Story highlights President Obama ratcheted up calls for gun control

Republicans have leveled withering criticism over his response to the San Bernardino massacre

Washington (CNN) President Barack Obama said Saturday that it is "insane" that people who are not allowed to fly on planes are allowed to buy guns.

"Right now, people on the No-Fly list can walk into a store and buy a gun. That is insane. If you're too dangerous to board a plane, you're too dangerous, by definition, to buy a gun," he said in his weekly address. "And so I'm calling on Congress to close this loophole, now. We may not be able to prevent every tragedy, but -- at a bare minimum -- we shouldn't be making it so easy for potential terrorists or criminals to get their hands on a gun that they could use against Americans."

Republicans have leveled withering criticism of Obama for tying the massacre to gun control. And also for not, in their view, playing up the terror aspect most immediately.

Still, the possibility that the San Bernardino, California, shooting suspects were radicalized confirms the need for people "to work together" to prevent this from happening, Obama said.

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