Republicans. There will be survivors of the parkland massacre, meaning the kids who hid in a closet and watched their best friends die. And there will be the National Rife a Rifle Association all in one room. Youve covered these after a horrible tragedy, they retreat and dig in and dont engage with each other. But tonight thats not going to be possible. Everybody is going to be on this one stage together. They have to confront the students who are demanding answers. They are coming with suggestions and demands. And the politicians both democrat and republican have to hear them. So that starts again at 9 00 tonight here. Alison, its going to be emotional night. As you noted you were there one week ago tonight following the shooting. Whats the one moment youll be looking for . Reporter well, i just spoke to these three young women,
juniors at Douglas High School, part of a drama troop, and they came here not actually with any sort of political message or any sort of demands. They came here because in their grief on monday one of them named Sawer Garrity wrote a song. Thats what she did to channel her grief she wrote a song called shine. And tonight she and her friends in the drama troop will perform it for the 7,000 people here and for everyone around the world watching. Ive read the lyrics. Its about their deep grief and the strength that they feel in coming together and in the solidarity of students across the country supporting them. It is going to be a must see moment. Its at the end of the town hall so they are feeling good and want to get their message of unity out. So everybody should stick around to watch that. Well all be listening for that moment. Sounds amazing. Alison in florida, thanks so much. Prum tonight hearing from
students families and teachers about the issues of the School Shootings. Jeff zeleny outfront live at the white house. It was emotional gathering inside the white house and President Trump right in the middle of it. John, it was indeed. And stories of those six students from Marjory StonemanDouglas High School who one week ago walking the hallways of that school, hiding from the shooter. Today they were in the State Dining Room of the white house telling the president their stories directly, of course sitting next to columbine, and they were not born two decades ago, and that under scores how long this has been an american problem. The president said it has been a problem for too long. Now is the time for action. Of course that is where the difficulty begins. You heard variety of different stories of what should be done. Should School Teachers and officials be armed . The president spoke out in favor of that. Mother from sandy hook said, no, that is not what should be done. The problem should be addressed before a shooter gets to the school. But in a very emotional moment, a student who was in the school at the time said, mr. President , why should i be able to buy an ar15 . Now we do know the president has been talking behind the scenes here about potentially supporting raising the age limit for purchasing this type of a weapon. But the nra tonight said it is not in favor of that. So, john, that speaks to the question. What will the president do here . Will he confront the nra . Will he lead his own party . What specific solutions will be done . We also got a sense, this was the president unlike we have seen, setting unlike we have seen him, john, and a photographer in that State Dining Room captured a photograph id like you to look at of the president holding that piece of paper there. He said what would you most want me to know about your experience . And at the bottom, i hear you. So a bit of a coaching moment for this president doing the act
in the room. She brought beauty and joy to everyone she was around. And she was hunted in school. I am enraged to hear our politicians, including in that little circular sit down session in the president s office today, not be able to use the phrase that guns are a problem. I am enraged. I want to hear our elected officials, i want them to look Me In The Eye and acknowledge the role that guns played in the hunting of my daughter. I started my day today with my wife visiting her at her cemetery. The idea that these politicians cant come to grips with reality and Start Talking facts as to what it was that brought my daughter down and killed her. My daughter was hunted in school. Running to save her life. And what i heard today is that we need to arm students and teachers so that well have
shootouts in the hallways . I mean, come on. There was pandemonium. My daughter and others kids were running for their lives. So what are we supposed to have, more casualties . Enenraged. I want to hear about Real Solutions but you cant until you say what the problem s and the problem is guns. Its not and i dont diminish anything else with regards to Mental Health or all the other factors, because they are all critically important. Okay. But guns are the issue. And ill tell you i support the Second Amendment. My son was shooting with his grandfather just a couple of months ago. This is not what it is for me. However, okay, we have to get real about this. The mayor of parkland delivered your message to the president in that room. Told the president that you, sir, want the issue of guns addressed. You must address the issue of guns you asked. And as you mention, one of the ways the president has done that
is to suggest Arming Teachers. Listen to what he said for a moment here. An attack has lasted on average about three minutes. It takes five to eight minutes for responders, for the police to come in. So the attack is over. If you had a teacher who was adept at firearms, they could very well end the attack very quickly. This is a nonstarter for you . Listen, i want every elected leader to stand with me and these kids. Because these kids have been unbelievable. However, okay, that statement, and i hate to say it, hes intentionally making himself purposely useless, okay. That is a nonstarter. That is a way to create a conversation around something that is not going to save lives. Okay. And as long as we cant talk
about the real problems and the Real Solutions, that is making our self purposely useless. The president does seem open, if you read his Body Language, and listen to white house aides, open to the notion of raising the minimum age to buy ar15, assault style weapons. Right now its 18. Any 18yearold can walk in and buy an ar15. President seems open to raising that to 21. Yet the nra came out tonight and said no they are not in favor of it. I heard. Do you think the president will stand up to the nra on this issue . Ill say i hope so. I think his language and the way he is speaking through Lt Hunting Last week of these kids through today suggests not. But im an ultimate optimist. I believe we are going to get something done here. I hope he will be part of it. I i am thrilled by these kids and what they have done and movement they started. And i want them to come on my back while we do this. Because we are going to get this done. All i did was send i sent my daughter to school. Its all that i did that day. On valentines day. And today im visiting her in her cemetery. Im sorry, we have to talk truth and Real Solutions. You, sir, owe no one apology. You say youll lead them in this discussion. I think a the lo of these students are telling us to jump on their backs and they will lead us in this discussion. They are amazing and unbelievable. Your daughter was a dancer. And we have seen these images Orange Ribbons for jamie. Yes. What does this mean to you . Does this bring you any comfort . My listen, a week ago my faith was shattered. What people have done this week to honor my baby, what people have done this week has restored my faith. What it also tells me is that people are demanding Real Solutions. They are wrapping their arms around my daughter, turns out orange is her favorite color, but i also just learned today that its also the unstrersal color of gun safety in this country. What an amazing just connection h but you are right, this Orange Ribbon started at a little Dance Theater, parkland Dance Theater in parkland where my daughter danced and it went worldwide. You have broadway shows dedicating their performances to my daughter and putting these on. It says to me that people want change. It doesnt matter how much money the nra has and how much money they are willing to spend. Citizens vote. Citizens will demand these kids are powerful. My faith in our students, in our youth is so strong after what happened this week. You are 100 right what you said. They have taken this country on their back and not given up. They want to do one thing. They want to go to school thats it. This is so common sense and simple. And thats what this discussion will be. Im sorry. No, as i said, you, sir, have to apologize for nothing. Thank you for being here. Thank you. Thank you for taking part in this cnn town hall discussion. Discussion is so important and we value your input. So thank you. Appreciate your time. Outfront next, shooting survivors confront the president begging him to do something about guns. I dont understand why i can still go in a store and buy a weapon of war. An ar. That student is my guest next. Plus Breaking News the white house says tonight the u. S. Is taking Direct Action against russia to address election meddling. What exactly does that mean . Erin Burnett Outfront brought to you by taltz. But when your psoriasis is bad, does it ever get in the way . Embrace the chance of 100 clear skin with taltz. Taltz is proven to help people with moderate to severe psoriasis achieve completely clear skin. With taltz, up to 90 of patients had a significant improvement of their psoriasis plaques. In fact, 4 out of 10 even achieved completely clear skin. Dont use if youre allergic to taltz. Before starting, you should be checked for tuberculosis. Taltz may increase risk of infections
and lower your ability to fight them. Tell your doctor if you have an infection or have symptoms, or if youve received a vaccine or plan to. Inflammatory bowel disease can happen with taltz, including worsening of symptoms. Serious allergic reactions can occur. Ready for a chance at 100 clear skin . Ask your doctor about taltz today. And go to taltz. Com to learn how to pay as little as 5 a month. vo do not go gentle into that good night, old age should burn and rave at close of day; rage, rage against the dying of the light. Do not go gentle into that good night. Things are just clearer. You wouldnt accept from any one else. Why accept it from your Allergy Pills . Flonase relieves your worst symptoms including nasal congestion, which most pills dont. Flonase helps block 6 key inflammatory substances. Most pills only block one. Flonase. Breaking news President Trump at the white house today hearing from survivors of the High School Shooting in parkland l. A. , one week ago today, as well as parents who lost students in Previous School shootings. It was a conversation that was frank and at times emotional. No one wants to see a shootout at a school. And Deranged Sociopath on his way to commit an act of murder in a school with the outcome knowing the outcome is going to be suicide is not going to care
if there is someone there with the gun. Thats their plan anyway. How is it that teaseeasy to this type of weapon . How can we not stop this at columbine and sandy hook . Im sitting with a mother who lost her son. Its still happening. Those two men join me now. Samuel student who survived last week. And mark dozlost his son daniel. It takes courage to do what you did, not only texting with your brother, but today speaking your mind and showing your heart to the country, facetoface, with the president of the United States. What did you takeaway from this session today . Its just a start, really. There is going to be a lot more to come, and its going to coma lot more. And, you know, this was us
ago ringing our hands, begging our congress to try to do something. This is my little daniel. He was shot to death in sandy hook El Rementary School just or five years ago and here we are trying to discuss this hand get solutions. We decided to do something at the community level. Thats what we are doing with sandy hook. We are proud of the work you are doing. Im so glad you are showing pictures of your son daniel knowing this is what its about. People need to remember. Issue of solutions, President Trump talked about Arming Teachers. This is a solution that he sees and others do as well. This is what the president said. Okay. This would only be obviously for people that are very adept at handling a gun. And it would be, its called Concealed Carry, where a teacher would have a concealed gun on
them. They would go for special training. And they would be there. And you would no longer have a gun freeze zone. Gun free zone to a manic, because they are all cowards, a Gun Free Zone is lets go in and lets attack. Because bullets arent coming back at us. How would you feel about teachers carrying guns at your school . When you go back next week . I dont know if im going to be going back next week. But on that topic, teachers get get emotional too. And to arm every like to arm any teacher, they are there to teach. They are not they are not supposed to be there to protect us and have to worry about if they are going to have to shoot a kid that day. There should be people there for that. I spoke with a teacher who was there in that room with me. And shes been teaching for 19 years. And she said if one day she came
to work and they said, all right, well start arming you guys with firearms, she would quit. Teachers and 19yearolds are still people. And everyone is different. There is no way to you just cant. You just cant arm every single teacher. The president suggested that it would be only teachers who go through certain training. And i want to ask mark about the same issue but i dont want to let something pass. You are not going to go back to School Next Week. Why not . I dont know how they expect me, my classmates and i, to step back on a campus where people we know were murdered. Like they are going to fence off the freshman building or tear it down or whatever. Its just like a horror movie
that never ends. And i dont know how im going to go back on set. Mark, yeah, again, you mentioned i think your wife is a teacher. And you thought a lot about this issue of Arming Teachers. And you suggested that you dont think Arming Teachers with weapons is the right idea. But instead arming them with what . Arming them with the tools to recognize somebody who is at risk of hurting them self or somebody else. And then intervening and getting them to the help that they need before they pick up a gun or any weapon to hurt themselves or hurt somebody else. Thats a solution that works that we know we have available right now. We can start doing that immediately. We know that it works. We have already stopped School Shootings with students who have been trained who have followed that model and prevented a shooting before it happened. So its absolutely doable. We are ready to go. Sam, one of the things you seem to suggest is that 18yearold shouldnt be able to buy an ar15. And in fact, listen, if you listen to the president he may be receptive raising the age to 21. The president might be willing to go there. The nra said no they are not in favor of it. Is this something youll push the president on it . When i say 18yearold shouldnt be able to. That was direct reference to myself. Nobody should be able to. Nobody. Mark, youve been listening to sam next to you. I think work through a lot of these things that you worked through five years ago. Any advise you can give him as you are with him right now . Work in progress. Still working through it as we were just discussing. Ill say i have so much admiration for incredible voice of these high school young people. They are making a huge impact in
this country. They are not going to put up with this. And they are going to get results. And im going to it be here to support you. And im going to offer you the same advice that my dear friend Vice President joe biden offered to us, which is go home, take care of yourself. This is a long hard rode. And please, please dont just take care of yourself. Thank you. More important, sam, thanks so much for being with us. Sam, please lean on the man beside you. I think he is a font of wisdom that he has. Ill. Lucky for all of us that hes there. So thanks very much. Thank you. Thank you. Outfront next, Breaking News, russia warned the Trump Administration saying tonight they have taken Direct Action to address meddling in the 2018 election. So what is it . And the president pledges to, quoted, get things done. When is he going to get more specific . Welcome back to Special Edition of Outfront Looking at live pictures outside sunrise, florida, less than 90 minutes away from Special Cnn Town Hall