleman worked here for 41 years. As well as a contractor that's in the building that the mayor calls the people's house, there to file a permit.

That's it for our live coverage this hour -- Victor, Christi.

BLACKWELL: All right. Erica Hill, great work there.

Also, those four people in hospital, three of whom have serious injuries considered in serious condition. Thank you so much. All right. Massachusetts Congressman and 2020 Democratic candidate, Congressman Seth Moulton joins Jake Tapper on "STATE OF THE UNION". Here's a look at their conversation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. SETH MOULTON (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's all the more reason why we should be starting impeachment proceedings, why we need to have this debate before Congress and the American people. I don't think there's ever been a clear example of where there are so many questions out there about whether the president of the United States, the top official in the land, has committed crimes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: We'll talk more about his call for impeachment tonight at 6:00. I'll moderate a CNN town hall with Congressman Moulton.

It's one of three back-to-back Democratic presidential town halls. You can watch here on CNN. It starts with Congressman Moulton at 6:00, then Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan at 7:00, and California Congressman Eric Swalwell at 8:00, live from the CNN Center here in Atlanta tonight.

[07:55:05] PAUL: I just want to show you some incredible video that we're just getting in from Italy. An out-of-control cruise ship slammed into a dock and another boat, and look what happened.

(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)

BLACKWELL: You can hear people trying to decide which way they should run. This happened this morning, the San Marco Canal. This is near Venice. And police say the cruise ship -- everyone tried to stop it but they couldn't. Now, at least four people have been hurt. The port authority is trying to figure out what caused that ship to barrel out of control.

PAUL: Good heavens. We'll keep you posted on that.

We want to thank you so much for starting your morning with us. We appreciate you. We appreciate your presence.

BLACKWELL: "INSIDE POLITICS" is up next. Dana Bash is in for John King this morning.

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