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Judge Rules against Gun Limits; Biden to Visit Texas on Sunday; Remembering Layla Salazar; Expensive Memorial Day Holiday; Steve Kerr Advocates for Reform. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired May 27, 2022 - 06:30   ET

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

[06:30:00]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: Teenagers were in the militia when the Second Amendment was adopted in the U.S.

Let's bring in the anchor of "EARLY START" and CNN correspondent Laura Jarrett to tell us more about this.

Tell us about this point that they are arguing.

LAURA JARRETT, CNN ANCHOR, "EARLY START": Hey, Brianna. Good morning.

So, here's what we know. Let's start with the data. The data shows teens are responsible for a disproportionate share of gun violence in this country, yet the laws currently on the books don't address that reality in a uniform way.

Take a look at this. Only 19 states have passed laws requiring someone to be 21 years old to purchase a handgun. And when it comes to long guns, like the types of guns that we see in so many of these mass shootings, the number of states is even smaller, just six places where you have to be 21 years old.

But the other part of this story is what's happening in court because even when states try to pass stricter gun safety laws, they're often struck down. Earlier this month, a panel of judges, appointed by former President Trump, on the Ninth Circuit, found that California went too far in trying to ban the sale of semi-automatic rifles to anyone over 21 -- under 21, I should say. The judges did a lengthy historical analysis, and the opinion says this in part, quote, ultimately the Second Amendment protects the right of people to keep and bear arms and refers to the militia. Young adults were part of the militia and were expected to have their own arms.

And last year the Fourth Circuit reached a similar conclusion, again, a panel of two Trump judges and one appointed by President George W. Bush said the restrictions on the sale of handguns to 18 to 20 year olds were unconstitutional because historically 18 year olds had to be part of the militia.

Now, in both cases, the judges were unpersuaded by the data that I just mentioned on teens and gun violence and they found that those laws were overinclusive and overly restrictive. Now, of course, there have been plenty of decisions upholding gun

restrictions in all kinds of places, but the Supreme Court, right this very minute, is working on a case about New York's concealed carry license requirement. And given the current balance of the high court, a sweeping ruling could have major implications for all kinds of other gun laws throughout the rest of the country.

KEILAR: Certainly could.

Laura, thank you for that.

JARRETT: Sure.

KEILAR: President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will travel to Uvalde, Texas, this Sunday to meet with the families of the 19 children and the two teachers killed inside Robb Elementary School on Tuesday. This is the second time in just two weeks that the president will console a mourning community that has been shattered by mass gun violence.

Joining me now to discuss this upcoming trip is CNN political analyst David Gregory.

David, you've seen these before, right? You've seen these visits before. What does he have to do and what specifics does he have to bring?

DAVID GREGORY, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: We have seen these before. I mean I think way back to the Oklahoma City bombing and the impact that President Bill Clinton had on the country and the world with his remarks. Remember, 18 children killed in the federal building in Oklahoma City, 19 children murdered here.

The president has done this to great effect because he knows firsthand tragedy, loss. He can speak to parents as the president and as a human being in a way that very few other people can with that level of understanding.

You know, I think your question assumes the idea that he goes beyond eulogy and gets into some specifics about remedy, about politics, about gun safety. And, you know, at this point, the president's walking a line here. There have been some discussions, as you've been reporting this morning. He wants to push that along. But I think he also wants to keep some distance to allow that to gain some momentum.

KEILAR: He also has to know his audience, right?

GREGORY: Yes.

KEILAR: I mean, when you're talking about Texas, when you're talking about Uvalde. We've heard -- we just heard from a reporter covering this story locally in Texas that people there are conflicted. They're trying to kind of challenge their own beliefs about what happened here.

GREGORY: Exactly. And you have the murder of children. You know, I mean, we talk about the epidemic of these school shootings often -- most often perpetrated by young men who are disturbed in some way. If you think about the facts of this case that are just so depraved, the premeditation involved, the fact that this was a young man who evidently wanted to confront law enforcement, understood what that would mean in terms of losing his own life, but still takes the lives of these children, which is just beyond comprehension.

I think the president wants to speak to that and speak to the epidemic piece of this. I mean, ultimately, we've got to figure out in our country this -- this -- how to reconcile fundamental rights we have in our Constitution with an epidemic of violence because people who are committing these acts understand something beyond whatever illness they're facing, however depraved they are, they understand that the most significant way to get attention is to perpetrate this kind of act.

[06:35:10]

That's, I think, in part what has to be addressed.

KEILAR: David, you heard Lauren's reporting about what is happening on The Hill. Senator Cornyn comes back from Texas. Mitch McConnell is now enlisting him in these bipartisan discussions.

Do you have any hope that there is actually something different this time?

GREGORY: I'm a bit cynical. Been here before. Saw it after Sandy Hook in Connecticut, and I remember saying to myself, if they can't pass something after the murder of children in Sandy Hook, I don't know what it would take. And here we have the murder of children again that is -- that is so heart wrenching.

You know, are there signs of progress? Yes. I mean, you know, the fact that Mitch McConnell wants to have a conversation and he's sending Cornyn, those are positive signs if you look at the inside baseball on that. The fact that Joe Manchin, who has spearheaded efforts before, unsuccessfully, but he can be certainly an important hinge player here. I still think it's in the realm of something far more minimal in terms of what they can get agreement on.

I think, you know, the larger point that I think liberals have to understand is that the reflexive push to do something, to get rid of certain weapons, has often been unsuccessful. I think a push toward gun safety, how do we -- how do we try, like we do with cars, to make something that is lethal potentially more safe, more restricted? Whether -- you know, how can somebody get so much ammunition? How do we use technology to make guns safer? And then how do we address the mental health piece? I think this has the most potential, at least as a foundation, to draw in Republican lawmakers.

But Democrats have to be careful. There's a lot of people who stand up after something like this and say, by God, why do we have so many weapons? We have to get rid of guns. There's just not a constituency for that. I know people don't understand it, but we are awash in this country in guns. And I've just seen this, even after something like this. That doesn't change. Unfortunately, it doesn't change. This is where there's this huge delta between public opinion, what people would like to see their lawmakers do, and the hold that interest groups like the NRA have in Washington.

KEILAR: Yes, we'll be talking a lot about that hold a little later in the show here.

David, always great to have you on. Thank you so much for being with us this morning.

GREGORY: Thank you.

KEILAR: So, next, we're going to have more on another young life taken, Layla Salazar, an 11-year-old fourth grader. Her family tells CNN that she was their everything.

Plus, Meghan Markle makes a surprise visit to Uvalde, honoring the victims.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:41:58]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, we are learning more details about the lives of the 19 children and two teachers who were killed here, including 11-year-old Layla Salazar. Layla's family spoke with CNN's Gary Tuchman about her favorite things to do and the places that she loved.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go, Layla.

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The girl wearing the gray shirt is 11-year-old fourth grader Layla Salazar, about to win this race at last month's Robb Elementary School field day. Her family was there.

But, today, they mourn. Her parents, two brothers and grandparents have lost their little girl.

VINCENT SALAZAR III, LAYLA SALAZAR'S FATHER: She loved to run. Her favorite thing was, you know, TikTok, you know, doing little TikTok dances and --

MELINDA ALEJANDRO, LAYLA SALAZAR'S MOTHER: She loved everything.

V. SALAZAR: I can't --

ALEJANDRO: She loved --

V. SALAZAR: She liked to draw. She liked to dance.

ALEJANDRO: She was just a tomboy/girl. I mean, if anything, she knew how to climb a tree, she would probably climb a tree and jump off of it. V. SALAZAR: She loved the river. We used to go to the river. She loved

to swim.

ALEJANDRO: She was just an active person.

TUCHMAN (on camera): Your husband was telling me, you were telling me that she loved the Guns and Roses song "Sweet Child of Mine."

V. SALAZAR: Yes, "Sweet Child of Mine."

ALEJANDRO: Yes.

TUCHMAN: Which I love, too.

V. SALAZAR: Yes.

TUCHMAN: But you played that for her.

V. SALAZAR: Yes, we played that every time in the morning when we took her to school we sang it together.

ALEJANDRO: And we played that every morning we went to go to school.

TUCHMAN: And what an appropriate song, because she was a sweet child.

V. SALAZAR: Yes. It just hurts now.

TUCHMAN (voice over): Earlier this month, on Mother's Day, Layla took to TikTok.

LAYLA SALAZAR: Hey, guys. Today is Mother's Day, OK. And if you haven't said happy Mother's Day to your mom, what are you doing? Go say it right now.

And I just wanted to wish all the moms out there happy Mother's Day, even though you're not my mom. And I also wanted to say, I hope you -- I hope all the moms out there have an awesome and blessed day.

ALEJANDRO: This is my only princess. She's my everything. She's like -- we went together everywhere. She was like stuck on me like glue. She had her own bedroom. She always laid with me. She always -- we did everything together. Everything. We had so much plans for her after --

V. SALAZAR: We took her to the park. She liked to feed the ducks.

ALEJANDRO: Yes, we used to go feeding the ducks a lot.

V. SALAZAR: She was so excited about her last few days of school.

TUCHMAN: Everyone in this family doubted on Layla, particularly her grandparents.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE, GRANDPARENT: She was our world.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE, GRANDPARENT: She was our world.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE, GRANDPARENT: No replacing that. Even though we can't speak up, our hearts are shattered.

TUCHMAN: There was a sense of disbelief among these family members that this happened. How can Layla no longer be here? How can they cope with never seeing her again?

V. SALAZAR: The most thing that's the hardest is that I'm her father and I wasn't there. I wasn't there to protect her.

TUCHMAN: For now, this family leans on each other for support.

TUCHMAN (on camera): And I hope you know that so many of us, not just us who are here with you right now in your yard, but around this country and around the world are thinking of you.

[06:45:05]

Does that give you strength?

V. SALAZAR: It helps.

ALEJANDRO: It helps.

V. SALAZAR: It helps to know that so many people care.

ALEJANDRO: Yes.

TUCHMAN: A makeshift memorial has now been set up in downtown Uvalde. Uvalde is a very small city, only about 16,000 people. The surrounding county has 26,000 people. But so many people are coming here to pay their respects, partly because lots of -- the people who are showing up are from other parts of Texas and from out of state.

Twenty-one crosses for each of the victims with their names on top and with hearts on the crosses where people are writing things. This is the little girl we just did the story on, Layla Salazar. Flowers, stuffed animals, an poignant messages, like this one, I will always love you. Rest in peace. My beautiful granddaughter. And here from a classmate, you are so pretty.

One of the visitors who came here a short time ago, unannounced, Meghan Markle, the wife of Prince Harry. She brought with her a bouquet of flowers, also went around the city, but made a stop at this memorial.

This is all so tragically sad. What makes you feel somewhat reassured are all the kind people in this city and all the kind people who have shown up at this memorial.

This is Gary Tuchman, CNN, in Uvalde, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:50:37] KEILAR: Right now millions of Americans are hitting the road for this long Memorial Day weekend. One that AAA is calling the most expensive ever.

CNN's Pete Muntean live on the road with the increasing cost of your summer trip.

I filled up my gas tank, admittedly it was very empty, Pete Muntean, and it cost me $70 the other day.

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's salty right now, Brianna. You know, the traffic is building here on Interstate 395, along with the expense of this big holiday weekend. The national average of a gallon of regular just hit $4.60 a gallon. But it is not just gas, it is food, it is hotels, it is airfare. They are all going up right now. And this big weekend is only just the start.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MUNTEAN (voice over): Single day Eric Stevens says he makes $110,000 a year, but even that is not enough to afford a trip to the lake. Here in Los Angeles, $6 a gallon gas has kept his plans in park.

ERIC STEVENS, LIVES IN ENCINO, CALIFORNIA: Maybe for the affluent they can afford it. But for me to go anywhere is minimum a $200 decision in regards to gas. And you haven't fed your kids or done anything else.

MUNTEAN: Gas Buddy says holiday weekend gas prices are the highest they have been since 2012. But the pain goes beyond the pump. New data says hotels have jumped 42 percent compared to last year. Airfare is up 6 percent.

ANDREW GROSS, SPOKESMAN, AAA, INC.: This will likely be one of the most expensive Memorial Day travel periods we've ever seen.

MUNTEAN: Even still, AAA thinks Americans will not be stopped. Traveling to top destinations such as Orlando, Seattle, Miami and Las Vegas. The latest projection, $34.9 million people will drive 50 miles or more over the five days around Memorial Day.

MUNTEAN (on camera): Do you think that the numbers will be all that far off from the projection?

GROSS: You know, we've never -- we've -- our projections have always been pretty accurate, but we've never been trying to project in an environment like this.

MUNTEAN (voice over): The new fear is this expensive start to summer travel could last. Gas Buddy's Patrick De Haan thinks the average price of gas will not dip below $4.50 for months.

PATRICK DE HAAN, HEAD OF PETROLEUM ANALYSIS, GAS BUDDY: I don't really think the higher price of fuel is going to slow down many. It may slow down some, but certainly there's still a very healthy appetite to hit the road this summer.

STEVENS: You ready for school, baby girl?

MUNTEAN: Not so for Eric Stevens, who says he's choosing to go pay for his daughter's day care over a road trip.

STEVENS: Fun has been postponed for the indefinite future, especially the way things are going. While I'd like to say or hope there's an end in sight, I just don't see one.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MUNTEAN: This is just the start of this rush. AAA says the worst times to travel today are between noon to 7:00 p.m. So get an early start if you can or wait until the traffic dies down. This is really going to feel a lot more like 2019, pre-pandemic. We know you spend more on gas the more you sit in traffic. But the bottom line here is, be patient and pad your wallet. This trip is really going to cost you, Brianna.

KEILAR: Certainly is. Pete, thank you for that.

Berman.

BERMAN: All right, we have a CNN exclusive. A conversation with one of the survivors from inside one of the classrooms here that saw the worst of the carnage. What she says the shooter did, the music she heard, she believes it was played by the shooter, and the lengths she went to survive.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:58:09]

KEILAR: Warriors Coach Steve Kerr says if people just change the way that they think about gun control, then America can achieve change.

Andy Scholes has more on this in our morning's "Bleacher Report."

Andy.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning, Brianna.

So, Steve Kerr, you remember, gave that very passionate press conference the day of the Uvalde shooting demanding change from politicians. Ahead of game five last night, he said gun control needs to be thought of as a public health issue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE KERR, WARRIORS HEAD COACH: For whatever reason, it's a political issue. But it's really a public health issue. So, as soon as we can just shift the dynamic to this being a public health issue, then -- then you get momentum. So, what I'm asking people to do is to get involved in their local communities. I've got lots of friends who are Democrats, I've got lots of friends who are Republicans. And all I know is they all want gun violence to go away.

(END VIDEO CLIP) SCHOLES: Yes, Kerr's Warriors, meanwhile, advancing to their sixth NBA finals in the past eight years. The first team to do that since Michael Jordan's Bulls in the '90s. Klay Thompson was great in game five, making eight threes on his way to 32 points. Despite a late run by the Mavs, the Warriors led this game wire to wire, winning 120-110. Steph Curry named the inaugural Western Conference finals MVP. The Warriors will host game one of the NBA finals on Thursday.

In baseball, meanwhile, the Yankees and Rays social media teams joining forces last night. Instead of tweeting about the game, they presented facts about gun violence in America. They posted nine different statistics on their accounts simultaneously throughout the night. The Rays saying at one point, we all deserve to be safe. This cannot become normal. We cannot become numb. We cannot look the other way. We are all know, if nothing changes, nothing changes.

[07:00:02]

All right, and NEW DAY continues right now.