Remarks by President Biden at Everytown’s Gun Sense University

6/11/24 | Washington Hilton Hotel | Washington, D.C.

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you. 

Who in God’s name needs a magazine which can hold 200 shells?

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TOTALLY RANDOM AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Nobody!

THE PRESIDENT:  Nobody.  That’s right. 

I remember when I was campaigning when I was a senator, going through the — through the wetlands of Delaware to meet all the people who were the most upset with me — the fishermen and the hunters.  And I came across a guy who was fishing, and he said, “You want to take my gun.”  And I looked at him, I said, “I — I don’t want to take your gun.  You’re allowed to have a gun, but I want to take away your ability to use an assault weapon.”  (Applause.)  And it — well, no, no — here — here — this is how the conversation went.

He said, “What do you mean?  I need that done.”  I said, “Guess what?  If you need 12 to 100 bullets in a gun — in a magazine, you’re the lousiest shot I’ve ever heard.”  (Laughter and applause.)  I’m serious.  And to his credit, he looked at me.  He said, “You have a good point.”  (Laughter.)

But think about it.  They’re weapons of war. 

And, by the way, it’s time we establish universal background checks — (applause) — and, by the way — and require the safe storage of firearms.  We should hold — (applause) — we should hold families responsible if they don’t provide those locks on those guns.  We — if, in fact — because three of these major crime scenes I’ve visited …

?

… were ones where the mother or father left open — left the stuff out on the desk, left it out on a table, and the kid came and used it.

And, by the way, this is the most important: The only industry in America that has immunity are gun dealers.  We got to end it — (applause) — end it now.  No, I mean it.

Not Pfizer?

Imagine — imagine if we gave — if we gave tobacco an exception they could not be prosecuted.  We — what would happen?  We’d still — a thousand more people would be dying of cancer because of smoke inhalation. 

It’s time we increase funding for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Explosives and other law enforcement agencies as well — (applause) — to solve the crimes faster.  

Look, unfortunately — this is the only partisan thing I’m going to say — the congressional Republicans oppose all of these — every one of these.  Instead of trying to stop our ban on ghost gun kits that contain these — can be — that can — commit crimes, …

Kits commit crimes?

… they’re working like hell to — to stop it.  They want to abali- — they want to abolish the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Explosives, which is responsible for fighting gun crimes. 

You can’t be pro law enforcement and say you are pro law enforcement and be pro abolishing the AFT.  (Applause.)  You can’t do it.  It’s outrageous.

I disagree with my — some of my own party and on the other — other side on a lot of things, but at least there’s some — some rational argument they have as part of their argument.

What in God’s name is the rationale for taking away the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms?

After a school shooting in Iowa that killed a student and a teacher, my predecessor was asked about it.  You remember what he said.  He said, “Have to get over it.” 

Nope. That’s not what he said. I don’t even have to look it up.

Hell no, we don’t have to get over it.  (Applause.)  We got to stop it.  We got to stop it and stop it now.  (Applause.)

More children are killed in America by guns than cancer and car accidents combined.  (Applause.)  My predecessor told the NRA convention recently he’s proud that, quote, “I did nothing on guns when I was president.”  And by doing nothing, he made the situation considerably worse. 

That’s why Everytown, why this summit, why all of you here today are so damn important.  We need you.  We need you to overcome the unrelenting opposition of the gun lobby, gun manufacturers, and so many politicians when they oppose commonsense gun legislation. 

I used to be a law —

Did you, now?

… when I was no longer the vice president, I became a professor at the University of — of Pennsylvania.  Before that, I taught a constitutional law class, and so I taught the — the Second Amendment. 

Debunked even by liberal media. He never taught a class.

There’s never been a time that says you can own anything you want.  Th- — never.  You couldn’t own a cannon during the Civil War.  (Laughter.)  No, I’m seri- — think about it.  How much have you heard this phrase? 

Are you going to screw up another well-known quote?

“The blood of liberty” — (laughter) — “washed with th-” — give me a break.  (Laughter and applause.)

No, I mean it.  Seriously.

And, by the way, if they want to think they — it’s to take on government if we get out of line, which they’re talking again about — well, guess what?  They need F-15s.  They don’t need a rifle.  (Laughter.)

Folks, look, this is crazy, what we’re talking about.