President Barack Obama doubled down on his support for stronger gun control laws Sunday, reiterating his call for national "soul searching" in the wake of the Newtown elementary school massacre.
"Something fundamental in America has to change. And all of us have to do some soul searching, including me as president, that we allow a situation in which 20 precious small children are getting gunned down in a classroom," Obama said in a taped interview with Meet The Press host David Gregory. "And I've been very clear that an assault rifle ban, banning these high capacity clips, background checks — that there are a set of issues that I have historically supported and will continue to support."
"The question is: Are we going to be able to have a national conversation and move something through Congress? I'd like to get it done in the first year. I will put forward a very specific proposal based on the recommendations that Joe Biden's task force is putting together as we speak. And so this is not something that I will be putting off."
Calling the shooting the "worst day of his presidency," Obama said he is open to all suggestions for how to reduce gun violence, but brushed off the NRA's proposal to install armed guards at schools across the country.
"I am skeptical that the only answer is putting more guns in schools," he said. "And I think the vast majority of the American people are skeptical that that somehow is going to solve our problem."
Watch the clip below, courtesy of MSNBC:
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